The New Windsor Presbyterian Church dates its organization from September 14, 1764, at which time Joseph Wood, William Lawrence, Samuel Brewster and Henry Smith were chosen Elders. It was formally constituted May 5, 1766, by the Rev. Timothy Jones, a committee of the Presbytery of New York. From the date of its institution until 1805, it was associated with the Bethlehem and Newburgh Societies in the support of a pastor, and from 1805 to 1810 with Bethlehem.. From 1810 to 1827 it enjoyed only occasional ministerial labors. On May 1, 1827, the Rev. James H. Thomas was employed in connection with the church at Canterbury, and was installed pastor of both churches, February 12, 1828. The connection with the Canterbury church was dissolved in 1834, Mr. Thomas serving the New Windsor church exclusively until June 1835, and continued in that relation until April, 1840. The pulpit was subsequently occupied by supplies, among whom were: Rev. N. S. Prime, Rev. Henry Belden, Rev. Isaac C. Beach, and Rev. James Bruyn.
The first building erected by the Society was a small structure in the village of New Windsor. It is said that it was occupied as a hospital during the encampment of the Revolutionary army stationed at Newburgh and New Windsor, and was subsequently destroyed by fire. The present edifice was erected in 1807. It is a small, wooden structure, with spire, and adjoins the present village on the West. In the ancient burying ground attached, the oldest monument is that which records the resting place of John Yelverton, one of the founders of the village, who died June 12, 1767, aged 74 years.
In 1867 religious services were discontinued, the congregation having become so small that it was not able to maintain a pastor, and since that date the society as an active religious body has been but a memory.
4.5
With respect to the James Wood that was one of the founders, could he have been James Wooden? Son of Joseph Wooden and Mary Costin? How would I find this? Is there a place I may see a list of the people burred in the ancient grounds?
Not to my knowledge but I haven’t traced the Woods family backwards to see if they may have dropped the “en.” The family retained the Wood spelling in Orange County and were there for over a century.