Barker, William
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-11-24
William Barker (1764-1859) recalls Nathaniel Adams, a resident of White Plains who had a quarrel with a company of American levies. Vowing revenge, Adams shot one of the men while the levies were playing ball at the Westchester County Courthouse. Barker places Loyalist Colonel James DeLancey’s headquarters at the home of Theophilus Hunt in present-day Bronx County, and gives his impressions of a number of officers from Westchester County, including Loyalists Mansfield Bearmore, Isaac Hatfield, James Kipp, Robert Simmons and Gilbert Totten and American Daniel Williams.
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Transcription
[marg: 1845]
173,
November 24th William Barker:
“ Nathaniel Adams was a blacksmith who previous to the Revolutionary War lived opposite to where I now reside. He was married to a daughter of a Mr. Owen who then lived in a house where mine now is.
- He had a quarrel with some individuals of a Company of Levies, commanded I think by Captain Ambrose Horton of White Plains, or by Captain Micajah Townsend. He vowed revenge and sent them word he intended to attack them. Mounted upon a very fleet mare he rode to the Court House with his musket loaded, where they were playing ball, fired and wounded a merryman who, however, recovered. Some say he reloaded (after retiring) advanced and fired a second time. Several of the Levies fired at him both times but did not hurt him. He was pursued
by several horsemen, but escaped, and afterwards went to Nova Scotia as I have always heard. I believe, but am not certain, that after he wounded the merryman, he was taken and im- =prisoned for a while. Adams was considered a very brave man.
Colonel DeLancey's Head Quarters were (part of the time) at Hunt's house about one mile below West Farms, on the Bronx river road, being the most Southerly of two houses which stand on a little hill or rising ground near each other and on the west side of the road.
Benjamin Green is the name of Coffin's father in law.
Kipp and Bearmore had the repu- =tation of being severe, if not cruel, in their treatment of prisoners.
Captain Williams, when taken at Youngs house was brought as far as one
much like him.
Colonel Hatfield was from Dutchess County, or some where near Crompond, and was a cousin (I believe) of Joseph Hatfield of White Plains. After the war he went to Nova Scotia.
Captain Simmons of DeLancey's Corps was a native of that part of Cortlandt's Manor called Somers where his father lived. He left the West Chester Refugees before the close of the war in consequence of a quarrel with some officers and went above.
James Tompkins, Gilbert Hatfield and honest John Tomkins were great fighters and great friends. They always stood by each other, and were much respected and feared by the young men of their day."