Category Archives: Neutral Ground

The Fate of the Black Loyalists of Westchester and Dutchess Counties, NY, Part 2

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The American revolution left a profound legacy not only for the birth of this nation but also for those who chose loyalty to the British Crown over rebellion. Among these Black Loyalists ── individuals, both free and enslaved, who faced unimaginable challenges as they navigated the complexities of war and its aftermath. This article continues the exploration of their lives, focusing on those who originated from Westchester and Dutchess Counties, New York. Many lived on estates owned by prominent families, including the Philipse, Van Cortlandt, Schuyler, Livingston, and Beekman Manors.

Drawing from my own family’s deep roots in these counties, this series sheds light on the experiences of individuals whose choices and sacrifices shaped their futures in the face of war, displacement, and resettlement. By chronicling their journeys ── be it evacuation to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or other parts of the British Empire ── this article aims to honor their resilience and contribution to history. These stories remind us of the diverse threads of loyalty, survival, and identity that are woven into the fabric of the Revolutionary era.

The full article can be read here by clicking on the link: The Fate of the Black Loyalists of Westchester and Dutchess Counties NY- Part 2

Part 3 will be published in the next issue of Connecticut Ancestry.

 

The Fate of the Black Loyalists of Westchester and Dutchess Counties, NY

1766 Tenant Revolts, Abraham Dalton, African American Genealogy, African American Loyalists, African-Americans in Westchester County, African-Native, Afro-Indigenous, Afro-Indigenous Loyalists, American Indians, American Revolution, Andrew Cole, Annapolis, Arnold's Tavern, Benjamin Cole, Bill Brown, Black Loyalist, Black Loyalists, Black Loyalists of Dutchess County, Black Loyalists of Westchester County, Black Patriot, Black Patriots, Black Settlements in Canada, Black-Native, Book of Negroes, Bristol Storms, Budd, Caesar Nicholls, Charles McPherson, Christopher Halstead, Col. James Delancey, CT, CT Loyalists, David Dalton, Deveaux, Devoe, Dick Van Wart, Dickinson, Digby, Dinah Brown, Dutchess County, Edmund Palmer, Eleazor Gidney, Eleazor Goddin, Esopus, Fairfield, Fairfield County, Fishkill, Fowler, Garret Storms, Gen. George Washington, Gilbert Dickinson, Glen Cove, Guion, Henry Cole, Jacob Arnold, Jacob James Van Gaasbeck, Jacob Van Wart, Jemima Halstead, Jenny Cole, Jenny Halstead, John Cox, John Van Wart, Kingston, Knapp, Mamaroneck, Mary Coles, Morgan, Moses Knapp, Nelly Cox, Neutral Ground, Nicholas Brown, North Castle, Odell, Ogden, Palmer, Peggy Halstead, Philemon Halstead, Philipse, Phillis Halstead, Rachel, Rachel Van Wart, Rapelje, Robblee, Sam Dickinson, Samuel Kipp, Seaman, Shelburne, Slavery in New York, Sleepy Hollow, Susannah Van War, Tarrytown, Theall, Theodorus Van Wyck, Thomas Hunt, Thomas Rublier, Underhill, United Empire Loyalists, Van Cortlandt, Van Cortlandt Manor, Van Gaasbeck, Van Wart, Van Wyck, Willet, William Hunt

This multi-part series of articles provides the biographical sketches of Black Loyalists
from Westchester and Dutchess Counties, New York who supported the British Crown during the American Revolution. My previous Black Loyalists article in this journal  centered on Black Loyalists from Fairfield County, Connecticut, identifying individuals, and describing the turmoil in British-occupied New York City before their departure to Nova Scotia in 1783. This series shifts focus to those from neighboring Westchester and Dutchess Counties. Westchester County, known as “The Neutral Ground,” was a fiercely contested area between British-held New York City and the Patriot-controlled Lower Hudson Valley, while Dutchess County served as a critical base for the Continental Army and supply depots. Though this article does not aim to offer a comprehensive overview of the New York Loyalists' role in the war, it sheds light on pivotal moments that shaped the lives of Black Loyalists from these counties.  Much like their counterparts from Fairfield County, the fates of these individuals were sealed before they left New York City.

I approach this topic as a family historian-genealogist and a descendant of enslaved and formerly enslaved African and Indigenous peoples who served as Black Loyalists and Black Patriots in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. Their remarkable contributions to both the United States and Britain have been overlooked. It is essential to recognize that their acts of resistance and agency positioned them as the “Founding Fathers” of both the United States and Canada. Enslaved and Free Blacks witnessed every major event that shaped the founding of this country. These individuals frequently traveled between New York City, Long Island, and surrounding towns and colonies with their enslavers and employers, whether on foot, horseback, or by ferry. They were not passive observers, unaware of their environment. On the contrary, enslaved and Free Blacks were active participants, engaging with historic events as they unfolded.

The full article can be read here by clicking on the link: The Fate of the Black Loyalists of Westchester and Dutchess Counties-Part 1 CA

Part 2 will be published in the next issue of Connecticut Ancestry.