Additional information
by Maria Bockee Carpenter Tower (Author)
Originally published as Volume V of "Collections of the Dutchess County Historical Society," this work is based upon the parish register from 1757 to 1906 of the Reformed Church in New Hackensack, New York. The church was founded by a mixture of Dutch, Walloon, Palatine, and British individuals who found their way to New Hackensack in Dutchess County from New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and, obviously, New Jersey. The history of the founding of the church is recounted in the Introduction and first chapter to the volume. The register itself is divided into several parts. First come 2,500 baptismal records, giving the date of the baptism, the names of the parents and child, the child's date of birth, and the names of witnesses. These are followed by marriage records from 1765 to 1906, stating the names of the bride and groom, the date of the marriage, the name of the officiating minister, and sometimes such details as place of birth or residence. All names found in the marriage and baptism records are indexed at the back of the book. The remaining parts of the register, which are substantial in their own right, consist of (1) lists of members and communicants, 1706-1906, which sometimes give the individual's date of death or date of removal; (2) a register of officers, 1765-1906, and minutes of the consistory, 1765-1856; (3) an index of pews, showing successive owners; and (4) various gifts and accounts of the church. Each of these elements helps place individuals in New Hackensack at a particular point in time.
