This manuscript file includes an American militia officer’s commission and a certificate of enrollment for a Loyalist soldier. Ebenezer Purdy received a commission as a major of the Westchester County Militia from the New York Provincial Congress, while James Richards was given a certificate after he enrolled in a Loyalist unit.
A Westchester County Militia Commission
Nathaniel Woodhull, President of the New York Provincial Congress, signed this commission appointing Ebenezer Purdy the second major of the Third Regiment of Westchester County Militia. This regiment consisted of men from northern Westchester County. According to historian Henry B. Dawson, Ebenezer Purdy “was a member of the County Committee, from the manor of Cortlandt, 1776-7; he represented Westchester County in the Assembly of the State, 1779-80, 1782-83, 1784, 1784-5, 1787, 1791, 1792, 1795,” and “was one of the Senators from the Southern District, 1801-6; and County Judge in 1797-8.” See J. Thomas Scharf, ed., History of Westchester County, New York (Philadelphia: L.E. Preston & Co., 1886), 281.
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Document Title: Commission appointing Ebenezer Purdy as Second Major of the Third Regiment of Militia of Foot in Westchester County, of which Pierre Van Cortlandt is Colonel. Dated Oct. 19, 1775. Signed by Nathaniel Woodhull, President, and Robert Benson, Secretary.
Call Number: Mss. #22
Creator/Author: Woodhull, Nathaniel, 1722-1776; Benson, Robert, 1739-1823
Creation Date: 1775
Coverage: 1775
Format: Handwritten manuscript
Location: Westchester County, N.Y.
Cite As: Courtesy of the Westchester County Historical Society.
Rights: No copyright – United States. Please credit Westchester County Historical Society. Please contact for higher resolution image(s).
Rights URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/PDF
A Loyalist Enrollment
Captain Oliver Templeton presented this certificate to James Richards to prove that Richards enrolled in his company of the Loyal Volunteers of New-York on August 3, 1781. This unit was comprised of Loyalists living in New York City. James Robertson, who served as military governor of New York from 1780 to 1783, was the colonel of the battalion.
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Document Title: Certification of the Enrollment of James Richards in the Loyal Volunteers of New-York. Dated Aug. 4, 1781. Signed by C. Mathews, Lt. Col., and Oliver Templeton, Capt.
Call Number: Mss. #22
Creator/Author: Templeton, Oliver
Creation Date: 1781
Coverage: 1781
Format: Handwritten manuscript
Location: New York, N.Y.
Cite as: Courtesy of the Westchester County Historical Society.
Rights: No copyright – United States. Please credit Westchester County Historical Society. Please contact for higher resolution image(s).
Rights URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/PDF