Sleepy Hollow & Pirates

[Matusalem]

In the category of 'huh...whaddya know?":

I'm sure that there are some of you that would automatically think of this gentleman when thinking of Sleepy Hollow and Pirates:

And by my ignorance, when I responded to someone's post regarding ghost tales and headless horsemen in another thread, little did I know the connection to a particular pillar of the community by the name of Lord Frederick Philipse, who happened to be New York's wealthiest merchant . Most books label him as a pirate broker. Look up Frederick Philipse (Phillips) in most pirate history books and he's in it. In short, he was basically a pirate's "sugar daddy" of sorts. He happened to have owned several ships, and was close businesspartner and pirate/privateer Samuel Burgess. And in fact I believe Burgess, was somehow aquainted with Robert Culliford, Thomas Tew and William Kidd. Philipse's exploits were usually about wheeling & dealing in and around Madagascar, in the so-called 'Pirate Round", and I believe he was a competitor of the British East India Company. He happened to be quite politically influential and owned a lot of land in Sleepy Hollow, and built the little church in these pictures/ there's more pics in the other post.:

[Capt Thighbiter]

Exactly... huh, whadda you know! Sleepy Hollow is a hour from me. Sounds like a bike ride up there when the weather breaks to do some sightseeing and some historical investigation is in order. WOnder if they will let me peruse church records and such. Nice find mate

[Matusalem]

Capt. Thighbiter wrote:

when the weather breaks to do some sightseeing and some historical investigation is in order

Actually, I'd suggest to wait till spring because, directly across the street, is the Philipse-burg 'Upper Mills', which is actually a 1750's working farm & museum. Nice period buildings and scenery without the modern backdrop. There will be a 6 week youth boatbuilding program for inner city kids :Link

The farm is closed January &February. There is also the Philpse Manor, just south, in Yonkers on rt. 9. I also found a picture of a document from Frederick Philipse to capt. Burgess dated July 19th, 1697.... from Pirates: Terror on the high Seas From the Caribbean to the South China Sea (edited by David Cordingly, no less)

[Kian McBrian]

Its quite amazing how much history there is around here involving privateers. Guess that's why I am excited to get into hitting the books on local history. I will have to make this one of my stops soon (I am right across the river from Sleepy Hollow). If you find any other places of interest like this, please feel free to PM me

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

I am definitely going to have to make a week-long sojourn up there. I am directly descended from the Sleepy Hollow Van Tassel family, Katrina to be exact. (The real ones, not the Irving book character ones) She is desecendeant of the Montauk tribe as well. Sounds like one for the to-do after college list.

Bo

[Littleneckhalfshell]

I am definitely going to have to make a week-long sojourn up there. I am directly descended from the Sleepy Hollow Van Tassel family, Katrina to be exact. (The real ones, not the Irving book character ones) She is desecendeant of the Montauk tribe as well. Sounds like one for the to-do after college list.

Bo

you may be interested in reading a project Gutenberg piece on a road trip from NYC to Albany along the old post road, it makes comments on the towns that the person went through back in 1909 I believe it was.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2380966/The-New-...Made-at-SundryC

Pages 9-10 I think deal with Tarrytown, but on the subject of sleepy hollow, Katrina Van Tassel et. all. you may also want to read the section on Kinderhook, page 27 where it starts talking about Lindenwald and Jesse Merwin. You see, Jesse Merwin was the model for Ichabod Crane. I graduated from Ichabod Crane Central High School, located in Valatie NY, just next to Kinderhook. The Van Allen House, an old Dutch brick house still stands and it is often also associated with Katrina Van Tassel. Kinderhook still is a very 'sleepy town' still very much a farming community and filled with old buildings many going back to the dutch days and many also from the Revolution.

Edited February 12, 2009 by Littleneckhalfshell

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Dang you guys! I think I'll have to put this trip before Williamsburg! I was gonna treat the family to the whole Virginia tour after I get my teaching cert. but this is family related and you guys got my interest really peaked! Thanks to you all, (I think!?!)

Bo