The (Nearly) Lost Story of Cornelius Hasbrouck and Washington's Headquarters: Virtual Talk

Tour Highlights:

• Learn about the Hasbrouck family home in Newburgh, which was Washington’s longest-used military headquarters during the American Revolution
• See how one of the most prominent families in Ulster County was rocked by a scandal involving theft and a mysterious disappearance
• Discover how the story of Cornelius Hasbrouck was almost lost in the horrible archive fire of 1911

About this Talk

In January 1781, Governor George Clinton of New York sat down at his desk to read a painful letter from Judge Robert Yates. The letter concerned the son of a now-deceased acquaintance who currently sat in the Kingston jail, having been tried, convicted, and branded.

The crime was for stealing “sundry oxen and goods and chattels of the United States of America.” Cornelius Hasbrouck has long been labeled a Tory, and little more than that has been said about him. The family histories are silent or state that he fled to Canada. What if the histories were only half right?

Unravel the scandalous story of Cornelius Hasbrouck, a story almost lost to fire, and learn about the truth of his family's connection to George Washington and where he disappeared to!

About AJ Schenkman

AJ Schenkman is a history teacher and award-winning author. He is a contributor to Litchfield and Dutchess Magazines. AJ also contributes a monthly column in a local newspaper. He is a former municipal historian who has written several books on topics ranging from the Civil War, local history, and the American Revolution. His most recent book is a children’s book on Franklin D. Roosevelt. AJ was born and raised in New York City before relocating to the Hudson Valley.