Playter, George Henry

  • From George Henry Playter in https://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Info/extras/PLAYTER-George/PLAYTER-George-Family-Story.pdf
    • George Henry Playter, subject of this sketch, was born at Walton upon Thames in Surrey on 1738, the third son of Lyonel Playters and Elizabeth Gould above, and grandson of Sir Lyonel Playters, 6th Baronet of Sotterley. In 1755, he entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman and served on His Majesty’s Frigate Wager, a 24 gun sixth rate commanded by Captain Preston and stationed in Antigua in the Caribbean. Tasked with the destruction of Spanish vessels on the west coast, she was lost when she went aground off the coast of Chile during a storm in 1757 after transiting Cape Horn to the Pacific. In 1758, George immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He subsequently entered the Army as an Ensign to participate in an expedition against the French on the frontier. He thus saw action during the French & Indian War. In 1763, George settled at the Draw Bridge that crossed the Crosswick River in West New Jersey. On 2 January 1766, he married Elizabeth, daughter of John Welding and Hannah Watson of Chesterfield, West New Jersey. Her family were members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) and George soon became associated with that religion as well. In October 1776, Sir William Howe came into the Crosswicks area, perusing General Washington during his withdrawal from New York after his defeat at White Plains. Rebel forces destroyed the bridge near the Playter home to prevent its use by the British Army and subsequently crossed the Delaware to set up defensive positions to protect Philadelphia. Classed as a shipwright and cabinet-maker, George was asked to repair this bridge and others at the request of General Howe. He completed the repairs. Accused of treason by some of his so-called friends in the rebel camp, his life was in jeopardy. At that point, his patriotic attachments proved much stronger than religious convictions and he shed his religion to rejoin the British Colours.
    • He was with the army at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Appointed a Lieutenant in the Guides & Pioneers, George was also recommended to the Commander in Chief as one who could render valuable service in the Secret Service. He infiltrated enemy lines and seized important information and documents for the British. As the safety of his family became a concern, in 1780 he was ordered home to relocate his family. All his property had been confiscated due to his actions and his family had been living in New York after being forced from their home. George was reunited with his family and they fled to Nova Scotia. Leaving his family in relative safety, George re-joined the army at New York in 1781. At the end of the war in 1783, he joined his family in Halifax and retired from the army. 
  • United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=6699
  • Find A Grave:
  • https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183737010/george-henry-playter