McGowan, Margaret Benson
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-12-16
Margaret Benson McGowan (1766-1851) provides details regarding several Revolutionary War sites in New York City. She begins by discussing the owners of Randall’s Island. Her family fled Manhattan in September 1776 for what her father thought would be a temporary absence, but ended up lasting the entirety of the Revolutionary War. Mrs. McGowan then describes the site of a skirmish on September 16, 1776, that preceded the Battle of Harlem Heights during which American Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton was killed. Other sites in Manhattan that she describes are the Blue Bell Tavern, the home of Colonel Roger Morris (now the Morris-Jumel Mansion), Mrs. Day’s Tavern, the old Post Road and the Bloomingdale Road, the home of Loyalist General Oliver DeLancey, and the Dyckman family farm.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 339 -
1845 December 16th Mrs. Benson McGowan: “Randalls Island now owned by the New York Corporation was the property of Captain Montressor before the Revolutionary War. It was confiscated, and after peace passed into the hands of Captain Randall, a native of Harlem, father of David Randall, Esq. Captain Randall was a tory, raised a company of Provincials and received a commission which he afterwards sold out, and with the proceeds purchased the Island. The Benson House at Haerlem where I was born was built by my great Grandfather, and is more than one hundred years old. In September 1776, when the British fired across the river at Jacob Walton’s (Waldron’s) house my father became alarmed for his family, and putting a few valuables and necessaries in a waggon took his
- Hufeland Index Page 340 -
1845
wife and children to the country expecting to return in a fortnight, but we remained there till after peace was proclaimed. First we settled in Fishkill, and afterwards lived at Salisbury in Connecticut. The Skirmish at Haerlem in which Colonel Knowlton fell, took place near where the De Peysters lived, and north of there, that is, in the vicinity of Bloomingdale Asylum. The Blue Bell was a tavern on the Post road near Fort Washington, and which before and during the Revolutionary war, was kept by Blazius Moore, father of Blazey Moore, who lives now in the Bowery. Colonel Roger Morris’s house is the same now owned by Madame Jumel with but little alteration. It was Washington’s and afterwards Knyphausen’s Head-quarters.
- Hufeland Index Page 341 -
1845
Mrs. Day’s Tavern was on the old Post road near Manhattanville. Abraham King formerly Alderman of the Twelfth Ward, I think, married the granddaughter engaged to Captain Romer. The old Post road ran where Haerlem Lane is now, near to Manhattanville, then for some distance under the Ridge, and then up to Break-Neck Hill. The old Bloomingdale road ran no farther (in the Revolutionary War) than Manhattanville where there was a landing General DeLancey’s house that was burnt, must, I think, have been situated somewhere between Harsonville and Greenwich. Captain Maccaboy, I think, was not well spoken of. He married a daughter of Mr. Deveau who lived McComb’s dam on the West Chester side.
- Hufeland Index Page 342 -
1845
The Dyckman Farm however long it may have been in the family, was, I believe, purchased by Jacobus after the Revolutionary War. Old Mr. Deveau of Harlem came there from Long Island, after the Revolutionary War. Mr. Randall (brother of David) lived opposite and near the Island.”