History of Westchester County, New York — Passage 148
[Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900)] Manhattan Island, it was now imperatively necessary for Washing-ton to withdraw his whole command to the northern portion of the island, which lie was fortunately able to do, following the Blooming-dale Koad on the west side, and camping on the evening of the 15th on Harlem Heights. Here he established his headquarters in the Roger Morris mansion, which afterward became the Jumel mansion, and is still preserved (One Hundred and Sixty-iirst Street near Saint Nicholas Avenue). As has already been related, Colonel Roger Morris, the owner of this stately residence, married Mary Philipse, for whose hand Washington himself is said to have been a suitor. Mary was the youngest sur-viving daughter of Frederick Philipse, the third lord of the manor, and was born on the 3d of July, 1730, nearly two years be-fore Washington saw the light. The romantic story that Washing-ton actually sought her in mar riage, and was refused, does not rest on any known foundations: yet there is strong presumptive evidence that he admired her very heartily, and that if opportunity had enabled him to pay diligent court to her he probably would have embraced it. Much as has been written on this subject, noth-ing that is authentic, so far as we have been able to discover, lias been added to Sparks's well-known reference to it. tk While in New York in 175(5, " says Sparks, " Washington was lodged and kii of Mr.