Odell, Rebecca Tompkins
John M. McDonald interview — 1846-10-10
Rebecca Tompkins Odell (1772-1863) remembers seeing the British force commanded by Colonel Chapple Norton as it went up the Saw Mill River Road on February 2, 1780, the night before the Battle of Youngs’ House. She recalls Grace Isaacs Babcock and the marriage proposal that she received from American Colonel Nathaniel Gist, and recounts the activities of Frederick Philipse, Lord of Philipsburg Manor, in the early years of the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Odell also describes British military activity in Yonkers, noting their movement from Hunt’s Hill to Valentine’s Hill in October 1776, and the encampments of British and Hessian troops on Grace Babcock’s farm. She also gives her impressions of John Graves Simcoe and Andreas Emmerich, and mentions the final activities of the Reverend Luke Babcock, husband of Grace Babcock, before his death in 1776.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 446 -
October 10th Rebecca Odell, of Yonkers: Colonel Norton’s party passed up the Saw Mill river road, as I saw them, being then 10 years old. He soon after must have got upon the Sprain road. It was a very cold night. Mrs. Babcock was from New Haven. Her maiden name was Isaacs. She was a very handsome and remarkably fine woman. Babcock himself was from Rhode Island. Gist was an elderly man and deeply in love with Mrs. Babcock, and was rejected because she knew nothing of him. She was very popular, and was visited by the American and British officers. Benjamin Isaacs, of Bedford, and Samuel Bush, of Coscob, were students with Mr. Babcock. Isaacs (Benjn.) was a nephew of Mrs. Babcock. Colonel Phillipse was taken prisoner at the commencement of the war, and taken to Fishkill – in the second year of the war or thereabouts – probably in the Fall of 1777. He came down on parole to see his wife –
- Hufeland Index Page 447 -
(Could have remained neutral at home – Col. and General Morris’s advice). – His wife remained at the Manor house. He had his parole for a month or so. In that time he and his wife thought it best to go below. It was cold – I the Fall of 1777 or 1778. In 1776, before the battle of White Plains, the British horse came by way of Hunt’s to Valentine’s hill, &c. The British army was then lying on Hunt’s hill. “Mrs. Philipse was the widow Rutgers and her maiden name was Williams. She was an English woman. Simcoe sat crooked on horseback. He was round shouldered. Emmerick was a military looking man. Major Monerief and Captains Outhouse ^Althouse? and Ogden &c were Emmerick’s officers. Emmerick’s appearance inspired dread. British cavalry encamped on Mrs. Babcock’s farm, about the middle of the war; and, afterwards, (I think, next year)
- Hufeland Index Page 448 -
Knyphausen encamped there. “Babcock was taken to Fishkill with Colonel Philipse and paroled there – taken sick on his way home, and died soon after in 1776.”