John Lawrence Riker (1787-1861)

He was born at Newtown and educated at Erasmus Hall, Long Island. At sixteen, he entered the office of his brother Richard under whom he studied law for five years and then proceeded to practice in New York. He lived on his father's old estate at Newtown. After his first wife, Mary, died he married her sister, Lavinia, and had 11-children. His wives were the daughters of Sylvanus Smith, of North Hempstead.