43°
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. – A Hudson Valley Revolutionary War hero received a long-overdue patriotic memorial Wednesday.
Members of the Continental Village Fire Department stopped Wednesday’s Fourth of July parade so that two active-duty Marines home on leave, Cpl. Andrew Pepe and Pfc. Rob Pepe, could place a wreath at the grave of Capt. Isaac Conklin, a Revolutionary War hero who had been forgotten since his death in 1840.
Conklin, who was born in the former estate of Philipse Manor in 1753, rests in the graveyard of the Peekskill Presbyterian Church at South and Washington streets. A modest, barely readable tombstone is all that marks his presence.
Conklin served his country in 1776 when at age 18 he volunteered his sloop the Clinton to Washington's army and served with valor. He escaped British gunships and fought a gale to bring the gunpowder needed to fight British forces in the Battle of Saratoga, according to area historic cemetery preservationist Gene Baumwoll, who posted the video above.
Comments (3)
thank you so much for submitting this. Captain Conklin is my 6th Great Grandfather...... I just found out about him in the past 6 months on ancestry..... it is a honor to know what he did for our country and thank you Peekskill for the ceremony..... I see a trip to NY in the near future.... also, anyone reading this.. are you related to Isaac?thank you again! Denise - Indiana
Thank You for posting this wonderful story of "the little guy" finally getting recognition for his life and deeds.
I hope it canbe an inspiration to the children of Cortlandt and Peekskill,
The pastor of the church, Peekskill Presbyterian, Stephany Graham and the entire congregation pitched in and cleaned the graveyard which had been neglected for many years.
The summer camp children will learn of Capt Isaac Conklin and his little Sloop The Clinton and perhaps this will lead to the local schools including our local hero in their curriculum.
Bob Pidgeon of the Coninental Village Fire dept was inspired by seeing some of this story on a Facebook page,"Peekskill in Pictures" andarranged for the wreath laying and salute by his department.
Here is some of the back story to how Capt Conklin was found:
The story began with a request to locate a Strang grave for a Find-A-Grave member Jean Purdy Lewis , and while there I saw that I should photograph the entire churchyard as it was in poor condition and the stones were eroding.
Presbyterian Churchyard
I came upon
Phebe Conklin grave
and her stone said she was the wife of Capt Isaac Conklin.
I went looking for him and after digging and brushing debris located his faded marker.
Curious as to what kind of captian he was, thinking it must be the Revolutionary War, by the dates, I sought out the microfilm files in the field Library collection of the aancient newspapers of the day
I found his wonderful obituary, written in great detail and I realized that he was a truly unrecognized hero of the Revoution.
I have been telling people about his crucial role, and that he was " the little guy" often ignored by history books. In fact, the writer opined that "had he been of more exalted station his deed would have been recorded in story and song"
I wrote about him on the Peekskill facebook page, and a fireman Bob Pidgeon who is a history buff arranged for his department to stop the parade, and two members of his dept serving in the Marines were asked to lay the wreath.
Now perhaps we can get him in the local school history lessons!
AND the church cleaned up the cemetery!
Now to re erect hismarker and get a historic plaque made for his eroded grave stone.
thank you for posting this, it was a moving ceremony.
bob pidgeon
cvfd