Excerpt from "Site History" by Tristen Mochon
In 1747, Jacobus Ter Bos donated an acre of land to establish a meeting house and burial ground “for those only who are professors of ye Presbyterian Religion in the Communion and according to the establishment of the Kirk of Scotland.”[2] Shortly thereafter, the newly formed churchyard saw its first burial for Susan, the wife of Stephen Ladue on September 21, 1747.[3]
Upon its completion in 1750, the Church became known as the First Presbyterian Church of Fishkill. However, locals referred to it as the Middle church probably “because [it was] situated between the churches of Fishkill and Hopewell.”[3] It was an impressive two-storied structure built entirely of wood. “The windows in the lower story had tight shutters, and one window shutter had a small aperture in it shaped like a crescent, so as to admit light to guide the sexton right when opening the church. The center pews had very high backs, so when seated nothing could be seen of a person but his head. The side pews were square with seats all around, surmounted with high railings, and seating twelve persons.”[3]
During the Revolution, Continental soldiers encamped nearby used the church as a military hospital to treat smallpox. The soldiers did considerable damage to the structure by “stripping the siding… as high as they could to boil their camp kettles,” as well as to keep warm. [2,3]
In 1805, the church congregation acquired another half-acre of land to expand the graveyard.[6] The land acquired in this transaction created the boundaries you see here today at this historic cemetery.
In 1830, the original church was demolished and another one was erected in its place. [3] “This new church was two stories in height, built out of limestone, and roofed with cedar shingles. The steeple went up in three sections: over the upper section was the lantern, surmounting that was a large ball, studded with arrows, and terminating with a forked prong at the top.”[3] Unfortunately, on March 5th, 1866, this second edifice was lost in a fire. “All the church furniture was destroyed” and “the towering steeple fell with a tremendous crash.”[3] Though none of the structure still stands, the footprint of the Rombout Presbyterian Church can still be seen today on the eastern side of the cemetery, specifically the open, grassy area flanked on three sides by burial markers.
In 1747, Jacobus Ter Bos donated an acre of land to establish a meeting house and burial ground “for those only who are professors of ye Presbyterian Religion in the Communion and according to the establishment of the Kirk of Scotland.”[2] Shortly thereafter, the newly formed churchyard saw its first burial for Susan, the wife of Stephen Ladue on September 21, 1747.[3]
Upon its completion in 1750, the Church became known as the First Presbyterian Church of Fishkill. However, locals referred to it as the Middle church probably “because [it was] situated between the churches of Fishkill and Hopewell.”[3] It was an impressive two-storied structure built entirely of wood. “The windows in the lower story had tight shutters, and one window shutter had a small aperture in it shaped like a crescent, so as to admit light to guide the sexton right when opening the church. The center pews had very high backs, so when seated nothing could be seen of a person but his head. The side pews were square with seats all around, surmounted with high railings, and seating twelve persons.”[3]
During the Revolution, Continental soldiers encamped nearby used the church as a military hospital to treat smallpox. The soldiers did considerable damage to the structure by “stripping the siding… as high as they could to boil their camp kettles,” as well as to keep warm. [2,3]
In 1805, the church congregation acquired another half-acre of land to expand the graveyard.[6] The land acquired in this transaction created the boundaries you see here today at this historic cemetery.
In 1830, the original church was demolished and another one was erected in its place. [3] “This new church was two stories in height, built out of limestone, and roofed with cedar shingles. The steeple went up in three sections: over the upper section was the lantern, surmounting that was a large ball, studded with arrows, and terminating with a forked prong at the top.”[3] Unfortunately, on March 5th, 1866, this second edifice was lost in a fire. “All the church furniture was destroyed” and “the towering steeple fell with a tremendous crash.”[3] Though none of the structure still stands, the footprint of the Rombout Presbyterian Church can still be seen today on the eastern side of the cemetery, specifically the open, grassy area flanked on three sides by burial markers.