At the close of the Revolution, in 1782, when all the lands of Beverly Robinson were seized by the State Legislature and sold at auction, a half acre parcel on the road from New England to the Hudson in the Town of Fredricksburg was reserved for the Episcopal Church and a burying ground. A portion of this piece of land was the start of the combined cemeteries which are here today. The earliest recorded grave here is that of Thomas Flemming who died in 1792.
In 1803, a committee from Christ Church was appointed to confer with the Presbyterian Society about the burying ground which that Congregation had located eight years earlier, along with their new meeting house, on adjoining land. Revolutionary War veterans, including Colonel Henry Luddington (who died in 1817), his daughter Sybil and other early members of both congregations are buried in the combined churchyards. Some, like the Rev. David Close who died in 1783 and was originally buried in the "Old Meeting House" cemetery (north of the Triangle Inn corner - the present intersection of Routes 292 and 311) were relocated here. The rear portion of "The Old Presbyterian Cemetery" did not come into general use until 1840, after the demolition of 1795 Meeting House and the construction of the present Presbyterian Church building in 1838.
As the Church Cemeteries filled up, The Maple Avenue Cemetery Association was formed. In 1863 the trustees bought land along Maple Avenue just north of and adjacent to them. The first sections were divided into family plots and include some civil war graves. The names on the stones in these plots have a familiar ring to them, occurring often in street and place names within the Town, in the records of the churches and organizations, and on the War Monument at the corner of Maple Avenue. Since the initial portions of this cemetery were laid out, additional development has continued to the east and the north.
One of the best views of the Patterson Historic District can be seen from east of the Maple Avenue gate looking south over the original Church lands. The scale and feeling of serenity suggests how this part of Patterson might have looked 100 years ago.
Among those buried in the Maple Avenue Cemetery:
Rev. Epinetus P. Benedict was pastor of the Presbyterian Church from 1827-1867. The present church building was erected during this period. He died in 1870 at the age of 74 years.
Rev. David Close was pastor of the Presbyterian Church from 1768-1778. He died in 1783 and was first buried next to the original Presbyterian meeting house, which was located at what is now the intersection of Routes 311 and 292. His body was reburied in the Maple Avenue Cemetery in 1833.
Samuel Cornwall, vestryman of Christ Episcopal Church when it was incorporated in 1797, died in 1801 at the age of 42. Cornwall Hill Road is named for his family.
Andrew Fraser, James Grant, and John McLean were three of the many Scottish officers who fought in the French and Indian Wars and later settled in the Fredericksburg vicinity. James Grant died in 1836 at the age of 76. John MaLean died in 1819 at the age of 94.
Charles Irish was an Elder of the Presbyterian Church and donated its pipe organ. The former Patterson Library building on South Street was the former home of Charles Irish.
Matthew Paterson, after whom the town is named, died in February 1817 at age 85. Paterson was a native of Scotland and was an officer in the French and Indian War. He came to Fredericksburg in 1770 where he became a prominent citizen, serving as justice of the peace and as a member of the Assembly for Dutchess County from 1782 to 1789. He was an active member of the Presbyterian Church.
Darius Stone, one of two wardens of Christ Church elected in 1797 when the church was incorporated, died in 1819 at the age of 70. His brother Elijah (died 1812), was the first clerk.
Edmond Ogden, attorney and husband of Sybil Ludington, died 1799.
Various members of the Akins family. The Akins lived in the vicinity of Route 22 and Route 311 ("Akin's Corners"), and owned a store and tin shop in the village of Patterson.
Various members of the Judd family. The Judds owned stores on Front St.
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