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Collection Data
- Description
- Philip John Schuyler (1733-1804), a Revolutionary War general and statesman, was a prominent member of the landed aristocracy of New York State. The collection consists of correspondence, accounts, military records, land records, and other papers documenting Schuyler's military, political and business activities and, to a lesser extent, his family affairs. Correspondence, 1761-1804, is with military officers, members of the Continental Congress, committees of safety, and family, and concerns the conduct of the Revolutionary War in the Northern Department, 1775-1777, and political and personal matters. Indian papers, 1710-1797, contain Schuyler's papers as Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the Northern Department during the war and as agent of New York State. Canal papers, 1792-1803, include correspondence, diaries, reports, surveys, accounts, and other papers relating to the construction of canals in New York. His papers as Surveyor General of New York State, 1773-1788, and other public papers, circa 1775-1796, consist of correspondence, receipts, drafts of legislation and proposals, building plans, and other papers. Financial papers, 1711-1805, estate papers, 1752-1828, and land papers, 1705-1864, pertain to business activities and land holdings of Schuyler and family. Family papers, 1772-1851, contain correspondence and other papers of Schuyler family members. Military papers, 1775-1779, comprise Revolutionary War materials that were neither generated nor received directly by Schuyler.
- Names
- Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804 (Creator)
- Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801 (Correspondent)
- Bleecker, Barent, 1760-1840 (Correspondent)
- Bradstreet, John, 1711-1774 (Correspondent)
- Clinton, George, 1739-1812 (Correspondent)
- Cochran, John, 1730-1807 (Correspondent)
- De Zeng, Frederick Augustus, 1756-1838 (Correspondent)
- Duane, James, 1733-1797 (Correspondent)
- Eddy, Thomas, 1758-1827 (Correspondent)
- Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 (Correspondent)
- Glen, Henry, 1739-1814 (Correspondent)
- Jones, Samuel, 1734-1819 (Correspondent)
- Loudon, Samuel, 1727?-1813 (Correspondent)
- Montgomery, Richard, 1738-1775 (Correspondent)
- Smith, William, 1728-1793 (Correspondent)
- Varick, Richard, 1753-1831 (Correspondent)
- Walton, Gerard (Correspondent)
- Washington, George, 1732-1799 (Correspondent)
- Dates / Origin
- Date Created: 1705 - 1864
- Library locations
- Manuscripts and Archives Division
- Shelf locator: MssCol 2701
- Topics
- Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804
- Gansevoort family
- Lansing family
- Livingston family
- Schuyler family
- Van Rensselaer family
- Yates family
- Northern Inland Lock Navigation Company
- Western Inland Lock Navigation Company
- American loyalists
- Canals -- New York (State)
- Indians of North America -- New York (State)
- Landowners -- New York (State)
- Landowners
- Soldiers
- Statesmen
- New York (State) -- Boundaries
- New York (State) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
- New York (State) -- Real property
- Saratoga County (N.Y.) -- History
- United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
- Genres
- Diaries
- Land surveys
- Contracts
- Maps
- Records (Documents)
- Correspondence
- Documents
- Notes
- Biographical/historical: Philip John Schuyler (1733-1804) was a prominent member of the landed aristocracy of upstate New York. Born in Albany, Schuyler inherited extensive lands in the Saratoga Patent, through the Mohawk Valley, in Dutchess County, and along the Hudson River. He served in the British Army during the French and Indian War, rising to the rank of Major. His thirty year career in public office began in 1768 when he was elected to New York's colonial assembly. There he sided with those favoring increased independence from Great Britain. He was a delegate to the second Continental Congress and was made one of the four Major-Generals in the Continental Army under Washington. During the Revolutionary War he commanded the forces of the Northern Department, 1775-1777, until replaced by Horatio Gates. However, he remained in his post as Commissioner of Indian Affairs and was re-elected to the Continental Congress, 1778-1781. He served in the New York State Senate, 1780-1784 and 1786-1790, and became one of New York's first United States Senators, 1797-1798. Schuyler was also deeply involved in the commercial development of New York. He oversaw the construction of saw mills, gristmills, and New York's first flax mill, exported timber and other products of his estates via his Hudson River fleet, and took a leading role in the development of better transportation. As president and leading force in the creation and incorporation of the Northern Inland Lock Navigation Company and the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, he constructed the canals that would form the basis of the Erie Canal system.
- Content: The collection consists of correspondence, accounts, military records, land records, and other papers documenting Schuyler's military, political and business activities and, to a lesser extent, his family affairs. Correspondence, 1761-1804, is chiefly with military officers, members of the Continental Congress, and committees of safety concerning the conduct of the Revolutionary War in the Northern Department, 1775-1777. However, political, business, and family matters. Indian papers, 1710-1797, contain Schuyler's papers as Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the Northern Department during the war and as agent of New York State. Canal papers, 1792-1803, include correspondence, diaries, reports, surveys, accounts, and other papers relating to the construction of canals in New York. His papers as Surveyor General of New York State, 1773-1788, and other public papers, circa 1775-1796, consist of correspondence, receipts, drafts of legislation and proposals, building plans, and other papers. Financial papers, 1711-1805, estate papers, 1752-1828, and land papers, 1705-1864, pertain to business activities and land holdings of Schuyler and family. Family papers, 1772-1851, contain correspondence and other papers of Schuyler family members. Military papers, 1775-1779, comprise Revolutionary War materials that were neither generated nor received directly by Schuyler.
- Funding: Digitization was made possible by a lead gift from The Polonsky Foundation.
- Physical Description
- Extent: 19.79 linear feet (55 boxes, 17 volumes, 15 oversized folders)
- Type of Resource
- Text
- Cartographic
- Identifiers
- NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b11985422
- MSS Unit ID: 2701
- Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 15f37480-3732-0134-8c08-00505686d14e
