Ezra the third son, the pastor of this church was born on the 20th of May, 1743, and died Oct. 25th, 1840, and was interred on his own farm at present occupied by John A. Miller in this town where a monument has been erected to his memory containing the following epitaph written by himself.
"A dying preacher I have been, To dying sinners such as you ; A dying preacher I remain, To all who come my grave to view."
It may be truly said of this good man "Though dead he yet speaketh."
70 . HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
By his wife, who was a Tyler, he had first, James, M.D., of the New York University, the father of Hosea, M. D., of Somers; Elias, Jabez, Husted, C. Horton and Ezra James. The second son was Hosea, and thirdly the late Tyler Fountain of Peekskill.
Mr. Fountain was succeeded in the pastoral charge by Elder Charles H. Underhill, who continued for two years. Their successors have been Samuel Covel, and Elder Nathan Reed.
Union Academy of Bedford occupies a prominent situation Southeast of the Baptist church. Its principal is Alexander G. Reynolds.
Near the Hamlet are situated the residences of William P. Woodcock and Milton Robertson, Esq. To the North-east lies the Hook farm, the property of Francis A. Palmer, Esq., (formerly belonging to Col. James Holmes). Upon the 5th of April, 1774, James Smith and Mary, his wife, sold to James Holmes, "all that messuage lying in Bedford called the Hook, containing seventy-three acres.