he was a member of Assembly from Northampton County. He died 10 August, 1765, and was buried in St. Peter's Church Yard. All that now can certainly be deciphered of the inscription on his tombstone speaks of him as "An Eminent Merchant. An Alderman, and some time Mayor of Philadelphia, Whose public character as a useful Citizen and Magistrate Let his country tell." He married first Rebecca, daughter of Philip Kearny of Philadelphia, and whose sister Mary was the wife of Chief Justice John Kinsey. She died in 1741, and he married secondly, in 1753, Mary daughter of George M'Call, the sister of Samuel M'Call junior, his fellow Trustee. His daughter Elizabeth, by the first marriage, married Andrew Elliott who was elected a Trustee of the College in 1762.
The Pennsylvania Gazette 14 August records this obituary notice of him:
On Sunday last died here, after a short, but severe, Illness, William Plumsted, Esq., one of the Aldermen of this City; and the next Day was buried in St. Peter's Church Burying Ground, in the plainest Manner, at his own Request, according to the new Mode, lately used in Boston and New York, having no Pall over his Coffin, nor none of his Relations or Friends appearing in Mourning. We flatter ourselves, that this frugal and laudable Example of burying our Dead, so seasonably set by People of Family and Fortune, will be imitated by all, both in City and Country; the good Effects of which must soon be felt, especially by those in low Circumstances.
Mr. Plumsted was more regular in his attendance at the Trustees meetings in the earlier years of his service, but to the last he evinced his interest by as frequent attendance as he could give. His last meeting was that of 11 September, 1764. At the meeting of 23 September, 1765, Mr. John Lawrence was elected to succeed him. He was a member of St. John's Lodge, with others of his Fellow Trustees, in 1734, was Senior Grand Warden in 1735, Deputy Grand Master in 1736, Grand Master in 1737, and Grand Treasurer in 1755.
