Zabriskie, Andrew C. (Andrew Christian), 1853-1916

Andrew C. Zabriskie was born in New York City in 1853 to one of the largest real estate owning families in that city. After graduating from Columbia University, Zabriskie would help manage the family's real estate business. He was a member of the New York National Guard from 1873 through 1897, and eventually rose to the rank of Captain. (Later in life he would be known as "Captain Zabriskie" due to this service.) A member of the ANS for forty-two years, Zabriskie first joined the ANS in 1874 and became a life member in 1894. He served initially as Third Vice-President from 1880-83 and then as First Vice-President from 1884-96 before finally being elected President of the ANS in 1896. He remained as President until his resignation in December 1904. In 1908, when the Society's constitution was amended to create the office of Honorary President, Zabriskie, along with Daniel Parish, Jr., was elected Honorary President for Life. Zabriskie's tenure as president was marked with a financial crisis that led Zabriskie to advocate for the merger of the ANS with the New-York Historical Society. When that proposal was rejected by the membership of the ANS, Zabriskie resigned from the presidency. He was succeeded by Archer M. Huntington. During his career, Zabriskie amassed a large collection, the most significant of which were Lincoln medals and Polish coins and medals. In 1873 he wrote A Descriptive Catalogue of the Political and Memorial Medals Struck in Honor of Abraham Lincoln that has since become the basis for those collecting Lincoln pieces. Zabriskie died on September 16, 1916.