Whereas the society of people called Baptists, by way of voluntary subscription, have lately erected and built a house for public worship at or near a place called Peekskill, in the manor of Cortlandt, and as there is not as yet a sufficient sum of money raised to pay for the building said house, we the subscribers do agree upon and appoint Caleb Hall, of said manor of Cortlandt, to hire a sum of money sufficient to pay the deficiency ; and we jointly and severally promise, and oblige ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, to • pay to the said Caleb Hall, his executors or administrators, one equal part of the sum that he shall so hire, according to the proportion of our first subscription: Provided that if there shall be money raised by way of subscription sufficient to pay the cost laid out in building said house, that the money so hired shall be paid out of the same. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

Caleb Hall, Sen. John Poun,

Isaac Horton, Sen. Joshua Horton,

Daniel Hall, • . Caleb Hall, Jr.

Richard Williams, , ' ', Nathan Brown,

Nathan Eliot, ' Oliver Yeomans.

The first Baptist church stood near General Pierre van Cortlandt's, directly on the spot now occupied by the district schoolhouse.

The present society was organized in 1843, under the style and title of the First Baptist Church in Peekskill. The meeting house, which is valued at $3,400, was erected August, 1847, and dedicated the 8th of April, 1847, to the service of Almighty God. On this occasion the Rev. W. R. Williams, D. D., delivered the dedicatory sermon. This church belongs to the senior Baptist , ^ association. Upon the 31st October, 1843, the Rev. Edward Conover was duly elected pastor ; this individual was succeeded, November 25, 1844, by the Rev.