First Reformed Church
Coxsackie
Introduction
Transcribed by Ray
Smith from a typed transcript of the original manuscript prepared by Royden
Woodward Vosburgh for the
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
New York City, March, 1919.
Typed transcript is located at the State Library at Albany
The record which is transcribed in this volume is bound in full calf, with tooled sides. The binding is in poor condition and many of the leaves are detached. The pages measure 12 3/8 x 8 inches; the paper is in excellent condition, except where the edges of the loose leaves have worn off. As nearly as can be estimated, the book at first contained about 340 pages: at the present time it contains about 258 pages, 121 of which are blank. Notes concerning the pagination appear throughout the transcript, whenever necessary. With the exception of about a dozen entries written in faded ink, the record is legible and can be readily transcribed. Its general appearance is deceptive, as to its age. Because it begins in the year 1738, from its apparent antiquity, it might readily be supposed that it had been in use since that year. But as a matter of fact, up to August 1779, it is a copy made by Dominie Schuneman, from an older book. Confirmation of this statement may be obtained from the memorandum written by him at the bottom of page 35. Dominie Schuneman had the new book in his possession for two or three years before the copy was finished. This fact is determined because the entry dated Feb. 3, 1777, on page 136, appears to be the oldest original record written in the book. Furthermore, on page 74, there is evidence that the date “Novb” 1778” was written as the beginning of some unfinished entry. The first page of the original record (opposite the inside cover) contains only ink blots and penmanship practice. The reverse side of the leaf is the first page of the Baptism Register; the leaf has been torn into three sections, as may be seen from the frontispiece. This leaf and the next two following, transcribed on pages 1 to 5, are detached and the edges are partly destroyed. The reader must not expect that Dominie Schuneman made a perfect copy of the record. There are a number of entries that give rise to the belief that they may contain mistakes. Among such may be noted “Peynhend”, entry No. 5, page 25; “Phihillip”, entry No. 4 page 30; entry No 2, page 38; and entry No. 4 page 39. There is but one difficulty that arises is making this transcript. That is to determine whether Dominie Schuneman was writing a capital or a small letter at the beginning of certain names; the letters most frequently in doubt are, a, m, v, and w. The transcription of these letters has often been a matter of discretion; the frontispiece well illustrates this feature.
About the year 1913, Mr. A. W. Van Slyke made a copy of this original record. During the process, he saw fit to insert in the book a number of notations, which consist principally of the addition of year dates and the rewriting of a few entries that were very much faded. The color of the ink reveals all of Mr. Van Slykes’s additions, which have been eliminated in this copy, as they are not a part of the original record. Likewide, some pencil figures have been omitted, which appear to have been intended to calculate the ages of certain persons at the time of their decease When Dominie Schuneman made and corrected a mistake, the original entry and the correction are both transcribed, wherever possible.
It is useless to speculate about what was contained in the old book, from which Dominie Schuneman copied the Baptism Register up to August 1779. In my opinion, if it had contained any vital statistics, Dominie Schuneman would have copied them into the new book. The fact that as many pages are missing from the back part of the original record has led some persons to believe that the marriage records of the Coxsackie congregation have been lost of destroyed. Dominie Schuneman resided in the parsonage at Catskill (now Leeds); what few marriages he recorded, he entered in the Catskill church record. This was the usual procedure followed, when the pastor served more than one congregation. The marriage was usually performed in the home of the bride, or at the parsonage; after the ceremony, the pastor recorded it in the church record, which he kept in his dwelling, or in the nearby church.
CERTIFICATION OF COPY,
State of New York )
: ss:
County of New York )
Royden W. Vosburgh, of the City and State of New York being duly sworn, says that he is the Archivist of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society; that he copied the following record of the First Reformed Church of Coxsackie, in West Coxsackie, Greene County, N.Y., from the original first volume of the Vital Records thereof, when the said original record was in the possession of the Society, and that the within copy is a correct and accurate transcript therefrom, and the whole of the said original record, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief.
Sworn to before me this
1st, day of April, 1919
Royden W. Vosburgh
George S Evans.
Notary Public, No. 97, N. Y. County
Register No. 1106.
My commission expires Mar. 31, 1922
I, Royden W. Vosburgh, of the City and State of New York, Archivist of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, hereby certify that I Have compared the within copy of the first volume of the Vital Records of the First Reformed Church of Coxsackie, in West Coxsackie, Greene County, N. Y., with the original Church Record thereof, when the said original record was in the possession of the Society, and that I have found the same to be a correct and accurate transcript therefrom, and the whole of the said original record.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused to be affixed the seal of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, this 1st day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.
Royden
W. Vosburgh
Archivist.
This certification covers pages 1 to 137.