This past Veteran’s Day a beautiful ceremony was held for a new cemetery. This cemetery is called Little White Church Cemetery.
Martin Lefurgy used to own acres of land on the north side of Ashford Avenue. He allowed part of his land to be used by the community as a free burial ground. The cemetery was used as a burial ground until 1894. After 1870, South Presbyterian Church was not able to continue the job of keeping track of the cemetery. The church next to the cemetery was used for funerals until it got torn down in 1883. The property got sold to Dr. Champion Judson. He eventually built a hospital that became the first hospital in Dobbs Ferry.
There were many amazing people who were buried in this cemetery. One of them was General James Bowen. Bowen was a soldier. He was born in NYC in 1808. He died in Hastings on Hudson on September 29, 1886. His father James, a successful merchant, was a member of the legislature in 1849 and 1849, and President of the first Board of Police commissioners under the law of 1855 establishing the present Metropolitan police.
Another person named Charles O’Brien was buried there. He enlisted on May 9, 1861 at New York City. He served two years in the Civil War. He was mustered in as private, Co.C on June 7 1961. Charles was hurt in action and on May 5, 1862 at Williamsburg, Va. He was discharged for disability on October 7, 1862 at Fort Buffalo Va.
This new cemetery has impressed the Dobbs Ferry community. Current Dobbs Ferry resident and Middle School Foreign Language teacher Ms. Marcia Heffler found this ceremony to be the culmination of a project that created major improvement to the community. “They improved a special place,” said Heffler. “They fixed tomb stones which had been damaged, planted trees and added a fence. Those people who have passed and were buried here got the improvements that they and their loved ones deserved.”