Name/Title
Hector St. John / Michel-Guillaume Jean de Cre´vecoeur deed to Thomas MoffattEntry/Object ID
chs-001600Context
Hector St. John (Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crevecoeur) formerly sells his Pine Hill Farm, which he bought in 1769, to Thomas Moffatt.
During the American Revolution, he refused to take up arms against the British. Therefore, he was suspected of being a Loyalist and was expelled to British held New York City. The British immediately jailed him as a rebel spy along with one son. After some time, he was allowed passage to Britain, then France. Following the war, he returned as the French Counsul to New York. His wife had died during his absence, his farm destroyed and his other children where gone.
Notes His friend and neighbor Col. Woodhull had arraigned for the children to be taken into the custody and safety of friends in New England, where the sigma of the Loyalist accusations where unknown. The family members reestablished contact, but some of the children elected to continue their lives in their new homes. de Crevecoeur is credited with introducing lima beans, alfalfa and other innovations to American agriculture on this farm that he called Pine Hill. His book "Letters from an American Farmer" was a literary success and was the first to describe to Europeans, with many American terms, life on the American frontier. He portrayed the American Dream with principles of equal opportunity and self-determination. He went on to author several other renowned books.
de Crevecoeur's Pine Hill farm occupied a portion of what was once Daniel Crommelin's 3,066 acre Gray Court Planation ( described in an 1720 indenture: http://www.hrvh.org/u?/chs,1293).Archive Details
Date(s) of Creation
May 2, 1785Archive Items Details
Description
Photo of #1600 see #7525\n13 by 18 inchesDimensions
Dimension Notes
12.99 x 18.03 inchesHeight
13 inWidth
18 inCreate Date
November 4, 2025Update Date
August 14, 2026