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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
A dispute once arose between Hoffman and Chancellor A Livingston concerning this tract, both laying claim to it. suit at law was held in the Old Dutch Church at Germantown. Alexander Hamilton argued the case for Hoffman, and the Chancellor plead his own case. Hoffman was the victor. The first Episcopal church in the town was the Church of St. Paul, which was a wooden building, erected about the year 1818, and stood half a mile east of Madalin. It was rebuilt, of stone, in i868, and now stands west of the village, romantically situated in a wood. The first Episcopal sermon was preached in 1813, by Rogers, from Connecticut, at Palmer Cook's house. Cook was a prominent man, and had removed from Connecticut that year. Dr. Anthon, of St. Marks Church, New York City, preached the first sermon in the new church. The Trinity [Episcopal] Church stands near the village o Madalin. A school is held in the building. The Trinity is the High Church and St. Pauls the Low Church. The Ref. Dutch Church near the lower border of the town formerly stood in Rhinebeck. A tornado having nearly laid it in ruins, the structure was taken down and rebuilt in its present location. Near the north limits of the village of Madalin stands an elegant monument of variegated marble, erected r~V "by this immediate neighborhood to her defenders who lost their lives in suppressing the slave holders' rebellion." On it are the names of twenty-nine soldiers, representing many of the bloody battle-fields of that struggle. Four cannon, partially sunk into the ground, with breech uppermost, serve for posts, to which is attached a chain enclosing the monument. One of these cannon was presented by each of the following named persons: Johnston Livingston, Eugene A. Livingston, William Chamberlain, and Brevet Maj. Gen. DePeyster. A house in the vicinity was in olden times said to have been haunted. Many stories were circulated of strange sights
Dutchess County Historical Society
