OPDYKE, George, mayor of New York, born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in 1805 ; died in New York city, 12 June, 1880. His ancestor, Gysbert, was an early settler of New York state. George went to the west at eighteen years of age and settled in Cleveland, Ohio, but afterward removed to New Orleans, Louisiana, and, returning to the north in 1832, engaged in business in New York city, where he subsequently established the banking-house of George Opdyke and Co. He was a member of the Buffalo Free-soil convention in 1848, served on its committee on resolutions, and was a candidate for congress on the Free-soil ticket in New Jersey, and while in the legislature in 1858 he was zealous in protecting the franchises of New York city from spoliation. He was a delegate to the National Republican convention in 1860, and was instrumental in the nomination of Abraham Lincoln. He was mayor of New York in 1862-'3, and was energetic in sustaining the National government, in raising and equipping troops, and did much to prevent commercial panics. He served in the New York constitutional convention in 1867-'8, in the New York constitutional commission in 1872-'5, was a member of the New York chamber of commerce in 1858-'80, and its vice-president in 1867-'75. He published a "Treatise on Political Economy," in which he took advanced views against the economic evils of slavery, and in favor of inconvertible paper money and free trade (New York, 1851) ; " Report on the Currency" (1858); and "Official Documents, Addresses, etc." (1866).