Palisades in the American Revolution: Divided Loyalties and Enduring Legacy

Our small, picturesque village has a rich history spanning all the way back to the Revolutionary War, when it became representative of the conflict that engulfed the whole nation. To grasp the role of Palisades in revolutionary times, it's helpful to look at the town and its people before the conflict. Palisades was a diverse community. The population included Dutch, English and German descendants or immigrants, which created complex and divided loyalties.

In early 1774, the British parliament passed the “Intolerable Acts” or “Coercive Acts” in response to the Boston Tea Party. Many in Palisades and surrounding towns found them, well… intolerable—prompting unhappy local leaders to carefully weigh their loyalty against the growing anger over ongoing injustices. Their sentiments were officially recorded in the “Orange Town Resolutions” on July 4, 1774, two years before the Declaration of Independence.

History has lost the names of the signers, so it is uncertain if men from Palisades were present at Mabie’s Tavern in Tappan where the document was signed, but the resolutions had a significant impact across the colonies. The opening statements affirm the people of Orangetown’s loyalty to the King and their support for constitutional measures, showing they acted thoughtfully and respected established rights. Despite this loyalty, they strongly opposed recent parliamentary acts imposing duties, describing them as unconstitutional and harmful. Believing it their duty to seek repeal as quickly as possible, they unanimously agreed to boycott exports and imports from Great Britain and the West Indies.

This loyalty, however, would soon be put to the test. In 1775, one year after the Orange Town Resolutions, fighting in the American revolution officially began. This led things in Palisades to become, let’s say, complicated. Allegiances were strained and family ties became their own battlegrounds.

This intrigue is perhaps most apparent in regards to the Sneden family. Molly Sneden (Née. Dobbs) was the owner of the ferry running between Palisades and Dobbs Ferry across the river. Molly herself was supposedly staunchly loyal to the British crown. This did not sit well with American troops stationed in and around Palisades, so she was removed from her job and her son John, a patriot, was placed in charge. That must have been awkward at home! 

Another son, Samuel, was a Tory. He decided to leave Palisades with his wife and child, ultimately settling in Nova Scotia in 1773. This move reflected the divided loyalties of families during the revolution who remained loyal to the British crown and often sought refuge in areas still under British control. Samuel’s family eventually returned to Palisades. [See 10964 May 2019 “Two Sneden Families or One?” by Alice Gerard.]

This is perhaps the most famous, but not the only, case of families in Palisades being torn apart by the Revolution. We must remember those Orange Town Resolutions, after all. People felt their obligations lay with the British Crown, especially those from families of direct British heritage. That being said, Palisades produced her fair share of patriots besides John Sneden.

Perhaps notable among these is Jonathan Lawrence, born to the notable Lawrence family which, by all accounts, had deep connections to the Crown. In spite of his family ties, Jonathan was a die-hard Patriot. He helped guard the Hudson against British warships. He was also in Valley Forge, fought at the battle of Monmouth and was mentioned several times by George Washington in dispatches. This was clearly someone who was a firm believer in the patriot cause, despite the divided loyalties forged during his upbringing. [See 10964 October 2022 “Jonathan Lawrence” by Alice Gerard.]

A third family split up by the Revolution was the Gesners. Nicolas Gesner’s house is still standing, the last one in New York on Closter Road. He was one of nine children raised on a farm which lay in what is now Palisades and Rockleigh. Although his parents wished to remain neutral and refused to sign the “Association Articles” adopted by the Continental Congress in October of 1774, they were branded Tories. Because of persecution and menacing, their father urged his sons to move to New York City, which was still under British control. The youngest sons, Nicholas and Cornelius, remained at home. Their brother, Jacob, enlisted with the British and was lost at sea. The Gesner twins, Henry and Abraham, settled in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, receiving over 400 acres each. John joined Samuel Sneden in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, but after five years, returned to live in Nyack. [See 10964 May 2013 “The Gesner Diaries: A Project For A Lifetime” by Alice Gerard.]

Obviously, the Americans won the Revolution, so what happened to the families ruptured by the conflict? Some returned to Palisades, healed from the war and helped shape the thriving community we are today.