This free 55-page guidebook and fold-out map by the Wappingers Historical Society features biographies of 30+ Patriots who served in Brinckerhoff's Dutchess County Militia, 2nd Regiment and who are buried in cemeteries within the Town of Wappinger. You'll also discover 35 colonial era historic sites in the Town of Wappinger featured on the map and included in the guidebook.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the volunteer members of the Wappingers Historical Society, who devoted countless hours to researching the lives and service of the Patriots who called our town home and to writing the 35 biographies featured in these pages. We also thank the Society members and the Town of Wappinger for their collective efforts in developing the Wappinger Revolutionary Roots Trail, which highlights the historic sites and properties that tell the story of Wappinger's role during the Revolutionary era. We gratefully acknowledge Dutchess County for its generous grant support, which made the creation of this guidebook possible as part of our commemoration of America's 250th anniversary.
Welcome to Wappinger Revolutionary Roots, a journey through the people and places that connect the Town of Wappinger to America's fight for independence.
Although no major battles were fought here, Wappinger played an important role in supporting the Patriot cause. Through the stories of more than 30 local Patriots who served in Brinckerhoff's Dutchess County Militia, 2nd Regiment, along with countless others who sustained the war effort through agriculture, supplies, and local service, we hope to help you discover the Revolutionary history in your own backyard—and perhaps even uncover a personal or family connection to our nation's founding.
Town of Wappinger Cemeteries referenced in the Cemetery Tour of Revolutionary War Patriots section of the guidebook:
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Churchill Burial Ground
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Covenhoven Burial Ground
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Middlebush Cemetery
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Montfort Burial Ground
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New Hackensack Cemetery
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Presbyterian Church Cemetery (New Hamburg, Town of Poughkeepsie)
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Sleight Burial Ground
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Swartwout Burial Ground
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Van Dyne Cemetery
At the heart of this guidebook is a fold-out map highlighting the places and landscapes that shape Wappinger's Revolutionary-era story. Spanning the 27-square-mile Town of Wappinger and nearby locations connected to its history, the map identifies the historic cemeteries covered in the first half of this guidebook, surviving eighteenth-century homes, the 1741 Mesier Homestead, and the network of early roads that once linked the community. It also marks the locations of important sites that have disappeared over time, including the Brower shipyard and mills.
Read more about each of the historic points on the map, then discover the rich Revolutionary heritage that still surrounds us today by driving the Wappinger Revolutionary Roots Trail. To complement this guidebook, the Town of Wappinger has established this driving trail, marked by roadside wayfinding signs that connect the map’s colonial and Revolutionary-era landmarks. The trail links the information found in the guidebook to the places where history unfolded, making it easy to explore Wappinger's remarkable contributions to America's founding and discover the history that exists in our own backyard.
How to get your free copy of the guidebook
The Wappinger Revolutionary Roots guidebook and map are available as a free download from this website; pick up in person at Wappinger Historical Society events; at the Mesier Homestead during business hours; Town of Wappinger Town Hall; or the Grinnell Library; or by requesting a copy to be sent to you by US Mail (pay only $3.50 to help us offset the cost of postage).
Or, pick up your copy in person at Wappinger Historical Society events; at the Mesier Homestead during business hours, the Town of Wappinger Town Hall, or the Grinnell Library. Questions? Please give us a call at 845-632-1281