In search of Sybil Ludington – A famous spy

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Our final stop was to see Enoch Crosby’s grave in historic Gilead Cemetery in Carmel, NY. Crosby was a:

Revolutionary War Soldier and Spy. During the Revolutionary War, Enoch Crosby fought in Northern New York during his first enlistment and after his enlistment was up he returned to Carmel, New York, where he decided to enlist again. While en route to enlist he met up with a group of Tories who took him as one of the their own and took him to their secret meeting. After the meeting Enoch reported them to the authorities and they were arrested. He was recruited by John Jay to spy for the Continental Army and his spying uncovered many British Spys and Tories, eventually he was uncovered and beaten one time and left for dead and shot another. He lived to see the end of the War and lived out his life in Putnam County, New York. Famed author James Fenimore Cooper wrote a book titled “The Spy” believed to be about Enoch Crobsy’s war heroics. (Find a Grave).

The cemetery is quite small, but contains the graves of 24 Revolutionary War veterans.

Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.

In search of Sybil Ludington – An old cemetery

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This is the cemetery Ken noticed from the road (See:In search of Sybil Ludington – Detour down Brickhouse Road).

Patterson Old Burying Ground. William S Pelletreau in his History of Putnam County, New York published in 1886 wrote: ‘On Erskine’s military map, made about 1780, the Baptist meeting house is laid down near Fredericks­burg. This church, the date of whose building is unknown, stood on the north side of the road from Patterson to Carmel, about half a mile west of where the Mill Brook crosses it and about a mile and a half north of the present church at Towner’s Four Corners.’

He continues, ‘Opposite the site of this old church, on the south side of the road, is an ancient burying ground, the surface of which is thickly studded with rough stones which mark graves, the names of whose occupants have long since passed into oblivion. This is beyond doubt the oldest burying ground in the town. It is on land now owned by Mr. Isaac P. Rogers, and it would be a credit to the village to have this spot enclosed with a suitable fence and protected from desecration.’ (Patterson Historical Society).

It’s presently being renovated. It’s clear that there are some very old graves there, including the two below dating to 1781 and 1779 respectively.

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Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.

In search of Sybil Ludington – Final Resting Place

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We start our search at the very end: with the graves of Sybil Ludington and her father. So who were these two people?

Sybil Ludington (April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839) is celebrated as a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. She reportedly rode to alert militia forces in the towns of Putnam County, New York and Danbury, Connecticut on the night of April 26, 1777 at age 16, warning of the approach of the British regular forces. The ride was similar to those performed by William Dawes, Paul Revere (Massachusetts, April 1775), and Jack Jouett (Virginia, 1781). Ludington reportedly rode more than twice the distance attributed to Revere and was much younger than the men. However, according to one historian, there is no contemporaneous evidence that these events occurred.” (Wikipedia).

Above her grave in Patterson, NY. Note that she spelled her name many different ways.

Below her father’s grave.

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Henry Ludington (May 25, 1739 – January 24, 1817) was an American businessman who ran a grist mill and owned a substantial parcel of land in New York state. He founded Ludingtonville, which later became the town of Kent, New York. He was a citizen of Patterson, New York, and was involved with its growth.

Ludington fought in the Seven Years’ War and, as captain, commanded a volunteer regiment at the Battle of Ridgefield during the American Revolutionary War. Ludington was promoted to Colonel and became an aide-de-camp to General George Washington in providing spies for espionage. He was associated with John Jay in a ring of spies. His daughter Sybil Ludington is well known to historians for her role in the American Revolution in helping the cause for independence by undertaking a nighttime horseback ride similar to that done by the patriot Paul Revere to alert the colonial militia to the approach of British forces. (Wikipedia).

Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.

In search of Sybil Ludington – Overview

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While looking for sites related to Revolutionary War heroine, Sybil Ludington we came across a few cemeteries (two anticipated and one we just bumped into); and old stone house; a haunted tavern where we had lunch; an impressive statue; and the grave of another Revolutionary War hero.

Above a view of Patterson Rural Cemetery and the Patterson Community Church (formerly the Patterson Presbyterian Church). According to the church’s web site:

This beautiful church is the third church of the Presbyterian Congregation in Patterson. The first, often referred to as “The Old Meeting House,” was located west of here, on the top of the hill, north of the Triangle Inn Corner (intersection of NYS Routes 292 and 311). It was established by tenants on Phillipse land, settlers from Connecticut, and is probably the meetinghouse referred to in the description of the Prendergast Rebellion of 1766 in Pelletreu’s History of Putnam County. The second building was begun in 1794 on the land purchased by the trustees of the church from Thomas Townsend in 1793. This purchase included one acre south of the road, where the present Fellowship Hall and the Grange Hall are located, and a quarter acre adjacent to and north of the Episcopal cemetery. Additional land was obtained at that time from Stiles Peet and his wife, Lydia, on which the present building would be located. Matthew Paterson was an Elder of the church and Colonel Henry Ludington was a Trustee. The Colonel and his daughter, Sybil, are buried in the Churchyard.

This second building, which was finally completed in 1808, was demolished in 1838 when the present building was erected in a period of growth and optimism. Reverend Epinetus P. Benedict, the minister of the church at this time, served for forty years during a period of great changes to the town. Born in Connecticut, he worked and married in the South before he became pastor of this congregation in 1827. His influence on the church and his southern sympathies can be seen both in the design of the church building, which is unusual for this area (and more typical of the South), and in that there is no mention in the Session records of anything to do with the Civil War, although his son, Platt Benedict, served as a Union Officer.

Additions have been made to the building since 1838 including one bay and the beautiful and rare hung wooden ceiling. The church bell and yoke was purchased and installed in 1846 and the apse was added on the rear around 1868. The organ pipes, which were installed round 1900, were removed in the 1950’s.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.