Monfort Cemetery
Monfort Cemetery
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History (this page)
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PRESS RELEASE: Preservation and Education Initiative with the Town (TONH)
A Brief History
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The Monfort Cemetery contains 151 graves of some of the earliest Dutch settlers of Cow Neck (as today's Port Washington was then known) and their descendants, buried from 1737 to 1892.
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The cemetery is a small, nearly square plot surrounded by tall oak trees. It is fenced off and locked, not open to the public.The graves are arranged in 13 rows by family.
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Originally the cemetery was part of the 110 acre Rapelje farm. There was a burying ground on the location dating back to 1737.The 1-acre property was separated from Rapelje's farm and sold on July 10, 1786 to members of the Onderdonk, Schenck, Hegeman and Dodge families.
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In 1984, Burtis Monfort transferred ownership of the cemetery to the Town of North Hempstead.
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On July 23, 1985, the Monfort Cemetery was designed as a town landmark. It was among the first four designations made by North Hempstead after the Town was designated as a Certified Local Government (CLG). ​
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The Monfort Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places as well as the State Register of Historic Places in 1988.
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Notable Interments
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Adrian Onderdonck (1726-1794), a signer of the 1775 Declaration of Independence from loyalist Hempstead. The first town supervisor of North Hempstead in 1784.
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Thomas Dodge (1721-1789), a signer of the 1775 Declaration of Independence from loyalist Hempstead. Officer in the American militia.
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Martin Schenck (1740-1793), a signer of the 1775 Declaration of Independence from loyalist Hempstead. Treasurer of Queens County (1786-1792).
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Hendrick Onderdonk (1724-1809), owner of the first paper mill in New York State and host to a George Washington’s Roslyn visit in 1790. Town supervisor (1769-1774).
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Andrew Onderdonck (1756-1797), a New York State Senator who was elected over Aaron Burr.
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Petrus Onderdonk (1730-1793), a signer of the 1775 Declaration of Independence from loyalist Hempstead. Officer in American militia.
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Henry J. Onderdonk, Jr. (1804-1886), eminent 19th century Long Island historian.
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