When Howe landed on Staten Island, the first few days of July 1776, with about 150 ships and 9000 men, residents were required to sign allegiance to the British. Howe then made S.I. his headquarters until the end of the Revolution in 1783.

Oath of Allegiance

I do sincerely promise & Swear, that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to His Majesty King George the third; and Him will defend to the utmost of my power against all Traiterous Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his person, Crown or Dignity; and I will do my Utmost Endeavor to disclose and make known to His Majesty & his Successors, all Treasons, and Traiterous Conspiracies, which I shall Know to be against, or any of them. So help me God!


Oath of allegiance to the King of England signed by Richmond County residents, July 9th 1776.
Andrew Elliott papers, New York State Library.



This copy of the oath was signed by:
(Col. 1) Cornelius Van Wagoneer, Joseph Bedell, Richard Seaman, Danial Lake Juner, William Lake, Stephen Mersereau, Lawrence Hillyer, Jeremiah Simonson, William Scobey, Paul Mersereau, Stephen Cole, Abraham Barbanck, Jacob Boke, John Beatty, William Walton, Gozen Simonson, Charles McNamee, Joseph Vanpelt, Peter Colon, Anthony Vanpelt, George Colon, James Egbert, John Johnson x his mark, Edward Egberts, Nichols Crips, John Dubois, Thomas Barbank, John Barbank, John Vanderbilt, John Marteno, Daniel Lake, John VanderBilt, James Barbank, Jacob Vreeland, John Guyon, Thomas Cubberly, Joseph Barbank, Abraham Egbert,
(Col. 2) Joseph Yates, John Latourette, Lewis Dubois, Peter Cortelyou, James Colen, Peter Crondain, Daniel Lake, Abner Parks, Joseph Yates Juner, Abraham Stilwill, Daniel Perin, John Van Pelt, John x his mark Barbank, Cornelius Cortelyou, Mathias Swaim Jr., Nathaniel Britton, John Mersereau, Barnt Arosmith George x his mark Johnson, Isaac Cole, James x his mark Lewis Junr. James Lewis, Nathaniel Oakley, William x his mark Scarrot, Richard x his mark Scarrot, Willm. x his mark Van Pelt, John Webb, Moses Egbert, John Day, Isaac Simonson, William Morgan, Zebedee Totten,
(Col. 3) John x his mark Vanpelt, Isaac Simonson, John Egberts, John Mesereau, John Vanpelt, Richard Mersereau, Paul Bedell, Edward Beatty, Peter Rezeau, Adrian Ryerss, Nicolas x his mark Britton, Samuel Holmes, John Poillon, Daniel Mersereau, Stephen Mersereau, Peter Mersereau, John Mersereau, Samuel Thirstan?, Peter ....?, Peter Degroot, Thomas Seaman, James x his mark Brittan, Lewis Ryerss, Garret S his mark Degroat, Abraham x mark Jones, John Martling. (Col. 4) Richmond County fs. This is to certify that the Several Persons whose names are subscribed to the afore going Oath respectively took & subscribed the same befor me Given under my hand this 9th July 1776. Daniel Lake