Monday, January 16, 2006
In light of George Washington’s indiscretion, however, it may not be so surprising, that George Washington never signed the Declaration of Independence. I discovered this fact by studying the signatures on the actual document. Another signature which seems to be missing is that of John Jay but the signature of Jefferson (who remarked out loud, according to one reference, that John Jay wasn't present that famous day), resembles the handwriting of John Jay.
During the colonial period, there were several prominent families who captured the interest and imagination of their contemporaries and these families apparently played initial and significant roles in the destinies of George Washington and Phillis Wheatly. Among these were the van Cortlandts, the Jay’s, the Whites, the Philipses, the Robinson’s, the Chew’s, the Lee’s, the Putnam’s, the Livingston’s (or possibly the Jefferson’s?). We mention them briefly here but will return to their stories in detail later.
According to Edward Hagaman Hall, L.H.D,
“It is not a little singular that this rich domain, so eligibly situated for commerce by reason of its location on the Hudson and so attractive on account of its good farm land and mill-streams, should so long have escaped bestowal upon some influential and worthy citizen of the Colony, after tracts more remote had been granted by the Crown to Thomas Pell, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and Robert Livingston, not to mention less notable characters. It cannot be denied, however, that when Philipsborough Manor was created by Royal Charter on June 12, 1693, it was worthily bestowed.
“Frederick Philipse, the grantee, was born in Bolswaert, Friesland, in 1626 – the year in which Peter Minuit, the first Director-General of New Netherland, arrived at Manhattan Island with a fully equipped government and the year from which the City of New York dates its first permanent settlement. ...
his first appearance in the documentary history of the colony shows him acting as arbitrator in establishing the valuation of some disputed real estate in New Amsterdam. His native ability is also shown by the rapidity with which he rose from the calling of architect and builder, in which official capacity he served the West India Company, to become the leading merchant of his day and the possessor of a large fortune.”
Copyright La Di La Dah 2005
During the colonial period, there were several prominent families who captured the interest and imagination of their contemporaries and these families apparently played initial and significant roles in the destinies of George Washington and Phillis Wheatly. Among these were the van Cortlandts, the Jay’s, the Whites, the Philipses, the Robinson’s, the Chew’s, the Lee’s, the Putnam’s, the Livingston’s (or possibly the Jefferson’s?). We mention them briefly here but will return to their stories in detail later.
The Philipse’s
To understand the political arena, the Philipse family operated in, imagine man lands on the planet of Mars and a new quest for domination begins on the red planet. Your familiy arrives as astronauts there and, fortunately, strike it rich by
- finding gold or oil and/or gems
- win a favorable contract for a vast area of land from the martians.
According to Edward Hagaman Hall, L.H.D,
“It is not a little singular that this rich domain, so eligibly situated for commerce by reason of its location on the Hudson and so attractive on account of its good farm land and mill-streams, should so long have escaped bestowal upon some influential and worthy citizen of the Colony, after tracts more remote had been granted by the Crown to Thomas Pell, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and Robert Livingston, not to mention less notable characters. It cannot be denied, however, that when Philipsborough Manor was created by Royal Charter on June 12, 1693, it was worthily bestowed.
“Frederick Philipse, the grantee, was born in Bolswaert, Friesland, in 1626 – the year in which Peter Minuit, the first Director-General of New Netherland, arrived at Manhattan Island with a fully equipped government and the year from which the City of New York dates its first permanent settlement. ...
his first appearance in the documentary history of the colony shows him acting as arbitrator in establishing the valuation of some disputed real estate in New Amsterdam. His native ability is also shown by the rapidity with which he rose from the calling of architect and builder, in which official capacity he served the West India Company, to become the leading merchant of his day and the possessor of a large fortune.”
Copyright La Di La Dah 2005
# posted by Target @ 7:56 AM 
