I46 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



S. Jacobs.* The present pastor, Rev. John B. Thompson, was installed 

 23d of July, 1S73. 



The First Presbyterian church is situated on South street near the 

 south side of Magregaries brook. It is a neat wooden structure, surmount- 

 ed with a tower and spire ; the former contains a large bell and 

 clock. As early as 1799 a church edifice was erected upon this spot, 

 upon lands devoted by Nathaniel Brown, a Friend. " To the Presbyterians 

 of the belief of Dr. Rodgers of New York," with James Diver, John 

 Oppie and Stephen Brown, trustees. The principal benefactors of the 

 church were Stephen Brown and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Hannah Brewer. 

 Dr. James Brewer, of this place, during his life time, had in his posses- 

 sion an account of monies expended by Messrs. Samuel Haight and 

 Stephen Brown, in building the meeting-house in Peekskill. Total ex- 

 penditure ^371 8s, id, Dated Peekskill, 13th Sept., 1799. 



Samuel Haight.) ^ 



o -r, 7 1 rustees. 



Stephen Brown, j 



About the year 18 13 a division in the church at Yorktown, then un- 

 der the pastoral care of Rev. Silas Constant, gave rise to the organiza- 

 tion known as the Independent church. The Independent Presbyterian 

 congregation of Peekskill was incorporated on September 29th, 1813,^ 

 with John Lent, John Constant and Samuel Strang, as trustees. The 

 building in which they worshipped, was familiarly known as the " church 

 on the hill," and situated near the residence of the late Charles A. Lee, 

 M. D., on Diven street, was taken down about 1844." 



The first Presbyterian ministry of which we have any authentic record 

 was that of the celebrated William Tennent, who labored in East Ches- 

 ter and Bedford for some months between the years 17 18 and 1721," but 

 there is no proof that he ever officiated here. Some years later, Rev. 

 Samuel Sackett was sent by the Presbytery of New Brunswick to preach 

 in West Chester County. The special field of labor assigned him was 

 Cortlandt Manor, embracing Yorktown, Cortlandtown, North Salem and 

 Somers. There is little doubt that he preached occasionally in this vil- 

 lage. His ministry of forty-two years (i742-'84) was chiefly confined to 

 Yorktown and Bedford." " He died on the fifth day of July, 1784, at 

 the age of seventy-two years," and was buried in the cemetery of Crom- 

 pond or Yorktown. 



"The Rev. Abner Brundage, who came to Peekskill in May, 181 5, 

 s<-iys that there were at that time in the village, from Mr. John Oppie's, 



a Relig, Soe. Lib. B. SO, 82. 



b Co. Ilec. Religious Soc. Lib. a. pp. 102, 1S8. 



