Map of Philipse Patent (showing the Oblong and Gore)

The Philipse family was a prominent Dutch family in New Netherlands and the British Province of New York. It owned both the vast hereditary estate in lower Westchester County, New York, Philipsburg Manor, the family seat, and the roughly

Highland Patent The Philipse Patent was a British royal patent for a large tract of land on the east bank of the Hudson River about 50 miles north of New York City. It was purchased in 1697 by Adolphus Philipse, a wealthy landowner of Dutch descent in the Provi ...

, later known as the "Philipse Patent", in time today's Putnam County, New York. Loyalists during the Revolutionary War, the family had its lands seized in 1779 by the Revolutionary government of the Province of New YorkPurple, Edwin R., "Contributions to the History of the Ancient Families of New York: Varleth-Varlet-Varleet-Verlet-Verleth," New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, vol. 9 (1878), pp. 120-12

/ref> and sold by its Commissioners of Forfeitures. Though never compensated for their losses by the Colonial government, various family members did receive payments from the British government in following years.

History

The family is of partial Bohemian origin on its paternal side.

Frederick Philipse Frederick Philipse (born Frederick Flypsen;Appleton, W.S. ''The Heraldic Journal, Recording the Amorial Bearings and Genealogies of American Families'', Wiggen & Lunt, Boston, 1867 1626 in Bolsward, Netherlands – December 23, 1702), first Lord ...

(1636-1702), first Lord and founder of Philipsburg Manor, had eleven children with his first wife, Margaret Hardenbrook de Vries. She died in 1691. A year later, Frederick married the widow Catharine Van Cortlandt Derval, who survived him for many years.Glenn, Thomas Allen, ‘’Some colonial mansions and those who lived in them: With genealogies of the various families mentioned’’, H. T. Coates & company, Philadelphia1900
/ref> She was the sister of

Stephanus Van Cortlandt Stephanus van Cortlandt (May 7, 1643 – November 25, 1700) was the first native-born mayor of New York City, a position which he held from 1677 to 1678 and from 1686 to 1688. He was the patroon of Van Cortlandt Manor and was on the governor's ...

, an adviser to the provincial governor. Her brother

Jacobus Van Cortlandt Jacobus van Cortlandt (1658–1739) was a wealthy Dutch-born American merchant, slave owner, and politician who served as the 30th and 33rd Mayor of New York City from 1710 to 1711 and again from 1719 to 1720. Early life Jacobus Van Cortland ...

married Frederick's adopted daughter Eva and their son

Frederick Van Cortlandt Frederick Van Cortlandt (1699 – February 2, 1749) was an American merchant and landowner. Early life Van Cortlandt was born in 1699 and christened on April 23, 1699. He was the only surviving son born to Jacobus Van Cortlandt (1658–1739) and ...

later built the Van Cortlandt House in Van Cortlandt Park in the

Bronx, New York The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Yor ...

. Jacobus and Eva's daughter, Mary, was the mother of John Jay by her marriage to Peter Jay.

Principal offspring

Adolphus Philipse Adolphus Philipse (1665–1750) was a wealthy landowner of Dutch descent in the Province of New York. In 1697 he purchased a large tract of land along the east bank of the Hudson River stretching all the way to the east to the Connecticut bor ...

In 1697 Adolphus, Frederick's second son, purchased a tract from Dutch traders which received British Royal sanction as the ''

''. Subsequently, known as the "Philipse Patent", the roughly parcel extended eastward from the Hudson River at the northern border of

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...

some 20 or so miles to the

Colony of Connecticut The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a sett ...

.Smith, Philip Henry, ''General History of Putnam County: From 1609 to 1876, inclusive'', published by the author, Pawling, NY, 1877, p. 44 * Philip Philipse, the eldest and heir to the Manor, hereditary title, and family commercial holdings, died in either 1699 or 1700. By predeceasing his father, the legacy that would have gone to Philip bypassed him and was distributed between Adolphus and Philip's son,

Frederick Philipse II Frederick Philipse II ( – July 26, 1751), was a colonial American merchant, landowner, and politician. Philipse was the only son of Maria Sparkes, daughter of the Governor of Barbados, and Philip Philipse, eldest son of Frederick Philipse I, 1 ...

. By the terms of Frederick Philipse's last will and testament, dated 26 October 1700, proved 1702, Adolphus received all the Manor north of Dobb's Ferry, including the present town. He was also named proprietor of a tract of land on the west bank of the Hudson north of Anthony's Nose and executor of Philip's estate. *

After the bachelor Adolphus' death in 1749 (Smith, others 1750), his Manor holdings and the Highland Patent passed to his nephew, Frederick Philipse II, his only heir-at-law, who became the second Lord of the Manor at Philipsborough.Pelletreau, William, S, ''History of Putnam County, New York – With Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men'', W.W. Preston & Company, Philadelphia, 188

''History of Putnam County, New York'' *

Frederick Philipse III Frederick Philipse III (September 20, 1720 – April 30, 1785) was the third and last Lord of Philipsburg Manor, a hereditary estate in lower Westchester County, New York, and a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War. Early life Frederick P ...

On Frederick II's death in 1751 all Manor holdings and the title went to his eldest son Frederick Philipse III, the third and final Lord of the Manner of Philipsburg. The Highland Patent – today's

Philipse Patent The Philipse Patent was a British royal patent for a large tract of land on the east bank of the Hudson River about 50 miles north of New York City. It was purchased in 1697 by Adolphus Philipse, a wealthy landowner of Dutch descent in the Provi ...

– was divided among Frederick II's surviving offspring, son Philip Philipse, and daughters, Susannah (wife of

Beverley Robinson Beverley Robinson (11 January 1721 – 9 April 1792), was a Virginia-born soldier who became a wealthy colonist of the Province of New York and is best known as a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War. Robinson married Susanna Philipse ...

), Mary (wife of Col. Roger Morris), and Margaret (who died intestate in 1752, her share being divided among the other three).French's Gazetteer of the State of New York (1860): "The Philipses Patent… divided among the remaining three hildren Philip… Susannah married to Beverly Robinson, and Mary married to Col. Roger Morris. On the 7th of Feb 1754, the patent was divided into 9 lots: 3, each 4 mi. square, bordering upon the Hudson and denominated ‘water lots;’ 3, each 4 mi. wide by 12 long, extending N. and S. across the patent, and denominated ‘long lots;’ 3, each 4 mi. square, upon the E. border denominated ‘back lots.’ Philip, Susannah and Mary Philipse each owned one of each kind of lots. It is claimed, without citation, that Frederick III leased the entirety of his property to a William Pugsley before siding with the British in the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

and leaving New York City for England in 1783.

Other descendants

* Eva Philipse, adopted daughter of Frederick Philipse I, born Eva de Vries 1660, married

Jacobus van Cortlandt Jacobus van Cortlandt (1658–1739) was a wealthy Dutch-born American merchant, slave owner, and politician who served as the 30th and 33rd Mayor of New York City from 1710 to 1711 and again from 1719 to 1720. Early life Jacobus Van Cortland ...

* Margaret Philipse (b. 1733-1752), youngest daughter of Frederick II, heiress to one quarter of Philipse Patent, died intestate. Share redistributed to siblings Philip, Mary, and Susanna before 1754. * Philip Philipse (1724–1768), son of Frederick Philipse II, partial heir to Philipse Patent. *

Susanna Philipse Susanna Philipse (also "Susannah"; 8 September 1727 – 22 November 1822) was the eldest surviving daughter of Frederick Philipse II, 2nd Lord of Philipsburg Manor of Westchester County, New York. She was, along with her elder brother Philip ...

(1727–1822), eldest surviving daughter of Frederick Philipse II, married to

, mother of

Frederick Philipse Robinson Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, GCB (September 1763 – 1 January 1852) was a soldier who fought for Britain during the American War of Independence. His father, Colonel Beverley Robinson, was a Virginian who moved to New York, marrying a wea ...

, partial heiress to Philipse Patent. Possible romantic interest of George Washington. *

Mary Philipse Mary "Polly" Philipse (1730–1825) was the middle daughter of Frederick Philipse II, 2nd Lord of Philipsburg Manor of Westchester County, New York. Of Anglo-Dutch extraction, she was a wealthy heiress (although strictly not so, as she had brother ...

(1730–1825

middle surviving daughter of Frederick Philipse II, and possible early romantic interest of

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

, loyalist, wife of British Colonel Roger Morris, owner of the Mount Morris in Manhattan. Partial heiress to Philipse Patent. * Margaret Philipse (1733-1752), youngest surviving daughter of

and one quarter heir to the Philipse Patent, who died before it was passed on to her. *Sir

(1763–1852), son of Susannah Philipse and Colonel

, who fought for England during the American Revolution. * John Jay (1745–1829), delegate and president of Continental Congress, U.S. minister to Spain, 1st Chief Justice of the United States *William Jay (1789–1858)

prominent jurist and reformer, active abolitionist * Henry Brockholst Livingston (1757–1823), Justice of US Supreme Court *John Marshall Brown (1838–1907)

Captain and assistant. adjunct. general of ME volunteers and served in SC and FL; commanded regiment at Totopotomy and Cold Harbor and preliminary movements a Petersburg, VA. *Samuel Sprigg Caroll (1832–1893

military officer in Northern VA campaign and Battle Cedar Mountain; commandant brigade at battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. *Matthew Clarkson (1758–1825), major-general of NY State Militia; served with Gen. B. Lincoln until end of Revolutionary War, participated in siege of Savannah, defense of Charleston, present at surrender of Yorktown (1781). *

Alexander Slidell MacKenzie Alexander Slidell Mackenzie (April 6, 1803 – September 13, 1848), born Alexander Slidell, was a United States Navy officer, famous for his 1842 decision to execute three suspected mutineers aboard a ship under his command in the Somers Mutin ...

(1842–67), an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War and his brother General

Ranald S. Mackenzie Ranald Slidell Mackenzie, also called Bad Hand, (July 27, 1840 – January 19, 1889) was a career United States Army officer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was described by General Ulysses S. Grant as i ...

. *

Jay Pierrepont Moffat Jay Pierrepont Moffat (January 7, 1896 – January 25, 1943) was an American diplomat, historian and statesman who, between 1917 and 1943, served the State Department in a variety of posts, including that of United States Ambassador to Cana ...

(1896–1943), notable American diplomat, historian and statesman who, between 1917 and 1943, served the State Department in a variety of posts, including that of Ambassador to Canada during the first year of United States participation in World War II. * John Watts de Peyster (1821–1907), Brigadier General in the New York State Militia during the American Civil War and philanthropist and military historian after the war. * Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright III (1864–1945)

US Congressman and Army officer in the Spanish–American War. * Charlotte Margaret Philipse (Grand Daughter of Frederick Philipse II). Married Edward Webber, Lieutenant-General of the English military and lived in Wales.Walsh, B.P. (2008). James Phillips Webber: The Man and the Mystery. CB Alexander Foundation.
James Phillips Webber
(1797-1877), son of Edward Webber and hence great grandson of Frederick Philipse II, obtained a grant of land in Paterson, NSW, Australia in 1822. He lived there until 1835, when he left the colony and eventually settled in

La Maddalena La Maddalena (Gallurese: ''Madalena'' or ''La Madalena'', sc, Sa Madalena) is a town and '' comune'' located on the islands of the Maddalena archipelago in the province of Sassari, northern Sardinia, Italy. The main town of the same name is lo ...

, Sardinia, Italy, where he built Villa Webber (Villa Webber is named after him.) In 1943

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

was imprisoned in Villa Webber.
John Phillips Webber
(1800-1845), son of Edward Webber, also received a grant of land in New South Wales, Australia, and lived there for a while before returning to London, where he died in 1845. * Edward Montgomery Affleck Webber (1802-1884), son of Edward Webber, lived in Wales all his life, in the Overton, Erbistock area.

References

{{reflist Families from New York (state)