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Samuel Washburn

John M. McDonald interview — 1849-11-06 — New Castle, New York

From the Westchester County Historical Society catalog:
Samuel Washburn (b.c.1762) recalls that his father left New Castle for Long Island due to the harassment and plundering that he suffered from both the Skinners and Cowboys during the Revolutionary War. He recalls two Skinners, Isaac Webbers and Luther Kennicutt, and four Loyalist officers, Gilbert Totten, James and Samuel Kipp, and Mansfield Bearmore. Washburn suggests that John Macdonald visit Talman Orser in Ossining.

Original findings from this interview

Talman Orser called 'son of the Sea Captain'

Washburn's manuscript reads 'son of the Sea Captain' — not 'Tea Captain' as it is often glossed. The 'Tea Captain' reading appears in the Kipp brothers' interview, but Washburn's own manuscript is ambiguous and may refer to Talman's father Albert Orser.

→ See 20 Original Research

'Burr / Bearmore' name confusion preserved by the WCHS scribe

John English's marginal note ('x Burr is written in origl, but probably the writer meant Bearmore — J.E.') is direct documentary evidence of how Bearmore's name was being garbled in oral transmission only 70 years after the war.

→ See 20 Original Research

Washburn confirms Talman Orser as a key witness

Washburn, who was 87 in 1849, points McDonald directly to Talman Orser of Ossining as someone 'possessed of considerable Revolutionary information' — establishing the chain that produced Talman's October 1850 deposition.

Manuscript page facsimiles

High-resolution images served from the Westchester County Historical Society's IIIF endpoint. Click any page to view full size.

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Transcription

November 6th Samuel Washburn of Mount Pleasant aged 87: "I am a native of this vicinity having [marg: born?] been in the adjacent town of New Castle. My father remained here between the lines until the year 1780, but he was so much harassed and plundered by Skinners and cowboys that he then went with his family to Long Island where he continued to reside between Flushing & Jamaica during the residue of the war. Isaac Webbers and Luther Kennicutt were skinners during the latter part of the war. Captain Gil=bert Totten I know. He died above here in Yorktown I believe. The Kipps, Samuel and James, of DeLancey's, were severe towards the inhabitants and prisoners. Burr [marg: x Burr is written in origl, but probably the writer meant Bearmore - J.E. see p. 16. origl.] was a vigilant and good officer.

Talman Ouser of Ossining is an intellegent man and son of the Sea Captain. He must be possessed of considerable Revolutionary information.

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