New York Ghosts

35. The Billop House

New York, NY

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298 Satterlee St Staten Island, NY 10307 The Billop House, also known as The Conference House, is named as an homage to the peace conference of 1776. Initially called The Manor of Bentley, Navy Captain Christopher Billop was the original owner of the 226-acre property, and in 1680, he built the house and continued adding on until 1720. The State of New York took over ownership in 1926. On September 11, 1776, the house was the setting of peace talks between the British and American colonies. The talks were a failure, and it was the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Billop was captured twice and held for ransom by the colonists, and became convinced that there was a spy in the house who was letting the colonists know when he was there. When he saw a servant place a lamp in the window, he assumed she was the spy. As he accused her and chased her through the home, she either tumbled on her own or was pushed, and she fell to her death down the stairs. Rumor has it that her ghost still haunts the home to this day, likely looking for justice for her unsolved death. She's reportedly buried in an unmarked grave on the property. The Colonel moved to Canada with most of his family, where he died from pneumonia at St. John, New Brunswick in 1827. British Redcoats who were buried on the property are also said to haunt the grounds of the Billop House. There has been talk that the place has been haunted for many years. Redcoats are typically seen in the yard area, as well as in the kitchen. Unexplained sounds, conversations between men, touches when no one is around, and phantom screams are just some of the strange experiences at the Billop House. Some have also said that they can hear the last struggle between Billop and the servant girl, including an argument, the sounds of a scream, and a noise as if someone fell down the stairs. Should you visit the Billop House, keep an eye out for British Redcoats wandering the property, and an ear open for the final struggle that ended a young girl's life.