Lyon, Phoebe Merritt, 1768-1855
John M. McDonald interview — 1849-12-01
Phoebe Merritt Lyon (1768-1855) was the younger sister of Thomas and Shubael Merritt. She discusses the ages of her brothers, and notes that she heard that Thomas Merritt was a member of Emmerich’s Chasseurs. When she learned that Shubael Merritt had been killed, she was living in Bedford in present-day Brooklyn, as she and her family had been forced to flee Westchester County. She explains the circumstances surrounding his death, and notes that her family felt that he had been deliberately murdered. Mrs. Lyon concludes with a story regarding a group of Hessian soldiers that passed her grandmother’s house on King Street in Rye, and her attempt to pacify them by giving them a gift of cheese to send to her son behind British lines.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
993 107 [margin: 84] Decr. 1st Phœbe Lyon, born Merritt in King Street: "I am sister to Thomas and Shubael Merritt, and was born July 22d 1768. Thomas was about nine or ten years older than me, and Shubael, about six or seven years my senior. Thomas, when he called at St. Catharine's took off the Family Bible, which contained our ages. I think I have heard that Thomas belonged to Emmerich's before he joined the Queen's Rangers. I was at Bedford, Long Island, when the news was received of Shubael's death. I think it was cold weather - probably February, March or April of 1783. We were forced to go below, because our friends had joined the lower party - We remained till peace - Shubael was surprised at New Rochelle in a house, and fled to an upper room for safety. Shubael said, "I will shoot the first man that comes up!" and [margin: 84]
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108 994 [margin: 85] holding at the time a pistol in his hand. They then said, "We'll fire the house," and proceeded to do so. Shube then commenced parleying and coming down stairs. The whole boat men then promised quarter, but while he was descending they fired, he fell, and they dispatched him with their bayonets. They then proceeded to strip him when the women of the house exclaimed: "For God's sake don't leave the dead man naked here!" They then desisted, and the next day a party came up from below and took him to West Chester where they buried him. This party was of Delancy's Refugees. Shubael lost his hand in consequence of his carbine going off while he was using the ram rod. He always considered that he was deliberately murdered. The man who killed him was named Reynolds. My brother, Thomas, died at St. Catharine's, about ten years ago. [margin: 85]
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995 111 [margin: 86] Once, when I lived with my grandmother in the upper part of King Street, I remember that a strong party of Hessian horse and foot passed up or down - probably down. They were hungry, and asked for something to eat. My grandmother to please them said, "I have an only son below. Take this to him. She then gave them a cheese. They went off satisfied, but of course the cheese was never taken to my father, and my grand mother never supposed it would be."
Decr. 1st Hannah Nelson, born Sherwood, at Sherwood's Bridge: "I was born about half a mile east of Sherwood's Bridge on the 21st of January 1767. Sherwood's Bridge of the Revolutionary [margin: 86]