▁( 6 . 4   km ²). ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁as certain ▁exactly ▁when ▁his ▁man or ▁house ▁was ▁built , ▁but ▁one ▁surv iving ▁map ▁shows ▁that ▁a ▁building ▁existed ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁Conference ▁House ▁before ▁ 1 6 8 0 . ▁The ▁house ▁was ▁passed ▁down ▁to ▁his ▁great ▁grand son ▁Christopher ▁Bil lop , ▁who ▁was ▁commission ed ▁a ▁colon el ▁and ▁led ▁Lo yal ist ▁forces ▁against ▁the ▁Col onial s ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁ ▁American ▁Revolution ▁ ▁Peace ▁conference ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁British ▁loyal ist ▁Colonel ▁Christopher ▁Bil lop , ▁commander ▁of ▁a ▁T ory ▁regiment ▁in ▁the ▁conflict , ▁hosted ▁an ▁inform al ▁diplom atic ▁conference ▁aim ed ▁at ▁finding ▁an ▁early ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁nas cent ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁ ▁Lord ▁How e , ▁commander ▁in ▁chief ▁of ▁British ▁forces ▁in ▁America , ▁arranged ▁to ▁meet ▁with ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Congress ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁known ▁today ▁as ▁the ▁St aten ▁Island ▁Peace ▁Conference . ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin , ▁John ▁Adams , ▁and ▁Edward ▁R ut ledge ▁row ed ▁over ▁from ▁patri ot - h eld ▁Per th ▁Am boy , ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁The ▁meeting ▁last ed ▁for ▁three ▁hours ▁and ▁ended ▁with ▁the ▁Americans ▁polit ely ▁decl ining ▁the ▁diplom atically ▁hand c uff ed ▁How e ' s ▁offer , ▁leading ▁to ▁another ▁seven ▁years ▁of ▁conflict . ▁ ▁Bil lop ' s ▁Point ▁ ▁Conference