Home / Shonnard, Frederic, and W.W. Spooner. History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900. New York: The New York History Company, 1900. / Passage

History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900

Shonnard, Frederic, and W.W. Spooner. History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900. New York: The New York History Company, 1900. 330 words

Manhattan Island, it was now imperatively necessary for Washington to withdraw his whole command to the northern portion of the island, which lie was fortunately able to do, following the Bloomingdale Koad on the west side, and camping on the evening of the 15th on Harlem Heights. Here he established his headquarters in the Roger Morris mansion, which afterward became the Jumel mansion, and is still preserved (One Hundred and Sixty-iirst Street near Saint Nicholas Avenue). As has already been related, Colonel Roger Morris, the owner of this stately residence, married Mary Philipse, for whose hand Washington himself is said to have been a suitor. Mary was the youngest surviving daughter of Frederick Philipse, the third lord of the manor, and was born on the 3d of July, 1730, nearly two years before Washington saw the light. The romantic story that Washington actually sought her in mar riage, and was refused, does not rest on any known foundations: yet there is strong presumptive evidence that he admired her very heartily, and that if opportunity had enabled him to pay diligent court to her he probably would have embraced it. Much as has been written on this subject, nothing that is authentic, so far as we have been able to discover, lias

^0^:mwi

been added to Sparks's wellMARY PHILIPSE. known reference to it. tk While in New York in 175(5, " says lie House Sparks, " Washington was lodged and kii ly entertained at intimacy and himself an of Mr. Beverly Robinson, between who of friendship subsisted, which, indeed, continued without liil severed by their opposite fortunes twenty years aft rward ange in the Revolution. It happened that Miss Mary Philipse, a sist r of Mrs. Robinson, and a young lady of rare accomplishments, wa mate in the family. The charms of the lady made a deep an insion upon the heart of the Virginia colonel, lie went to Boston, re impresturned, and was again welcomed to the hospitality of Mr.