Beverley Robinson

Beverley Robinson (11 January 1721 – 9 April 1792), was a soldier and wealthy colonist of the Province of New York. Born in the Colony of Virigina, he was a son of the Hon. John Robinson, a President of its House of Burgesses. In 1745 he raised in Virginia an independent company and relocated it to New York to defend that state's frontier against Indian attack. In 1748 he married Susanna Philipse, a wealthy one-quarter future heir to the roughly 250 square miles (650 km2) Highland Patent on the lower Hudson River in the Province of New York. Upon his wife's inheritance of her interest in the Patent, the couple settled on a parcel of her land along the river. Future American general and statesman George Washington, a friend from shared Virginia youths, was for a time an irregular guest, developing an attraction to Susanna's younger sister Mary. With the onset of the American Revolutionary War Robinson sought to remain uninvolved, but in time relented. In 1777, he formed the Loyal American Regiment, which proved a very active Loyalist force in that conflict. In addition to serving as its commander through the British defeat 1783, Robinson is known for his work with the British secret service during the war, particularly in regards to the betrayal of Continental general Benedict Arnold in the André Affair. At the time of his betrayal Arnold was using the confiscated Robinson home as his headquarters, with Continental Army commander in chief Washington a temporary occupant. It is there Andre was brought after his capture. Following Andre's trial and sentencing British commanding general Sir Henry Clinton sent a delegation to Washington that included Robinson as a character witness for Andre, to plead for the Major's life. It is said Washington refused to see or be swayed by his old friend. Robinson's sons Beverly Robinson, Jr., and Frederick Philipse Robinson served beneath him in the Loyal American Regiment throughout the war. During the rebellion the inherited Philips