Knox, William (1756-1795) to John Maunsell

Lieutenant-General John Maunsell was born in 1724, the son of Richard Maunsell of Limerick, a member of Parliament from 1741 to 1761. Commissioned as an ensign in 1741, he was at the sieges of Louisburg, Quebec, Montreal, Martinique and Havana, during which time he rose to be Captain and finally in 1761 Major of the 60th or Royal Americans. He was gazetted for gallantry Lieutenant-Colonel of the 83rd Regiment October 31, 1762, and was thereafter transferred to the 27th Foot (Iniskillings). He had received for his services a grant of land adjoining Major Skene's at Whitehall (old Skenesborough). Coming to New York City, he married for his second wife Elizabeth Stillwell, widow of Captain Peter Wraxall, at Trinity Church, June 11, 1763. He lived here with his wife at Greenwich, in the Ninth Ward, in property belonging to Oliver DeLancey, until he sailed for England with other loyalists in May, 1755, leaving his wife behind him. Returning for her in 1776, he then went to Kinsale, in Ireland, where he had received an appointment which he had requested in order to avoid serving against the Colonies. October 19, 1781, he was gazetted Major-General on half pay in the Irish Establishment. Living in London until 1784 he resided in New York continuously thereafter, his city house being at 11 Broadway. He was made Lieutenant-General October 12, 1793. He owned a farm of 60 acres on Harlem Heights, between Morris and Watkins places, the site now being divided by St. Nicholas Avenue. he died July 27, 1795, and was buried in the Bradhurst vault in Trinity Cemetery.