# David Provost

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{{Short description|American politician}}
{{for|the Detroit businessman|David T. Provost}}
{{Lead too short|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = David Provost
| caption             =
| order               = 25th [Mayor of New York City](/source/Mayor_of_New_York_City)
| term_start          = 1699
| term_end            = 1700
| governor            =
| predecessor         = [Johannes de Peyster](/source/Johannes_de_Peyster)
| successor           = [Isaac De Riemer](/source/Isaac_De_Riemer)
| governor2           =
| predecessor2        =
| successor2          =
| birth_date          = January 16, 1670
| birth_place         = [New York, New York](/source/New_York%2C_New_York)
| death_date          = 1724
| death_place         =
| resting_place       = [Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery](/source/Poughkeepsie_Rural_Cemetery)
| alma_mater          =
| party               =
| profession          =
| parents             = David Provost Sr.<br>Catherine Laurens 
| spouse              = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Helena Byvanck<br>|June 1, 1691|1698|reason=her death}}
* {{marriage|Maria De Peyster<br>|January 28, 1699|1700|reason=}}
* {{marriage|Elizabeth Wakeman<br>|May 15, 1708||reason=}}
}}
| children            =
| relations           = [Johannes de Peyster III](/source/Johannes_de_Peyster_III) (nephew)
}}

'''David Provost''' or '''David Provoost''' (January 16, 1670 – 1724) was the 25th [mayor of New York City](/source/mayor_of_New_York_City), serving his appointment to the position from 1699 to 1700.

==Early life==
David Provost was born at his family's [Pearl Street](/source/Pearl_Street_(Manhattan)) home, near [Fulton Street](/source/Fulton_Street_(Manhattan)), in New York City, on January 16, 1670, to David Provost Sr. (1642<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/biographicalgene00prov/page/20/mode/2up?q=david+provoost+1642|title = Biographical and genealogical notes of the Provost family from 1545 to 1895|year = 1895|publisher = New York}}</ref>-1720), one of [New Amsterdam's](/source/New_Amsterdam) Dutch [burghers](/source/Bourgeoisie), and Tryntje "Catherine" (''née'' Laurens) Provost (1650–1707).<ref name="Onderdonk1910"/>

==Career==
In 1699, David Provost was appointed Mayor.<ref name="Booth 1859">{{cite book  | last = Booth  | first = Mary Louise | title = History of the City of New York  | publisher = W.R.C. Clark  | year = 1859 | page =  [https://archive.org/details/historycitynewy01bootgoog/page/n268 262]  | url = https://archive.org/details/historycitynewy01bootgoog}}</ref> During his administration, two new market houses were erected, one at [Coenties Slip](/source/Coenties_Slip) and the other at the foot of [Broad Street](/source/Broad_Street_(Manhattan)). A hospital-home for the poor was established. Public street cleaners were hired, and homeowners were directed to pave in front of their houses or face a fine of twenty [shilling](/source/shilling)s.<ref name="Booth 1859" />

The ferry to [Long Island](/source/Long_Island) was contracted out for a term of seven years at a rent of one hundred and sixty-five pounds sterling per year.  By the conditions of lease, the lessee was required to keep two large boats for corn and cattle, and two smaller boats for passengers. The city engaged to build a ferry-house on Nassau or Long Island, which the ferry operator was required to keep in repair.<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite book  | last = Booth | first = Mary Louise  | title = History of the City of New York  | publisher =W.R.C. Clark  | year = 1859  | page =  [https://archive.org/details/historycitynewy01bootgoog/page/n259 263]  | url = https://archive.org/details/historycitynewy01bootgoog}}</ref>

In 1699, the firing of guns within New York City was strictly forbidden.  A powder-house was ordered to be built for public use, and all persons were prohibited from keeping more than fifty pounds of powder in their house.<ref name="books.google.com" />  A tax was levied on all flour and bread brought into the city. This tax, however, proved unpopular, and was annulled a few weeks later.<ref name="books.google.com" />

Provost was succeeded in office by [Isaac De Riemer](/source/Isaac_De_Riemer) in 1700. After his tenure as Mayor, Provost served for a time as [alderman](/source/alderman).<ref>{{cite book  | last = Booth  | first = Mary Louise  | title = History of the City of New York  | publisher = W.R.C. Clark  | year = 1859  | page =  [https://archive.org/details/historycitynewy01bootgoog/page/n272 266]  | url = https://archive.org/details/historycitynewy01bootgoog}}</ref>

==Personal life==
On June 1, 1691, Provost married Helena Byvanck (d. 1698) of Albany. Together, they were the parents of:<ref name="Onderdonk1910">{{cite book|last1=Onderdonk|first1=Elmer|title=Genealogy of the Onderdonk Family in America|date=1910|publisher=Priv. print.|url=https://archive.org/details/genealogyonderd00youngoog|page=[https://archive.org/details/genealogyonderd00youngoog/page/n554 280]|access-date=9 September 2017|language=en}}</ref>

* Belitje Provost (b. 1692), who married Henry Coens 
* Catharina Provost (b. 1694), who married Abraham Van Wyck (1695–1756)
*  David Provost III (b. 1695), who married Johanna Rynders.<ref name="Onderdonk1910"/>
* Helena Provost (b. 1698), who married Cornelius Santvoort (b. 1692)

After her death, married Maria De Peyster (1659–1700) on January 28, 1699, the sister of his predecessor as Mayor, [Johannes de Peyster](/source/Johannes_de_Peyster), widow of John Spratt.  Her daughter, [Maria Spratt](/source/Mary_Alexander) (1693–1760) was married to [James Alexander](/source/James_Alexander_(lawyer)) (1691–1756), [Attorney General of New Jersey](/source/Attorney_General_of_New_Jersey).  After her death, he married for the third time on May 15, 1708, to Elizabeth Wakeman (b. 1657), widow of Albert Dinny, of [Fairfield, Connecticut](/source/Fairfield%2C_Connecticut).<ref>{{cite book|last=Provost|first=Andrew J.|title=Biographical and Genealogical Notes of the Provost Family from 1545 to 1895|url=https://archive.org/details/biographicalgene00prov|year=1895|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/biographicalgene00prov/page/24 24]–27}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Purple|first=Edwin R.|title=Genealogical Notes of the Provoost Family of New York|year=1878|location=New York|pages=9–10}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Reynolds|first= Cuyler|title= Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley|url= https://archive.org/details/genealogicalfami01reyn|year=1914|location=New York|pages=Vol 3, p1402}}</ref>

He died in 1724 and his will was probated on January 27, 1724.

==Legacy==
Provost Avenue in [The Bronx, New York](/source/The_Bronx%2C_New_York) is named for him.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{PreConsolidationNYCMayors}}
{{de Peyster family tree}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Provost, David}}
Category:1670 births
Category:1724 deaths
Category:17th-century mayors of places in the Province of New York
Category:Mayors of New York City
Category:People from the Province of New York
Category:Members of the New York General Assembly
Category:De Peyster family
Category:American politicians of Dutch descent

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [David Provost](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Provost) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Provost?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.