H. L.
In Memory of
Henry Ludington.
Jany. 24, 1817.
Aged 78 years.

So simple was the epitaph of one of whom Blake, the historian of Putnam County, truly says: “Col. Ludington was one of the most active, energetic and unflinching patriots found in this part of the country during the Revolution, and much do we regret our inability to do justice to the character and sterling virtues of this Revolutionary patriot. The Government records, however, show him to have been one of the bold defenders of our country’s rights.”

Colonel Ludington’s wife, Abigail, survived him eight years, and then on August 3, 1825, was laid beside him, at the age of more than 80 years.

The will of Colonel Ludington, now on file in the surrogate’s office of Putnam County, reads as follows:

In the Name of God, Amen!

I, Henry Ludenton of the Town of Fredericks County of Putnam and State of New York, being feeble in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testiment, that is to say principly and first of all I give and recommend my Soul unto the hands of Almighty God That gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting that I shall receive the same again at the general Resurrection by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly property wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I do give, demise and dispose of in the following manner. And farm first of all, I do order my executors to sell and dispose of so much land off the north end of my farm with the grist mill theron that will be sufficient to pay the debt that is owing from me to Samuel Governier’s the landlord, the line beginning at the east side of my farm on the line betwixt me and the aforesaid Governier and running westwardly to the north of my barn and dwelling house and all other buildings except the aforesaid mill until it crosses the Mill Brook, and line then to run more to the south in course (case) a straight line will not make land enough to discharge said debt, but to run no further west than the east fence of the old lot known by the name of the Old Ridge Lot, and secondly all the remainder and residue of my said farm dwelling house and buildings and all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging to remain in the hands of my executors for the use and benefit of Abigail Ludenton my wife and Abigail Ludenton my daughter and Derie Ludenton my son and Cornelia Ludenton my Grand Daughter so long as Abigail Ludenton remains my widow or in case she should not marry, until her decease, unless the said Abigail Ludenton my daughter or said Derrick Ludenton my son or Cornelia Ludenton should marry or either of them should marry the said farm to remain only for the use and benefit of those who are unmarried untill my widdow should marry or untill her disceas as is above expressed; and in case my daughter Abigail should not marry before the disceas of my widow she then at the deceas of my widow to take her choice of the Rooms in the Dwelling house wherein I live or when my widdow should marry which room she is to have and to hold as long as she remains single. All the remainder of my farm that is not set off for my executors to sell to discharge the debt of Samuel Governier, which land lying and being in the town of Frederick county aforesaid, I do give and bequeath unto my four sons Archibald Ludenton, Derrick Ludenton, Frederick Ludenton, Lewis Ludenton, to be equally divided amongst them in which case the said Ludinton and Ludenton is to pass unto Derrick Ludenton at the division thereof one hundred dollars wich farm of land they the said Archibald, Derrick, Frederick and Lewis Ludenton and their heirs is to have and to hold forever with all the appertinances thereunto belonging; but it is my will that Derrick Ludenton my son’s proportion of the farm to remain in the hands of my executors and for them to do as they shall judge best for him with it. And I do will and bequeath Tartulus Ludenton my son Fifteen Dollars to be paid out of removable property, and after said fifteen dollars is paid and all my debts that my land is not sold to pay is paid and discharged, to pay which debts is my will that my executors should sell such and so much of the movable property they shall judge will least discommode the heirs which the residue is left to and share who is to have the property, and it is my will that all movable property should remain in the hands of my widdow for her use and the use of Derrick Ludenton my son, Abigail my daughter, to remain as the use of the farm is above discribed to remain in the hands of my executors for the use and benefit of Abigail Ludenton my wife and Abigail Ludenton my daughter and Derrick Ludenton my son and Cornelia Ludenton my grand daughter untill my wife marries or untill her disceas, unless Abigail, Derrick or Cornelia or one of them should marry, and the one that marries is to have use and benefit no longer of said property until disposed of as is hereafter directed. And I do will and bequeath unto my six daughters at the deceas or marriage of my widow all my movable property to be equally divided amongst them, that is to say Sibyl Ogden, Rebecca Pratt, May Ferris, Anna Colwell, Abigail Ludenton and Sophiah Caverly my daughters.

And for the further surety of this my last will and testament I nominate and appoint John Hopkins of the town of Fishkill, County of Dutchess and State of New York, and Elijah Wixon of the town of Fredericks and County of Putnam and State aforesaid my sole executors of this my last will and testiment and I do hereby disallow, revoke and annull all and singular every other former will testament and bequeath and executors by me in any wise before mentioned willed and bequeath, ratifying and allowing this and no other to be my last will and testiment. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen.

Henry Ludenton. L. S.

Signed sealed and pronounced in presence of us