Crean Brush

Crean Brush was an Irish-born Loyalist, "Yorker", and Tory, of Cumberland County, New Hampshire Grants (present-day Vermont). He was remembered as one of the "notorious Yorkers" who resided for some time in eastern Vermont.

Early years and education
Brush Crean was born in Dublin, Ireland, about the year 1725. Educated for the bar, he held a military office previous to emigrating to the United States, reaching New York City before 1762. He there married his second wife, Margaret Montuzan.

Career
Brush was first employed by the deputy secretary of the Province of New York, Goldsbrow Banyar, and in 1761 was licensed as an attorney in all the king's courts in the province. It is supposed he became associated in this profession with John Kelly, who also figured in the Vermont records. In New York, he had employment in the office of the Provincial Secretary.

In 1771, Brush removed to Westminster, and in February 1772 he was appointed clerk of Cumberland County vice John Chandler removed, and surrogate in April. His main purpose in coming to Vermont was to sell his lands there, many thousand acres having been acquired by him through New York grants. He was a member of the New York colonial (royal) assembly from January 5, 1773, to its dissolution on April 3, 1775. In this body, he proved himself to be an able, eloquent, and influential member, but excessively loyal and violent in his measures against the Vermont Whigs and adherents to the New Hampshire Grants. He wrote much for Livington's Gazette, the Tory organ in New York City. In the troubles which existed on the "Grants", as Vermont was then called, he took the side of New York. In 1775, he delivered a set-speech against electing delegates to the second Continental Congress, which the Whig leaders, George Clinton, Philip Schuyler, and Woodhull, answered.

Shortly after the commencement of the American Revolutionary War, Brush joined Gen. Thomas Gage at Boston, who employed him to remove and take charge of the property in the buildings which had been seized as winter quarters for the British officers and troops. On January 10, 1776, he wrote a memorial to Sir William Howe asking the command of troops, and, specially to be noted, a body of 300 men to be posted on the Connecticut River and open a line of communication from thence westward towards Lake Champlain. The body was to be on the same terms, as to pay and gratuity, as the Royal Fencible American Regiment, a corps just organized. The result is to be inferred from the fact, that on March 10, he was ordered by Sir William to take possession of the goods of certain described persons, and put them on board of the ship Minerva, or the brigantine Elizabeth. Under this commission, Brush, at the head of parties of Tories, broke open stores and dwelling-houses, stripped them, and conveyed his plunder to the ships. Lawless bands of men from the fleet and army followed his example; and Boston, for the last few days of its siege, was given to violence and pillage.

Brush attempted to escape by ship but was captured by the British, taken to Boston for trial on charges against him, and confined in jail from April 12, 1776, until November 15, 1777. The property on board the Elizabeth was worth US$100000, and difficulties arose between the claimants and the captors, which were expensive and vexatious.

While imprisoned in Boston, Brush was denied privileges, which, to an educated man, were invaluable. But he endeavored to lesson his woes by consuming alcohol. Early in 1777, he was joined by his wife. The term of his imprisonment was more than 19 months. In autumn 1777 Mrs. Brush provided him with money and a horse, preparatory to his escape; and on the night of November 5, he passed the turnkey, disguised in her garments, and fled to New York.

He was later known to be in Vermont, where he went to look after his lands. But his career was nearly at an end. The Whigs sequestered his estate; and the British Commander-in-Chief, to whom he applied to redress his personal wrongs and compensate his losses, not only refused, but told him that his "conduct merited them, and more." In May 1778, he put a pistol to his head, and was found dead.

A proprietor of a vast domain, Brush became an outcast. Of nearly 50000 acre of land which he owned in New York and the New Hampshire Grants, his heirs recovered possession of a small part only. His step-daughter, Frances, married Ethan Allen. His only child, Elizabeth Martha, married Thomas Norman, of Ireland.