Beverley Robinson

rdf:langString Beverley Robinson

rdf:langString Beverley Robinson

rdf:langString Beverley Robinson

rdf:langString Thornbury, England

rdf:langString Middlesex County, Virginia

rdf:langString Signature of Beverley Robinson.png

rdf:langString Soldier, colonist

rdf:langString John Robinson

rdf:langString Catherine Beverley Robinson

rdf:langString

rdf:langString Beverley Robinson (11 January 1721 – 9 April 1792), was a Virginia-born soldier who became a wealthy colonist of the Province of New York and is best known as a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War. Robinson married Susanna Philipse, heiress to a significant share of the roughly 250 square miles (650 km2) Highland Patent on the lower Hudson River in the Province of New York. In 1777 Robinson formed the Loyal American Regiment, which became very active in that conflict. He also worked with the British secret service, particularly in switching the allegiances of Continental general Benedict Arnold in the André Affair. At the time of his betrayal, Gen. Arnold was using the confiscated Robinson home as his headquarters, as was Continental Army commander-in-chief George Washington. Captured spy André was brought to the house and following André's trial and sentencing British commanding general Sir Henry Clinton sent a delegation to Gen. Washington that included Robinson as a character witness for Andre, to plead for the Major's life. During the war, the Revolutionary government of New York confiscated the Philipse Patent lands because of Robinson's public allegiance to Britain. Following Britain's defeat, the Robinsons retired to Britain with some of their family. In spite of a provision in the 1783 Treaty of Paris advocating restitution for their losses, no compensation was ever paid the Robinson family by the United States. Much later they were awarded a settlement of approximately 25% of their combined family property's £80,000 original value by the British Compensation Commission, ultimately receiving less than 20% in payment.