DAR rededicates grave markings

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print
Chapter Regent Joan Miskell, Melzingah (left) and Chaplain Pamela Barrack rededicating grave marking at gravesite of Katherine Wolcott Verplanck, St. Luke’s Cemetery, Beacon

BEACON AND COLD SPRING, NY – Daughters of the Melzingah Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) recently held two rededication ceremonies for the grave markings of Melzingah’s Founding Member and First Regent Katherine Wolcott Verplanck at St. Luke’s Cemetery in Beacon and of Real Daughter Sarah J. Entrott Horton at North Highland Cemetery in Cold Spring.

Katherine Wolcott Verplanck was a founding member of Melzingah Chapter, NSDAR in 1895, serving as Melzingah’s first Regent from 1895-1898. She again served as Regent from 1904-1905 and 1923-1926. Mrs. Verplanck became the 4th New York State Regent, NSDAR. She was the great granddaughter of Oliver Wolcott, a Revolutionary War Brigadier General and Signer of the Declaration of Independence.  She and her husband, Samuel Verplanck, lived in the Hudson River estate called Roseneathe in what was then Fishkill Landing, or Fishkill-on-Hudson, but is today the City of Beacon.  Mrs. Verplanck was born in Beacon in 1855 and died here in 1941.

Real Daughter Sarah J. Entrott Horton became a member of DAR through the Revolutionary War service of her own father, Henry Entrott, who served in Massachuetts. Henry was born in Germany in 1755 and joined the Hessian Army, which brought him to the colonies to fight for the British. He became so dissatisfied in the British army that he joined the Americans and fought for its independence.  Mrs. Horton, born in 1825, resided in this region all her life, and died in 1904.  In the early years of the National Society, a DAR chapter who could name one or more of the 767 Real Daughters among its members was extremely proud of this living link to the American Revolution.

A grave marker approved by the NSDAR is a tangible tribute to these women’s service to God, Home and Country.  The initial marking of these grave sites was done in October 1998 by the Melzingah Chapter under the leadership of then-Regent Denise Doring VanBuren. Now twenty years later, this re-dedication ceremony, presided over by Joan Miskell, Regent, is intended to continue to honor and pay tribute to the memories of these patriotic and dedicated women.

The commitment of both Mrs. Verplanck and Mrs. Horton to the historic, educational and patriotic objectives of NSDAR continues to inspire today’s Daughters in their daily work of the Society.




Popular Stories