Re: Revolutionary War Loyalists from North Castle NY--was Stephen Sands one of them?

Rebecca,

Thanks for your offer.As I strongly suspect that we can both help each other, I would be glad to spell out my issue and help you with yours when I get to the archives (its only open two days a week).I already know where I can start regarding your Steven. I want to check the file for the probate of Jeremiah Dodge to see what is in the file.Later probate files would definitely have papers with information concerning heirs.Earlier files, from the era of Jeremiah, often do not contain this information.Another source I want to look at for both of us is a multi-volume manuscript of the Westchester Historical Society (which is in the same place) entitled “Families of the Colonial Town of Philipsburgh” by Grenville C. MacKenzie.I know from some sleuthing I did last night that it references the marriage of Abigail Sutton to William Harrison.

I mapped out the complex relationships last night between the Underhill, Sands and Sutton families.However, my notes would be impossible to read if scanned.Maybe, when I get a chance, I’ll set up a ged file.However, I gathered a lot of interesting information in the process.First let me rephrase my own research problem.My great grandfather was Charles Van Alstyne Sands.His brother was George Underhill Sands.George was an interesting man in his own right, a multimillionaire China trader and shipbuilder who lived with his family in a mansion in Hong Kong.However, my curiosity has always been with the Underhill name.In my experience,my ancestors generally had specific family relations in mind when assigning middle names.The Underhills are quite prevalent in Westchester, including in my hometown of the last nearly 30 years, Croton on Hudson.Many (but not all) are descended from the famous 17th century Indian fighter John Underhill whose descendants are the preoccupation of the Underhill Society of America (which you previously mentioned).I have always wanted to know if I too am descended from this family.

Having fairly thoroughly traced my Sands ancestry back to Captain James of Block Island, I felt that the Underhill connection must lie on George’s maternal side.His father was Hart Sands (1790-1847) a NYC lighterman.His mother was Catherine Harrison (1801-1835).Catherine’s father was William H. Harrison (1768-1838).Catherine’s mother was Catherine Van Alstyne.I have long been intrigued with the Van Alstyne ancestry as well and am trying to link it back to Jan Martense Van Alstyne, an early resident of New Amsterdam.However, your recent revelations lead me to strongly suspect that the Underhill name comes from the Harrison side, not the Van Alstyne side, so I will confine my discussions to the Harrison connection to the Underhill/Sutton/Sands family.

William H. Harrison was a member of the Brick Presbyterian Church in lower Manhattan where he was both married and buried.He was a cartman.He also fought in the war of 1812 in a NY regiment (Hart Sands did also).From his will, I know that he had a sister Mary, who was married to Richard Goldsborough (1773-1818), a Manhattan cabinet maker.From a will of one of Mary’s children, I know that William also had a sister, Sarah (1780-1842) who married William Callender (1766-1837), a Manhattan cooper.Through the NYGB&S, of which I am a member, I learned of and contacted a Callender in Georgia who is a descendant of William and Sarah.He advised me that certain family records indicate Sarah was born in Canada. The death records of all three siblings in NYC claim they were born in NY.I have long suspected that my problems in tracing this line may stem from a loyalist connection.Over the time we have been corresponding, I have learned much on this subject from you.

In trying to connect the Harrisons to the Underhills, I noted that another Brick Church member, William Harrison, married Abigail Sutton (b. 1747) on April 25, 1768.I determined that she is a daughter of Benjamin Sutton (1698-1759) of North Castle and that another daughter, Mary Sutton (1740's-1818) married a William Underhill in 1757.You have now pointed out that this William Underhill was a loyalist recruiter and that his brother Samuel was married to Phebe Dodge, whose mother was Elizabeth Sutton and one of whose daughters, apparently married a Sands.You also pointed out that Gideon Sands’ widow Mary Sands remarried William Sutton.This began to ring all sorts of bells and I had to graph it out.I will work in reverse. Hart and George Underhill Sands’ father was Edward Sands (1759-1807), a Manhattan ships carpenter and grocer.He married Jane Hart on October 20, 1783, a date which becomes significant.The Hart family, also, has a very long and interesting history in America.Suffice for this purpose to say that they were a prominent farm family in Rye, Westchester county at the time of this marriage (the town of Hartsdale, which is quite close to my office is named for this family).

I had always wondered how Edward, who was from Sands Point (his parents being Gideon Sands (1729-1770) and Mary Sands (1733-1793)) hooked up with this Westchester farmer’s daughter.It turns out that Mary Sands remarried to William Sutton on April 18, 1779.I never associated this marriage with Westchester because it occurred at St. George’s Church in Hempstead, LI and both Mary and her second husband are buried in the Sands family plot on Sands Point.I do not believe Wilson’s suggestion that William Sutton was the William Sutton, son of Mary Sands (b. 1701 son of James Sands and Mary Cornell) and Joseph Sutton (d.. 1769/70 on LI) is correct.According to a number of internet sources, William, son of Joseph and Mary (Sands) Sutton lived in Croton on Hudson, was married to Dorcas Clapp in 1758 and died about 1770.The solid date of death for the William Sutton who was married to Mary Sands (from his head stone at Sands Point) is Aug. 30, 1780.

However, as I re-examine this, I still think there is a connection. One of those most well researched of the Sutton trees at Ancestry/Rootsweb, “Ancestry of Bob and Mary Beth Wheeler” suggests that the William Sutton who married Mary Sands may have been a brother of the Joseph Sutton who married Mary Sands (b. 1701).I spent some time tracing out the Sutton/Underhill/Harrison connections.The patriarch was Joseph Sutton of Lincolnshire, born about 1630.One son, Robert Sutton (1675-1775) (wife Hannah) was the father of the Joseph Sutton who married Mary Sands (b. 1701).He was, also, the father of Elizabeth Sutton, who married Jeremiah Dodge (and, as indicated above, this Joseph may be the brother of William Sutton who married Mary Sands b. 1733).Another son of the patriarch, Joseph (b. abt 1663 in S. Hampton, LI) was one of the original owners of land in North Castle. His son Benjamin (d. 1759)(wife Elena) was the father of Mary and Abigail who married an Underhill and a Harrison, respectively.

Taking all of the above together, the many family connections and the loyalist relationships, my gut tells me we may both be onto something with this.The only other thing I have to go on, as to William H. Harrison’s relationship to the William Harrison who married Abigail Sutton, is two other Harrison men who married in the Brick Church.Moses Harrison married Prusia McIntire on March 1, 1795.Jabez Harrison married Rebecca W. Toler on September 18, 1802.Initially I paid scant attention to these, but now that I realize that the William Harrison/ Abigail Sutton marriage is significant, I am beginning to think these may be also.William could be the father ( I know there was a William Harrison loyalist from this area but have no idea if it is the same guy) and William, Moses and Jabez could be his kids.On the other hand, Harrison is a common name.

I realize this is a lot to digest and hope you are not sorry you asked.

Ralph