Underhill, Sophia Haight
John M. McDonald interview — 1848-10-16
Sophia Haight Underhill (1766-1849) notes that she was born east of Clark’s Corner. She believes that the fight between Loyalist Gilbert Totten and American Benjamin Green took place near Smith’s Tavern in Armonk. Loyalist Captain Samuel Kipp stopped at the home of Jacob Underhill, her father-in-law, and told him the particulars of a fight in which he was involved. Mrs. Underhill notes that Skinners once drove off her father’s livestock, and that American forces used his house as a hospital for about a week after the Battle of White Plains. The wounded were then removed from the house to North Castle Church. She concludes by describing Charles Leggett, a Loyalist who served with DeLancey’s Refugees, and states her belief that there was no fighting when Captain Gilbert Totten captured American Major Samuel Lyon in December 1780.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 701 -
October 16th Mrs. Sophia Underhill aged eighty three, born Haight: “I think the fight between Captain Totten and Colonel Benjamin Greene when the latter was wounded in the head occurred in the vicinity of where John Smith afterwards kept Tavern – perhaps a little north. I was born about one mile east of Clarks corner. Captain Samuel Kipp once wounded a man severely somewhere in Bedford or North Castle, but I don’t know where. He stopped on his return at Jacob Underhill’s, afterwards my father in law, and told all the particulars, but I don’t remember them. At one time the Skinners drove off my fathers stock six or seven cows and all his sheep about two hundred. After the battle of White Plains they made a hospital of our house for about a week when the wounded were
- Hufeland Index Page 702 -
removed to North Castle Church. Charles Leggett was born at West Farms or West Chester, but when a small boy was taken by an uncle Joseph Leggett of North Castle where he was brought up. The Kipps probably induced him to join DeLancey’s. He was a bold resolute man, middle sized and strong. I think there was no fighting when Major Lyon was taken by Totten.