Tarrytown to Correct Error on Historic Monument on Juneteenth

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June 6, 2024

By Rick Pezzullo—

The Village of Tarrytown is going to commemorate Juneteenth by correcting an error on an historic monument that was made almost 100 years ago.

On Wednesday, June 19 at 10 a.m., a new plaque will be placed by the Board of Trustees at the Captors Monument in Patriots Park.

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In 1853, when a group of residents were looking for a suitable location to place a monument honoring the captors of Major John Andrew, William and Laura Taylor, two former slaves who had attained their freedom and owned a large parcel of land that is now the southern part of Patriots Park, took the lead.

Their property was located close to the site of the 1780 capture and they donated the land for the erection of the monument.

To honor the 150^th anniversary of the Major Andre capture, a marker was placed on the monument to recognize the donation, which read: “This tablet is placed by the Westchester County Federation of colored women’s clubs as a tribute to the memory of Mrs. Mary Taylor who gave this ground on which the present monument now stands. Erected September 26, 1930.”

However, after many years of research, Village Historian Sara Mascia discovered the donor’s name was Laura, not Mary.

Village officials will not only be unveiling a new plaque, but will also recognize Laura’s husband, William, giving attention to this little-known piece of Tarrytown history.

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