The Philipses' aim was to make the manor a center for agricultural, at which they were successful. They also saw an ethnically diverse group of tenant farmers move in in the 18th century, coming from Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and even within North America. The African slaves were also diverse: 23 different African cultures—all coming from Kongo-Angola—were represented on the site. By the beginning of the American Revolution, the population was about 1,000, up from 200 at the time of Frederick I's death.