Zimmerman deftly traces the astonishing rise of Margaret and the Philipse women who followed her, who would transform Margaret’s storehouse on the banks of the Hudson into a veritable mansion, Philipse Manor Hall. The last Philipse to live there, Mary Philipse Morris the It-girl of mid-1700s New York was even courted by George Washington. But privilege couldn’t shelter the family from the Revolution, which raged on Mary’s doorstep.
Mining extensive primary sources, Zimmerman brings us into the parlors, bedrooms, countinghouses, and parties of early colonial America and vividly restores a forgotten group of women to life.
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Background Information
The despite the small size of Holland, the Dutch sent out explorers that had a significant impact on the exploration of the New World. The Hudson River drains upstate New York into the Atlantic, forming the fine harbor New York City in its estuary. Women have played important roles in American history from the earliest days, although they have not always been adequately recognized.