Philip Van Cortlandt

August 21, 1749 (age 81)

Until the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Philip was engaged in surveying and disposing of tracts of land which had once been part of the manor of Cortlandt, and in operating several gristmills for his father. During the year 1775, he made the transition from the position of the moderate Whigs to that of the revolutionary radicals. He was a member of the Provincial Convention, which met at the Exchange in New York City on April 20, 1775, and the following month was chosen as one of Westchester County's representatives in the First Provincial Congress. On June 18, he accepted a commission as lieutenant-colonel of the 4th New York Regiment, but severe illness prevented him from participating in Montgomery's expedition against Montreal. After serving on Washington's staff for a short time, he received a commission as colonel of the reorganized 2nd New York and joined his regiment at Trenton on the day following the battle. He was assigned to duty at Peekskill, started a march to the relief of Fort Stanwix (August 1777), but was ordered back east to assist Gates's army at Saratoga. Rejoining Washington's forces, he was at Valley Forge, was detached temporarily from his command to supervise the encampment in the spring of 1778, and then returned to his regiment in Ulster County, where he was stationed until April 1779. His effective cooperation with the Sullivan-Clinton expedition won him high praise. He was a member of the court-martial which heard charges preferred by Pennsylvania authorities against Benedict Arnold, and he felt that Arnold should have been dismissed from the service. In the spring of 1780, he was sent to Fort Edward and later in the year was transferred to the post at Schenectady, where the 2nd, 4th, and 5th New York regiments were consolidated under his command. In June 1781, Washington ordered him to join the Continental forces on the lower Hudson in time to take an active part in the campaign which culminated in the surrender of Cornwallis. He was brevetted brigadier-general in 1783 for his conspicuous bravery and resourcefulness at Yorktown. He was elected a delegate to the Poughkeepsie convention in 1788 and joined with the Federalists in voting to ratify the Federal Constitution. His subsequent political activity, however, reflected his conversion to Anti-Federalist principles. He served twice in the state Assembly (1788, 1790) and in the state Senate from 1791 to 1793. In December of the latter year, he took his seat in the House of Representatives, beginning a period of service in Congress which continued for sixteen years. During his legislative career, he seldom spoke on any measure before the House, but he was punctilious in the performance of his committee and other duties. The record of his votes indicates that he soon joined the Jeffersonian faction and that, when the Republican party came into power, he proved to be a reliable partisan who voted for party measures as a matter of course. In his sixtieth year, he withdrew from politics and spent the remainder of his life managing his extensive real-estate holdings. The manor-house became his residence after his father's death in 1814. He carried on the tradition of generous hospitality which had been established at Croton by his grandfather, Philip. Public affairs took little of his time, but he emerged from his retirement in 1824 to honor Lafayette, accompanying his friend on a large part of the country-wide tour. Philip died at the manor-house on November 5, 1831, and was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Peekskill.

Philip Van Cortlandt Edit Profile

also known as Philip Van Cortlandt

Landowner politician surveyor

Background

Philip Van Cortlandt was the eldest son of Pierre and Joanna (Livingston) Van Cortlandt. He was born on August 21, 1749, in New York City a few months before his parents established their residence at the manor-house near Croton.

Education

As a boy, Philip attended a small school which his father maintained on the estate. At the age of fifteen, he was sent to Coldenham Academy, where he spent a term of nine months studying mathematics, surveying, and bookkeeping.

This concluded his formal schooling, but he gained practical experience in surveying by working with Nathaniel Merritt, one of his father's employees.

Career

Until the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Philip was engaged in surveying and disposing of tracts of land which had once been part of the manor of Cortlandt, and in operating several gristmills for his father. During the year 1775, he made the transition from the position of the moderate Whigs to that of the revolutionary radicals. He was a member of the Provincial Convention, which met at the Exchange in New York City on April 20, 1775, and the following month was chosen as one of Westchester County's representatives in the First Provincial Congress.

On June 18, he accepted a commission as lieutenant-colonel of the 4th New York Regiment, but severe illness prevented him from participating in Montgomery's expedition against Montreal. After serving on Washington's staff for a short time, he received a commission as colonel of the reorganized 2nd New York and joined his regiment at Trenton on the day following the battle. He was assigned to duty at Peekskill, started a march to the relief of Fort Stanwix (August 1777), but was ordered back east to assist Gates's army at Saratoga.

Rejoining Washington's forces, he was at Valley Forge, was detached temporarily from his command to supervise the encampment in the spring of 1778, and then returned to his regiment in Ulster County, where he was stationed until April 1779. His effective cooperation with the Sullivan-Clinton expedition won him high praise. He was a member of the court-martial which heard charges preferred by Pennsylvania authorities against Benedict Arnold, and he felt that Arnold should have been dismissed from the service.

In the spring of 1780, he was sent to Fort Edward and later in the year was transferred to the post at Schenectady, where the 2nd, 4th, and 5th New York regiments were consolidated under his command. In June 1781, Washington ordered him to join the Continental forces on the lower Hudson in time to take an active part in the campaign which culminated in the surrender of Cornwallis. He was brevetted brigadier-general in 1783 for his conspicuous bravery and resourcefulness at Yorktown.

He was elected a delegate to the Poughkeepsie convention in 1788 and joined with the Federalists in voting to ratify the Federal Constitution. His subsequent political activity, however, reflected his conversion to Anti-Federalist principles. He served twice in the state Assembly (1788, 1790) and in the state Senate from 1791 to 1793. In December of the latter year, he took his seat in the House of Representatives, beginning a period of service in Congress which continued for sixteen years.

During his legislative career, he seldom spoke on any measure before the House, but he was punctilious in the performance of his committee and other duties. The record of his votes indicates that he soon joined the Jeffersonian faction and that, when the Republican party came into power, he proved to be a reliable partisan who voted for party measures as a matter of course.

In his sixtieth year, he withdrew from politics and spent the remainder of his life managing his extensive real-estate holdings. The manor-house became his residence after his father's death in 1814. He carried on the tradition of generous hospitality which had been established at Croton by his grandfather, Philip. Public affairs took little of his time, but he emerged from his retirement in 1824 to honor Lafayette, accompanying his friend on a large part of the country-wide tour.

Philip died at the manor-house on November 5, 1831, and was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Peekskill.

Achievements

Van Cortlandt was a Continental Army officer during the American Revolution and later served several terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Works

The Revolutionary War Memoir and Selected Correspondence of Philip Van Cortlandt (The Van Cortlandt Family Papers, Volume 1) The Revolutionary War Memoir and Selected Correspondence of Philip Van Cortlandt (The Van Cortlandt Family Papers, Volume 1)

book
- The Revolutionary War Memoir and Selected Correspondence of Philip Van Cortlandt (The Van Cortlandt Family Papers, Volume 1)
  (During the Revolutionary War, Colonel Cortlandt commanded...)

Connections

Philip Van Cortlandt had never married and had no children.

Father:: Pierre Van Cortlandt
Mother:: Joanna Livingston Van Cortlandt
Brother:: Pierre Van Cortlandt Jr.
Sister:: Catherine Elizabeth Van Cortlandt Van Wyck
Sister:: Cornelia Cortlandt Beekman

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