The Congregation
Our Presbyterian Congregation in Peekskill
dates back to 1721 when Reverend William Tenant, an itinerant Preacher,
began bringing the Word to the Hudson Valley. Then, beginning in 1742,
the church started to meet regularly, relying on the Presbytery of New
Brunswick, NJ which sent a minister to preach in Peekskill and other
nearby towns with “much success.” From 1785 to 1799 the
congregation functioned as a satellite ministry of the First
Presbyterian Church of Yorktown, and finally, in 1799 the group of
trustees that previously administered the Yorktown ministry evolved to
formally organize The First Presbyterian Church of Peekskill. On June
25th, 1826 the Church was incorporated, and the first called Minister
was The Rev. John H. Leggett.
In 1826 there were just 24 members. Church membership in 1843 was 34,
although the average attendance was over 100. In 1901, on the church's
75th anniversary total membership was 698, a remarkable growth from
1826.
No history of the early church would be complete without mention of the
Sunday Schools and Women Societies. A Sunday School history, written in
1901, related that two sessions were held each Sunday. Following each
class period, the children, led by their teachers, attended the church
services at 10:30 A.M. and at 3:00 P.M. The registration was close to
200 officers, teachers, and students.
For about 80 years, the story of Presbyterianism in Peekskill was the
story of two churches instead of one. In 1841 the Second Presbyterian
Church was formed. Services were held in the old Methodist church on
South Street. A new Sanctuary was constructed in 1845. This building
was later sold and became The Field Library, and is now privately
owned. There had been talk of a reunion between the First and Second
churches in 1866 but that did not happen until 1920 when the two
churches united. The Rev. Thomas C. Straus was appointed to be the
moderator of the combined Session. Rev. Straus served in the pulpit
until 1921. He was the minister of the Second Church from 1896 - 1917.
The Church Building
The first sanctuary on the site of the
present Peekskill Presbyterian Church was built in 1799. The original
1799 building served until 1846 when the current Church was
constructed. The church was designed and built in a traditional New
England style with white exterior and tall steeple. The church bell was
retained from the original sanctuary according to a 1926 church history
by The Rev. Thomas C. Straus that stated that "the bell that hung in
the 1799 Church is in use in the present house of worship."
In other words, the bell we hear on Sunday mornings is the original
bell and it's over 200 years old! There is little doubt it tolled for
the funerals of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other
distinguished Americans!
Over the years various alterations have been made to the church
building, while maintaining the historic character of the church. An
extension of 30 feet was added in 1858. Extensive alterations were made
in 1892 when the organ was placed in the back of the pulpit. The next
major renovation took place in 1922. The Christian Education Building,
designed for the Church School and church-connected activities, was
built and dedicated in 1964. Most recently, emphasis has been on
upgrading the existing structure through capital improvements and
modernizing building systems, while insuring that the historic
character of the church remains to be enjoyed for years to come.
