250 and Counting

John Paul Jones (Mike would have me note it’s not the guy from Led Zeppelin) led a relatively short life, but it was certainly eventful. Jones was born in Scotland and became a sailor at age 13, where he served on multiple merchantmen, including a few slave ships. Jones fled to the Virginia colony to […]

The post New Command for John Paul Jones–October 27, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

While Benjamin Franklin departed for France on this day, actually having Franklin in France wouldn’t happen until early December. Remember, he was traveling by ship and it took a few weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. What’s more, as Mike mentions, it would take him over a year to secure the support that we needed. […]

The post Ben Franklin Heads To France–October 26, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

King George III offered up some naval incentives throughout 1776. Seamen who enlisted would get bonuses depending on their level of experience, but the Royal Navy wasn’t above impressing sailors into service, either. However, it’s also worth noting that King George also put some disincentives out there as well. For instance, in November of 1776 […]

The post Uncle George Wants You–October 25, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

White Plains today is the county seat of Westchester County, the county that directly abuts New York City to the north and connects it to the mainland. But back when the Dutch started settling in the area, starting at the south end of Manhattan, the region was being used for farming by the Weckquaeskeck tribe […]

The post How White Plains Got There–October 24, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Holding the show to two minutes exactly (because we also have a few radio listeners) sometimes makes it tough to tell the whole story of the rules behind en taille, or entail. Because, you see, en taille doesn’t just refer to land in Virginia; it refers to all property. And that includes slaves. And Jefferson, […]

The post Jefferson’s New Laws–October 23, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Oddly enough, having an episode about the Battle of Mamaroneck is one of those times when it pays to have grown up in New York. I saw that note in our common research document, then I clocked the date and said to myself, “No way is Mike going to know how to pronounce that.” So […]

The post Battle of Mamaroneck–October 22, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Calling George Izard a “Nepo Baby” might be laying it on a little bit thick, but it’s pretty clear he came from some privileged people. His mother was Alice DeLancey. She was the niece of New York Governor James DeLancey and a descendant of Stephanus Van Cortlandt and Gertrude Schuyler. And if you’re paying attention […]

The post George Izard–October 21, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

The Delaware Assembly was ahead of most other states in our fledgling nation, in part because they’d declared independence before anyone else. Back in June, as you may remember, Delaware declared its independence simultaneously from Britain and from Pennsylvania, of which it was considered a part. (This is why Pennsylvania is the only one of […]

The post Delaware Gets Down To Business–October 20, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Before I get into the events of New Rochelle, I have to confess that I’m kind of hating today’s artwork, and it’s not even published yet. Well, if I have to look at it then so do you. They can’t all be gems. The Battle at Pell’s Point had the Continental Army putting up more […]

The post A Pause in New Rochelle–October 19, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

The Battle of Pell’s Point, also known as the Battle of Pelham, was an important battle of the Revolution that doesn’t get the attention that so many others get, largely because of the When and Where of the battle, and the fact that it wasn’t a huge win or loss for either side. What it […]

The post Battle of Pell’s Point–October 18, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.