(IX) Robert Clarence Pruyn, son of Hon. Robert Hewson (q. v.) and Jane Ann (Lansing) Pruyn, was born in Albany, New York, October 23, 1847. His early education was received at the Albany Boys' Academy, following which careful preparation he entered Rutgers College, graduating in the class of 1869. For a time he was an attaché to the American legation at Tokio, while his father was the United States minister to Japan. Governor John A. Dix appointed him upon his staff. On February 13, 1901, the legislature elected him a regent of the University of the State of New York, on which prominent board he served until its reorganization in 1903, along the lines of new legislative enactment. Mr. Pruyn was for a long time president of the board of commissioners of Washington Park of Albany, until the park system became a bureau in the department of public works. He was one of the commissioners appointed to erect the new City Hall, whose corner-stone was laid in 1881. He is a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and for many years has been a vestryman, participating most actively in all affairs concerning the good of the church, and has served a number of times as delegate to national conventions of the Episcopal church in America. Mr. Pruyn was chosen president of the National Commercial Bank of Albany, May 23, 1885, to succeed Hon. Daniel Manning, appointed by President Cleveland that spring on his cabinet as secretary of the treasury, and who had in turn succeeded Mr. Pruyn's father as president of the bank. It was during the officiate of Mr. Pruyn that this bank erected its own building, at Nos. 38-40 State street on the line of plans executed by Architect Robert W. Gibson; but the remarkable expansion of its affairs soon necessitated the consideration of acquiring much larger quarters, and on May 2, 1904, this bank removed to its new, handsome granite and marble building at No. 60 State street. The exterior of this building is a chief ornament of Albany's principal business street, and the interior, commodious and replete with all modern methods for convenience of customers and officials, is a subject of unstinted admiration because of its refined beauty combined with a certain amount of ornateness. Equally as good a barometer of its success and progressiveness under the executive guidance of Mr. Pruyn is the fact that the stock of this bank has enhanced in value. For several years Mr. Pruyn was vice-president of the Municipal Gas Company, of Albany, and the president of the Albany Railway Company, the two largest corporations operated in the city. He is a director of the Union Trust Company, and was one of its organizers; member of the board of governors of the Albany Hospital; a director of the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society; member of Philip Livingston Chapter, Sons of the Revolution; of the Holland Society; Albany Chamber of Commerce; Century Association; of the University and Metropolitan clubs of New York City; the Fort Orange, the Albany, the University and Country clubs of Albany.
Mr. Pruyn's residence is at No. 7 Englewood place, fronting on the most beautiful portion of Washington Park. The interior exhibits a peculiar charm of refinement in its furnishing, and one of its most admired features is the collection of ivories brought to this country from Japan by his father, which is ranked as one of the finest in this country. Mr. Pruyn spends his summers on his Adirondack preserve, known as Camp Santanoni, attractively located on Newcomb Lake, reached by a drive of about thirty miles northward from North Creek. It is here that Mr. and Mrs. Pruyn surround themselves with their family and from ten to twenty guests. They delight in the pleasure of entertaining and are true to the dictum of the old Dutch hospitality. In the winter it has been his custom to spend several weeks at Jekyl Island, as a member of that club. He is especially concerned in everything pertaining to art in its best form; enjoys riding, books and travel.
Robert C. Pruyn married, at Albany, October 22, 1873, Anna Martha, born in Albany, May 7, 1853, daughter of Chauncey Pratt Williams, late president of the National Exchange Bank, and Martha Andrews (Hough) Williams (see Williams VI). Children, born in Albany:
- Edward Lansing, November 23, 1874.
- Ruth Williams, October 3, 1877; married, Albany, June 3, 1903, David Marvin Goodrich, born at Akron, Ohio, June 22, 1876, son of Benjamin F. Goodrich and his wife (née) Mary Marvin; child, Anne, born Boston, April 11, 1904.
- Robert Dunbar, October 11, 1879; married in Church of the Ascension, New York, December 15, 1903, Betty Metcalf, born at Erie, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1880, daughter of Frederic Wilder Metcalf and his wife (née) Ruth Moorhead; children:
- Robert Lansing, born, New York City, November 5, 1904;
- Ruth, New York City, May 5, 1907.
- Frederic, July 5, 1881; married in St. George's Church, New York City, February 5, 1907, Beatrice Morgan, born in New York City, June 26, 1886, daughter of William Fellowes and Emma (Leavitt) Morgan; children:
- Frederic, born in Short Hills, New Jersey, February 25, 1908;
- Fellowes Morgan, Short Hills, New Jersey, December 2, 1909.