Brown, David, 1762-1850
John M. McDonald interview — 1848-12-05
David Brown (1762-1850) discusses the execution of American whaleboat man Fade Donaldson, who was hanged on the orders of Loyalist Major Thomas Huggeford in retaliation for the execution of Brom Barrett. According to Brown, Huggeford, who returned to Westchester County after spending time in Nova Scotia at the conclusion the Revolutionary War, feared retaliation from the Donaldson family. Brown then recalls an incident in which he and his father were taken from Rye to Greenwich by American Colonel Anthony Walton White, who feared that they would give information to a British force under John Graves Simcoe that was pursuing White toward Connecticut. Along the way, White unsuccessfully attempted to bring a Mrs. Carihart with them. David Brown and his father were let go through the efforts of a Captain Sherwood, who, though a Loyalist, had influence among the Americans in Greenwich. Brown concludes with a humorous anecdote of a visit to a tavern with Captain Sherwood.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 881 -
Old Mrs. Carihart. – Capt. Sherwood – Officers in debt, &c. – Robt. Merritt of East Chester – Wm. Theall – Mr. Wetmore.
Decr 5th David Brown, of H[arrison], aged 86: “Major Hungerford told Fade D[onelson] he would hang him. This was the day he was taken. Fade dared him to do so without trial. He replied – “You’ll see!” Soon after he took out his watch and said, “Donaldson, you have half an hour longer to live!” &c. Donaldson was firm at first, but softened when the hour of execution approached. I don’t know whether or not Brom. Barrett was an Irishman – but I think not. In the morning of 5th of August 1779, my father, brother and myself were going to work in the road at Rye near the square house, when Colonel White overtook us and told us to go on, and drove us from where we had stopped at a blacksmith’s shop to Horseneck, being afraid we would give information to Colonel
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Simcoe who was pursuing. By the time we were on the hill over Byram the British was within 200 yards of us at the bridge. When Major Hungerford returned from Nova Scotia he at first lived on the hill across Byram river, and was compelled to go about with arms for fear of the Donelsons who had threatened to kill him, &c. Col. White stopped old Mrs. Carihart about the same time he stopped us and tried to drive her to M Horseneck also, but she was such a scold he could do nothing with her and let her go. While at Horseneck on this occasion and under guard, a tory, old Captain Sherwood ordered the guard to let us go. The guard at first refused, but Captain Sherwood at last got us clear. He liked to drink, and we stopped and drank with him in the afternoon at a Tavern at Horseneck. My father said, “How is it that
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you, a tory, take such liberties with the officers as to set the prisoners free?” He replied, “Mr. Brown, every devil of ‘em is over head and ears in debt to me.”