Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

---

Dunlap, William, 1766-1839

Painter, dramatist, and historian; born in Perth Amboy, N. J., Feb. 19, 1766. His father, being a loyalist, went to New York City in 1777, where William began to paint. He made a portrait of Washington at Rocky Hill, N. J., in 1783. The next year he went to England and received instructions from Benjamin West. He became an actor for a short time, and in 1796 was one of the managers of the John Street Theatre, New York. He took the Park Theatre in 1798. From 1814 to 1816 he was paymaster-general of the New York State militia. He began a series of paintings in 1816. In 1833 he published a History of the American theatres, and in 1834 a History of the Arts of design. His history of New Netherland and the State of New York was published in 1840. Mr. Dunlap was one of the founders of the National Academy of Design. He died in New York City, Sept. 28, 1839.