Liss and Baby Harry: Long Island to Manhattan to Charleston to Home

Elizabeth (Liss) was an enslaved woman belonging to the family of Robert Townsend, Long Islander and member (Spy 723) of the Patriot Culper Spy Ring. Elizabeth’s story is linked with Townsend’s and with the British soldiers who were billeted in the Townsend home during British control there. The soldiers, under the command of John Graves Simcoe, discussed many war-time strategies, including the plot to surrender Fort West Point military garrison to the British. In fact, Liss, who was described as being “fond of the British officers,” would have had many opportunities to overhear some of these plans as she carried out her household duties.

When Simcoe and his men were ordered in May 1779 to go north of New York City, Elizabeth disappeared with them. Did she run away? That remains unclear. According to historian Claire Bellerjeau, one possibility is that she served as a mole for Townsend and the Culper Spy Ring. It is known that Robert wrote to his father that when he saw any of the officers, “I will make an inquiry for Liss.” The family did not advertise Liss’s escape. Robert continued his spy activities, using invisible ink and codes. In one of his missives, he mentioned a lady, 355. He moved to Manhattan, but we know he kept in touch with Elisabeth, for he recorded the purchase of ”hourhound tea for Elizabeth” and “thimble and thread for Lis.” Was Liss Spy 355?

By spring of 1782, Elizabeth left the British soldiers and appeared on Robert’s doorstep, three months pregnant. After Elizabeth gave birth to baby Harry, she asked to be sold to a recently widowed local woman. Robert agreed, with the proviso that she be allowed to return should she wish. However, she was sold, unbeknownst to Robert, to a cruel master in Charleston and separated from baby Harry. When Robert learned this, he went to great lengths to purchase her and bring her back to New York. He also found Harry and brought him back to the Townsend home.

Elizabeth’s life began and ended in Long Island. According to Baptist Church records, the church attended by the Townsends, Elizabeth was a congregant there. In the 1790 census, she is listed as Free Elizabeth, a domestic servant. It is not known what happened to Baby Harry except that in 1804, Townsend drew up a contract that read that Harry, “a … Mulatto slave…aged twenty one years, six months and two days…” was to be manumitted at the age of twenty four. 

Elizabeth’s story of her possible involvement in the Culper Spy Ring is the focus of this painting. Elizabeth’s and baby Harry’s images are surrounded by abstract lines, shapes, and colors symbolizing chaos of war. In the upper right corner is the shape of Long Island, where Liss’s story began. Doors of Manhattan buildings on the right, bear  numbers 355 and 723. Continuing clockwise, an abstract image of a ship symbolizes the ship which carried her to Charleston.