Map of Philipse Patent (showing the Oblong and Gore)

Susanna Philipse (also "Susannah"; 8 September 1727 – 22 November 1822) was the eldest surviving daughter of

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, 1s ...

, 2nd Lord of

Philipsburg Manor Philipsburg Manor (sometimes referred to as Philipse Manor) was a Manorialism, manor located north of New York City in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County in the Province of New York. Netherlands-born Frederick Philipse I and two p ...

Westchester County, New York 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 ...

. She was, along with her elder brother

Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

(1724–1768) and younger sisters

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

(1730–1825), and

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

(1733-1752), a one-quarter heir to the roughly "Highland Patent" of her father (later to become known as the

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 Provin ...

, and in time today's Putnam County of southeastern New York). Susanna was married to

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 Philips ...

, a soldier from a prominent family in the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...

who had relocated to the

Province of New York The Province of New York (1664–1776) was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony on the northeast coast of North America. As one of the Middle Colonies, New York achieved independence and worked with the others to found the Uni ...

. He was a childhood friend of future American general and statesman

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 ...

, who was for a time during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

an irregular guest at their home on Susanna's land on the east bank of the Hudson. It is there Washington is said to have developed an attraction to Susanna's younger sister

. During the Revolution Susanna's lands and the Robinson family fortune were confiscated by the rebel government of the New York Colony. Their home became the headquarters of soon to turn treasonous Continental Army general

Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold ( Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defect ...

. During an extended stay there by Washington Arnold's plans were revealed through the capture of British spymaster Major

John Andre John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

. Following his trial and sentencing Beverley Robinson was sent to Washington to plead for Andre's life. Washington refused to see him. Following the war the Robinsons relocated to Southwest England, where in time they received a partial payment for their seized properties. Both died and were interred there.

Marriage

On 7 July 1748, she married then-Captain

, a soldier from a prominent family in the

, in Trinity Church, New York City.''Gentleman's Magazine'', Beverley Robinson, February 1852 pp 188–190 Robinson had personally raised a company of troops there in 1745 and relocated it to the

to defend that state's frontier against Indian attack.Loyal American Regiment: Beverley Robinson
/ref> The couple went on have at least five children, four boys and a girl, including Beverley Honorable Robinson (1754–1816), Morris (1759-1815), Susanna Maria Robinson (1760–1833), John Robinson (1761–1828), and

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 ...

(1763-1852).

Inheritance

Margaret Philipse died intestate in 1752, and her share of the Highland Patent was equally divided among her named living siblings. A redistribution of the land among them was done in 1754.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." Susanna's eldest brother,

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 Ph ...

(1720–1785), inherited the family's vast hereditary estate in lower

, and was its third and last Lord. Upon Susanna's inheritance of her interest in the Patent, the Robinsons settled on her land, gradually renting parcels to

tenant farmers A tenant farmer is a person (farmer or farmworker) who resides on land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management, ...

. It was a pleasant life, though Susanna's plots were only lightly settled and lacked the commerce and industry of her eldest brother's Manor.

American Revolution

With the onset of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

Beverley sought to remain uninvolved, but in time relented. In 1777, he formed the

Loyal American Regiment The Loyal American Regiment was a British Provincial regiment raised in 1777 for Loyalist service during the American Revolutionary War. The regiment fought in many engagements throughout the war and the men were among the thousands of loyalists ...

, which proved a very active

Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

force in that conflict. In addition to serving as its Colonel and commander through the British defeat 1783, he was known for his work with the British secret service during the war, particularly in regards to the betrayal of Continental general

in the André Affair. Sons Beverly Robinson, Jr., a lieutenant-colonel, and Frederick, an ensign who went on to a long and distinguished career as a general in the British Army and colonial governor within the Empire, served beneath him.

Confiscation

All the Philipses were Loyalists throughout the war, and the inherited Philipse Patent lands were confiscated in 1779 by the Revolutionary government of the New York Colony, then sold off.Purple, 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> In spite of a provision in the 1783 Treaty of Paris (1783), Treaty of Paris assuring restitution, no compensation was ever paid the Robinson family by the Colonial government. Much later, the British Compensation Commission granted the Robinsons £24,000 toward the original £80,000 value of the couple's personal estate (reflecting about £16,000 Sterling, plus the 60,000 Philipse Patent acres and some city property valued together at about £64,000), though only about £17,000 was ever paid.''Life of Sir John Beverley Robinson, Bart., C.B., D.C.L.: Chief-Justice of Upper Canada'', by Major General

Charles Walker Robinson Major-General Sir Charles Walker Robinson, (April 3, 1836 – May 20, 1924) was a Canadian-born British Army officer and writer on military subjects. Born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of John Beverley Robinson, he attended Trinity College, before ...

, C.B. (1904), as cited a
Loyal American Regiment, Beverley
/ref>

Later days

Following the war the Robinsons retired to Britain with some of their family, where both lived out their days. Susanna died aged 95 in 1822 and was buried in the St Mary the Virgin Parish Churchyard, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire Unitary Authority, Gloucestershire, England.

References

External links

Putnam's Past

Boundary Changes of Putnam County
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philipse, Susanna 1727 births 1822 deaths American members of the Dutch Reformed Church American people of Dutch descent People of the Province of New York Susanna