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1779 NY Commissioners Of Conspiracies Loyalist Enemy Requesting a Prisoner Swap

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,600.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,500.00 USD
1779 NY Commissioners Of Conspiracies Loyalist Enemy Requesting a Prisoner Swap
American Revolution
1779 New York “Commissioners Of Conspiracies” Reports a Loyalist Enemy Requesting a Prisoner Swap for American Patriots
August 1st, 1779-Dated Revolutionary War Period, Manuscript Document Signed, “Commissioners” (Commissioners Of Conspiracies), Poughkeepsie, State of New York, “To his Excellency George Clinton Esquire Governor...,” regarding the Removal of An Enemy of the State, Choice Extremely Fine.
This is an original, very rare and historic Document, measuring 6” x 8” that is dated in the Revolutionary War Summer of 1779, at Duchess County, New York. It is in beautiful, superior overall condition, being well written, with outstanding sharp signatures, upon very clean period laid paper. Here, the “Commissioners” for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies, have decided that “Lodwick Strydt” is An Enemy of the State. He has Refused to take the Oath of Loyalty and is put before Governor Clinton as a subject to be used in Exchange with the British Enemy for Prisoners being held by the British who are Loyal To The State! This important Document reads, in full:

“State of New York -- Sirs -- To his Excellency George Clinton -- Esquire Governor of the State of New York, General and Commander in Chief of all the Militia and Admiral of the Navy of the same. --

In pursuance of an Act of the Legislature of this State, Entitled “An Act more effectually to prevent the Mischiefs arising from the Influence and Example of persons of Equivocal and Suspected Characters in this State, We do hereby Notify your Excellency that Lodwick Strydt of Dutchess County having appeared before us and being by us Tendered the oath in the said but contained did refuse the same, and that unless your Excellency shall think proper to detain him for the purpose of Exchanging him for any of the Subjects of this State in the power of the Enemy, we shall Cause him to be removed to some place within the Enemy’s Lines. -- (Signed) “Corl. C. Schoonmaker -- Peter Cantine, Jnr. -- Robt. Harpur } Commissioners -- Poughkeepsie August 1st 1779.”

This historic content, official Document is Signed by: Cornelius Schoomaker, Peter Cantine, Jr and Robert Harpur as the “Commissioners.” The content is quite extraordinary for this tremulous period in American History where, prior to the Civil War, cast brother against brother, family against family and the States against British Tories, the British against American Patriots for Independence. This important Document clearly demonstrates a specific, documented instance of American Patriots finding a disloyal Tory within the Poughkeepsie area and holding him while recommending kicking him out in trade for an American Patriot Prisoner being held by the British.


Cornelius Corneliusen Schoonmaker (June 1745–1796) was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Shawangunk (now Wallkill), Ulster County, New York), he received a limited schooling, became a surveyor and was engaged in agricultural pursuits. During the American Revolutionary War, he was a member of the committees of vigilance and safety. He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1777 to 1790 and was a member of the state ratification convention in 1788. In April 1790, Schoonmaker was elected to the Second United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1791, to March 3, 1793. He was again a member of the State assembly in 1795.

Robert Harpur (1731 Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland - 1825) was an American teacher, politician, pioneer, and landowner who settled in the Binghamton, New York area. He came to the colonies in 1761 via Scotla. One of his prized pupil was Alexander Hamilton while he studied there in 1774. Harpur served in various capacities in the New York government during the American Revolution. He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1777 to 1784. He was Deputy Secretary of State under John Morin Scott and Lewis Allaire Scott from 1778 to 1795. In the spring of 1795 Robert Harpur with his 2nd wife Myra and family moved west along the Susquehanna River settling near Belden Brook on his Warren Patent which is near present day Harpursville, NY.