Maass, Richard, 1919-1998,

Richard Maass is an alumnus of New York University, having graduated from the School of Commerce (now the Stern School) in 1949 with a degree in economics. One of Westchester's most distinguished residents, Maass has been involved actively in the political and educational affairs of the county. He was appointed as mayor of White Plains in 1974 and also held the office of Westchester County Historian from 1974 to 1981. In addition, Maass has served his community as the President of the Purchase College Council, and has been a member of the American Jewish Committee and the Westchester County Historical Society. A highly successful investment banker, Maass amassed this unique collection of historical documents over a fifty-year period. Maass was inspired to begin a collection of his own by the example of his father-in-law, Richard M. Lederer, who served for many years as the Village Historian for Scarsdale. Along with his father-in-law, Maass was involved with the Manuscript Society from its earliest inception, and served as president of the organization from 1954-1956. In addition to the collecting interests represented by the Richard Maass Collection of Westchester and New York State, Maass also has retained notable collections of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Paine materials, as well as a significant collection of books relating to pirates.