The First Presbyterian Church in
Goshen
has a long and colorful history. The
church was founded in 1721 when the first pastor Reverend John Bradner was
installed. The first Meeting House was
not completed until 1724. Little is
known of this first building, save that it was a plain wooden structure with a
small gallery or balcony. The roof
collapsed in 1808 prompting the building of a second edifice in 1810.
During the Revolutionary War, the
Reverend Nathan Ker was pastor. He was
probably one of the best-known men in Goshen’s
entire history. He was a friend and
confidante of George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Rochambeau.
Henry Wisner, whose memorial
obelisk stands between this church and St. James Church,
represents this region of New York
in the Continental Congress and later as a delegate to the Constitutional
Convention. One of the foremost powder
makers of the Revolution, he was truly a man of peace as well as a man of war,
not to mention more than twenty-five years of dedicated service to this
congregation as an Elder and Trustee.
Dr. Ezra Fisk, who came for the
completion of the second Church edifice, had also served as Moderator of the
General Assembly, the only Pastor of this Congregation to have served in that
honored capacity.
By 1868, the Congregation had
outgrown the second edifice and lightning destroying the spire was just the symbol
that Dr. Snodgrass needed to cajole the Congregation into building the
magnificent present building, dedicated in 1871.
Contact us at:
The First Presbyterian
Church in Goshen
33 Park Place
Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: 845-294-7991
Fax: 845-615-1239
Office hours 9:00 AM -
4:00 PM (M-F)
Email: fpgoshen@frontiernet.net
http://frontiernet.net/~fpgoshen