| Name |
Silas Mabee |
| Birth |
1758 |
New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Anecdote |
17 Nov 1779 |
Dutchess County, New York [1] |
- On 11/17/1779, Silas Maybee of Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, and Andrew Birger of Rombout Precinct, Dutchess County, yeomen, appeared before the "Commissioners for Inquiring into Detecting and Defeating all Conspiracies in this State against the Liberties of America" in Poughkeepsie. After they "severally acknowledged themselves to owe and be indebted unto the people of the said State in the sum of five hundred pounds" they were released on recognizance on the condition that Silas Maybee "repair to the dwelling house of said Andrew Birger … and on his arrival there not depart more than four miles therefrom."
|
| Immigration |
1783 |
New Brunswick, Canada [2, 3] |
- Simon was a loyalist in the American Revolution and in 1783 at the advanced age of 82 led a mass exodus of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to New Brunswick Canada in the various spring, summer and fall boats of that year.
|
| Census |
11 Jun 1784 |
Passamaquoddy, Saint Andrews Town, New Brunswick, Canada [4] |
- Silas Mabee, his wife Priscilla, and three daughters, Elizabeth (over 10), Anne (under 10) and Sarah (under 10), were enumerated in a "Roll of Men, Women, and Children settled near the Falls of Scoodiac River in the Town of St. Andrews, Passamaquoddy, under the Direction of Capt. Nehemiah Marks".
|
| Land |
17 Sep 1784 |
Nova Scotia, Canada [5] |
- registered in Nova Scotia for land grants. Both registrations were transferred to New Brunswick on 4/11/1785 for land at Passamaquoddy, St. Croix River, Sunbury County. However, neither name appears on subsequent settler's lists for the area
|
| Land |
11 Apr 1785 |
Passamaquoddy, Saint Croix River, Sunbury County, New Brunswick, Canada [6] |
- Re-registered NS Grant of 1784/09/17: 3/4 Acre Garden Lots
|
| Census |
1790 |
Stephenstown, Westchester County, New York [7] |
- Silas Mabee - one white man over 16, two white boys under 16, five white females, and no slaves nor free colored people
|
| Census |
1800 |
Stephenstown, Westchester County, New York [8] |
- Silas Mabee, one man and one woman over 45, one woman 16-26, two boys 10-16, and two boys and one girl under 10
|
| Land |
24 Apr 1810 |
Woodhouse Township, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada [9] |
- Silas Mabee filed a Land Petition dated at Woodhouse Twp., Norfolk Co., Upper Canada (Ontario) on 24 Apr 1810, stating that he came from the province of Nova Scotia (more probably New Brunswick, formed from Nova Scotia) four years previous and that he was desirous of obtaining a lease on Lot 3, Concession 6, Woodhouse, for which
Anthony Manuel (a brother-in-law) would stand surety for the due payment of rents.
A supporting document from
Peter Montross (a brother-in-law), Levina (Mabee) Hilton (a sister-in-law), and
Larrance Johnson (a brother-in-law), stated that he had been a faithful British soldier in the American Revolution from 1779 until the conclusion of the war under the command of Captain [Giltotter] in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Delancey. He was taken prisoner in several instances and exchanged.
|
| Census |
1820 |
Jackson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio [10] |
- Sylas Mayby one man over 45, one woman 26-45, one boy and three girls under 10
|
| Anecdote |
- Silas Mabee was born in 1758 in northern Westchester County, probably in Cortlandt Manor, the youngest of 12 children of Simon Mabie and the third child for a second, unknown spouse who may have been part Indian.
Like many of his brothers, Silas was a Loyalist during the American Revolution and fought from 1779 (when he has 21 years of age) under Capt. 'Giltotter' in the Regiment commanded by 'Col. Delansee', probably the Westchester Refugees commanded by James DeLancey. A Capt. Gil Totten was the captain of the Westchester Refugees' Ranger Company. Silas was apparently taken prisoner several times and exchanged.
In 1779 Silas Maybee of Cortlandt Manor, Westchester Co. appeared before the 'Commissioners for Inquiring into Detecting and Defeating all Conspiracies in the State against the Liberties of America' in Poughkeepsie, acknowledged owing the state five hundred pounds and was released on the condition that he stay in the dwelling house of Andrew Birger. (Cortlandt Manor was originally an 86,000 acre tract that ran from the Croton River twenty miles north to Anthony's Nose and from the Hudson River east to Connecticut. In a departure from the general practice in other colonies, Van Cortlandt and a few other large landowners leased rather than sold small tracts of land to tenant farmers. Poughkeepsie is in Dutchess Co., north of Westchester Co.)
Silas' brother, Simon Jr., was caught recruiting for the British near White Plains, New York and was executed on April 15, 1777. Another brother, Peter, was with Gen. Burgoyne at his defeat and died during the retreat in 1777. 'Military service provided thousands of loyal Americans with the chance to fight for their beliefs, and there were many veteran soldiers, many victims keen for revenge, and many uncomplicated loyal servants of the Crown who never considered any alternative to military service.' (Moore).
At the end of the war in 1783, Silas joined his father and many of his brothers and sisters in the Loyalist exodus to New Brunswick. Two large fleets left New York for the St. John River, the first on April26, 1783, carrying over 2,300 Loyalists, the second on June 15, 1783,carrying over 3,600 settlers. Another 19 vessels arrived later in the summer. (Wright) While his older brothers William and Jacob sailed on the Union in the Spring Fleet, it is not known on which ship Silas escaped New York.
Silas first joined the Port Matoon Association which was formed in New York City to settle on the south shore of Nova Scotia in October 1783. The land at Port Matoon proved to be poor and the summer of 1784 was so dry a fire destroyed most of the town. Shortly before the fire and with other members of the Association, Silas moved on to St. Stephen, N.B. 'Some eighteen miles up the St. Croix, at the fishing falls, the Port Matoon Association laid out another townsite...this group, comprised largely of men employed in the Civil Departments of the Army and of Armed Boatmen...were laying out the townsite, St. Stephen...'(Wright)
Silas, wife? Priscilla, daughters? Elizabeth, Anne and Sarah 'Mawby' appear on a June 1784 roll of individuals settled under the direction of Capt. Nehemiah Marks nears the Falls of Scoodiac River in the town of St. Andrews, Charlotte Co.
In 1784 Silas received a three-quarter acre grant of a garden lot on Lot 11 in the Jones Division, St. Stephen Township, Charlotte County. This was on the old Ridge Road heading towards St. Andrews. In 1785 this grant was re-registered. On July 3, 1788 Silas sold this land to Ichabod Pine and moved on.
About this time Silas appears to have married Phoebe La Peca with one source suggesting that this occurred at Port Hope in Upper Canada. However, there are no primary sources for this marriage and it is not known whether this Phoebe was a second wife, with the Priscilla of1784 being a first wife.
Another source (Vander-Schrier) suggests that at this point Silas then returned to the United States, settling in Stephen Town, adjacent to his birth place in Yorktown, in Westchester County, New York. Indeed, the 1790 census of Stephen Town lists a Silas Mabee, head of a household of one free white male over 16, one free white male under 16 and five free white females. The 1800 census of Stephen Town lists a Silas Mabee as head of a house hold of one male over 45, two males 10 to 16, two males under 10, one female over 45, one female 16 to 26 and a female under 10. (On the one hand, by 1800 our Silas is only known to have had three children not six; but on the other hand, Mutrie lists no other Silas Mabee's in his Compendium. Mutrie also suspects that in addition to Silas' five sons, there may be unknown daughters.)
In any event, Silas emigrated to Upper Canada, settling at Port Dover, Norfolk Co. about 1805 (when he was a petty juror), perhaps following his brother, Frederick, who had become the first settler at Turkey Point, Charlotteville Twp. in 1793 and his sister, Leah Montross, who had settled in St. Williams, Charlotteville Twp. in 1797. In 1810 he petitioned for a lease of land at Lot 3, Concession 6, Woodhouse Twp, saying that he came from New Brunswick four years previously. His brother-in-law, Anthony Manuel (who was married to sister Margaret and arrived in the province in 1807) pledged to stand surety for the payment of rents. A supporting document was signed by brother-in-law Peter Montross, sister-in-law Levina Hilton, widow of Frederick Mabee and Larrance Johnson, son-in-law of sister Leah. Unfortunately, his petition was not accepted.
It would seem that Silas remained in the area for several years as his sons, Thomas Pinckney and Simon, were enrolled in the Norfolk militia during the War of 1812. Simon, however, went over to the American side and as a result was forced to leave Canada for the United States after the war. It is possible that Silas may have followed him as a Sylas Mabee is listed in the 1820 census of Jackson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, in addition to a Simon Mabee in nearby Jefferson Township. This Sylas is the head of a family comprised of one male over 45, one male under 10, one female 26 to 45 and three females under 10.
There are no more references to Silas Mabee in the census records. His date and place of death are not known.
|
| Anecdote |
- Grenville McKenzie states that he married a second time to an unnamed spouse and that the youngest three children were by the second marriage.
|
| Anecdote |
- Silas Mabee moved to New Brunswick after the war, but was back in Westchester County, NY by 1790. He moved back to Upper Canada between 1800 and 1808, then onto Ohio before 1820. At least one of his sons remained in Upper Canada.
|
| Attributes |
Said to Have Been Part Indian [13] |
| Info |
- Info. from Frederick Secord according to Robert Mutrie, Maxine M. Smith, #183
|
| Reference Number |
515 |
| Death |
Yes, date unknown |
| Person ID |
I515 |
Maybee Society |
| Last Modified |
7 Apr 2024 |
1758 - Yes, date unknown
