Beverley Robinson

Beverley Robinson (11 January 1721 – 9 April 1792), was a soldier and wealthy colonist of the Province of New York. Robinson married Susanna Philipse, heiress to a significant share of the roughly Highland Patent on the lower Hudson River in the Province of New York. With the onset of the American Revolutionary War, he sought to remain uninvolved, but in 1777 formed the Loyal American Regiment, which proved a very active Loyalist force in that conflict. 
In addition to serving as its commander through the British defeat 1783, Robinson is known for his work with the British secret service during the war, particularly in regards to the betrayal of Continental general Benedict Arnold in the André Affair. At the time of his betrayal, Arnold was using the confiscated Robinson home as his headquarters, with Continental Army commander-in-chief Washington a temporary occupant. It is there André was brought after his capture. Following André's trial and sentencing British commanding general Sir Henry Clinton sent a delegation to Washington that included Robinson as a character witness for Andre, to plead for the Major's life. It is said Washington refused to see or be swayed by his old friend.
During the war, the Philipse Patent lands were confiscated by the Revolutionary government of New York. Following the war the Robinsons retired to Britain with some of their family. In spite of a provision in the 1783 Treaty of Paris advocating restitution for their losses, no compensation was ever paid the Robinson family by the United States. Much later they were awarded a settlement of approximately 25% of their combined family property's £80,000 original value by the British Compensation Commission, ultimately receiving less than 20% in payment.
Early life.
Robinson was born in Middlesex County in the Colony of Virginia on 11 January 1721. He was a son of the Hon. John Robinson, a President of its House of Burgesses in Williamsburg, and Catherine (née Beverley) Robinson, daughter of Robert Beverley, Esq., of Beverley, Yorkshire. His parents were, in property and family, among the leading families in the province. His grand-uncle, Dr. John Robinson, Bishop of London, had gone to America as secretary to government.
Career.
In 1745, he raised in Virginia an independent company and relocated it to New York to defend that state's frontier against Indian attack. 
In 1752, his wife, her elder brother Philip, and younger sister Mary, each inherited a one-third share of what then became known at the "Philipse Patent", effectively today's Putnam County, New York. Upon his wife's inheritance, the now wealthy couple settled on a parcel of her land at the foot of Sugarloaf Hill in the Hudson Highlands where they built a family home they called Beverley. George Washington was for a time an irregular guest, developing an attraction to Susanna's younger sister Mary. The Patent itself was only lightly settled by tenant farmers and lacked the commerce and industry of the Manor which had been inherited by her eldest brother. 
American Revolution.
With the onset of the American Revolutionary War Robinson sought to remain uninvolved and, reportedly, "desired to remain in the quiet enjoyment of country life and management of his large domain. He was opposed to the measures of the British Ministry, gave up the use of imported merchandise, and clothed himself and his family in fabrics of domestic manufacture." Nevertheless, he entered the military service of the Crown. Due to his standing entitled him to high rank, and upon raising the "Loyal American Regiment" in 1777, principally in New York, he was commissioned its Colonel. He also commanded the corps of Guides and Pioneers, which included black Loyalist soldiers from the Black Company of Pioneers. His sons figured prominently in the selection of officers for the Loyal American Regiment, with Beverley serving as Lieutenant-Colonel and Frederick an ensign. The regiment, which saw much fighting in the course of the war, figured most prominently in the attack on the Hudson River's Fort Montgomery, on 6 October 1777, when British and Loyalist forces overwhelmed the Colonials in the Battle of Fort Montgomery.
Robinson was also heavily involved in the treason of Benedict Arnold, and it is generally believed that he was acquainted with the traitor's purpose before it was known to Sir Henry Clinton, or any other person. And it appears certain that Arnold addressed him a letter on the subject of going over to the Royal side, before soliciting the command of West Point. As the plot matured, he accompanied Major John André, Adjutant General of the British Army in America and head of British Secret Service, to Dobb's Ferry to meet Arnold, according to a previous arrangement; but an accident prevented an interview, and both returned to New York. Subsequently, he went up the Hudson River in , for the purpose of furthering the objects in view; but failed in his most material designs. Arnold now sent Smith on board "Vulture" with a letter, which was delivered to Colonel Robinson, and on the faith of which André went on shore. The treacherous Whig had been expected on the ship in person, and it has been said that Robinson was much opposed to André's trusting himself to the honour "of a man who was seeking to betray his country." But the zealous young officer would not listen to the prudent counsel, and determined to embark upon the duty from which he never returned. 
On 23 September 1780, André was captured and on 26 September was conveyed a prisoner to Colonel Robinson's own house, which, with the lands adjacent, had been confiscated by the state, which Arnold had occupied as his headquarters, and of which Washington was then a temporary occupant. After André's trial and conviction, Clinton sent three commissioners to the Whig camp, in the hope of producing a change in the determination of Washington, and of showing André's innocence; to this mission Robinson was attached in the character of a witness. He had previously addressed the Commander-in-Chief on the subject of André's release; and, as he and Washington had been personal friends until political events had produced a separation, he took occasion to speak of their former acquaintance in his letter. 
On 6 September 1781, Robinson was not in command of the Loyal American Regiment that accompanied Benedict Arnold in the burning of New London, Connecticut. His son, Lieut. Colonel Beverly Robinson Jr. commanded it in his place.
Post-war life.
In 1779, the inherited Philipse lands and property, including Susanna's share of the Philipse Patent, were forfeited and seized by provincial New York authorities. The property was auctioned off in 1782 by the Commissioners of Forfeiture without compensation to the Robinsons, in spite of assurances of restitution in the 1783 Treaty of Paris that Revolutionary representatives signed with the British.
At the end of the war, Colonel Robinson went to England with a part of his family. Ultimately the British Compensation Commission granted them £24,000 toward the original £80,000 value of his and Susanna's personal estate (reflecting about £16,000 Sterling, plus the 60,000 Philipse Patent acres and some city property valued together at about £64,000), though only about £17,000 was ever paid.
Personal life.
On 7 July 1748, Robinson was married to Susanna Philipse (1727–1822) at Trinity Church, New York City. She was the eldest surviving daughter of Frederick Philipse II, second Lord of Philipsburg Manor, a very prosperous hereditary estate in lower Westchester County, and heiress to an interest in the Highland Patent, a roughly landed estate on the Hudson River spanning fully between the Hudson Highlands and the Connecticut Colony border. The Robinsons had ten children, three of whom died young. The surviving children included four boys and a girl:
Like many loyalists who moved to England, Robinson reportedly felt out of place and unappreciated. He resided at Thornbury, near Bristol in Southwest England, and died there on 9 April 1792, at the age of seventy. He was buried at St Mary the Virgin Parish Churchyard in Thornbury.
Descendants.
Through his son John, who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick after the war, he was a grandfather of five boys and two girls.
Through his son Frederick, he was posthumously a grandfather of four, including Maria Susan Robinson, Frederick Philipse Robinson Jr., Beverley George Robinson, and Jane Robinson.