Philip Van Cortlandt (1739-1814)

He was born at New Jersey, and is not be confused with his namesake, the Patriot Colonel. He was educated at King's College (M.A., 1761). He joined the Queen's County Legislature (1769) before moving to Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey. He fought in the the French & Indian War (1759-1763). On the outbreak of the Revolution he sided with the British and in 1776 he again joined the British Army as Major of the 3rd Battalion, New Jersey Loyal Volunteers. At the conclusion of the war (1783) he was promoted Lt-Colonel and was expelled from New York to England. His wife and children joined him from Nova Scotia and Madiera where they had gone to escape the hostilities. His considerable estates in America were confiscated. He built Cortlandt House at Hailsham but after his death his widow moved to Torquay to live with her widowed daughter, Lady Buller. They were said to have had 23 children, though six were assumed to have died in infancy. He is buried at Hailsham, his widow at Torre Church, Torquay, both with memorials. In England, they seemed to spell their name "Cortland" without the 't'.