New Video Series -- “Revolutionary People: Patriots & Loyalists”

Three new videos that place the spotlight on engaging and infrequently told stories associated with Westchester County’s significant role in the American Revolution have been posted online by Revolutionary Westchester 250, the nonprofit corporation created to build awareness and appreciation for the county’s revolutionary era history. In just under three-and-one-half minutes each, the videos in the educational and entertaining “Revolutionary People: Patriots & Loyalists” series capture—with a bit of whimsical humor—the historic contributions of an entrepreneurial woman loyalist, a patriot soldier of African descent and a young patriot officer.

The new videos, along with 16 additional history videos, can be viewed on RW250’s YouTube channel. The new videos feature the stories of Mollie Dobbs Sneden of Dobbs Ferry and Sneden’s Landing (in Rockland County), John “Jack” Peterson from the area of Sleepy Hollow and Captain George Hurlbut, who was stationed at Dobbs Ferry and wounded in Tarrytown.

“The new videos are just one part of the many programs and projects RW250 has introduced to Westchester residents as we move closer to celebrating the 250th anniversary of 1776,” said Constance Kehoe, president, RW250. “We are increasing the awareness of, and appreciation for, the critical role that Westchester County played during the Revolutionary War era and the founding of the United States. By telling the stories of diverse people who were yesterday’s history-making residents, today’s residents can find a connection to their own lives.”

Local Grants, Locally Produced

The videos are RW250’s second funded video project. The first project that produced five videos to promote Revolutionary War era sites in Westchester received 2020 and 2021 funding from the County of Westchester. All these videos, as well as the new series, are free and available to the public on YouTube and the RW250 website. RW250 received a competitive grant of $5,000 for the new video series from Greenway Heritage Conservancy HRV, Inc., a nonprofit overseen by Executive Director Scott Keller and established by New York State during 1981 to serve as the management entity for the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

The historical integrity of the stories was supervised by Dr. Erik Weiselberg, Irvington’s village historian and the principal historian of RW250 as well as a social studies teacher at Irvington High School. During 2020, he was named New York State Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of American History. The videos were produced by Nader Sadre and Skylar Apter. Sadre is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Irvington Historical Society and has professional experience with informational videos. Sadre and Apter suggested that local young people become engaged to narrate each story and the storytellers were selected with the cooperation of the Broadway Training Center in Hastings-on-Hudson.

Piya Karthikeyan, 11, of Ardsley, narrates the story about Mollie Dobbs Sneden, who operated a family-run ferry service across the Hudson River from Dobbs Ferry to what became known as Sneden’s Landing in Rockland County prior to, and following, the American Revolution. Watch video.

Omar Mansouri, 11, of Edgemont, tells the story of John “Jack” Peterson, who was raised in the family of Job Sherwood and lived along the Old Albany Post Road north of the Old Dutch Church now in the Village of Sleepy Hollow. On the shores of the Hudson River, near Croton Point, his quick action played a part in the dramatic events that foiled the traitorous plan of General Benedict Arnold to turn over West Point to the British. Watch video.

Lucy Richer, 15, of Hastings, explains the actions of Captain George Hurlbut of New London, Connecticut, who was serving in the Continental Army at Dobbs Ferry during 1781. He became engaged in a military action against the British near and on the Hudson River at Tarrytown alongside French soldiers who were allies of the patriots. Watch video.