238-Year-Old Headstone Returned To Historic Long Island Cemetery

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - The headstone of a little girl who died in 1774 was put back in a historic cemetery on Long Island.

The headstone of Elizabeth Schenck, who was just two years old when she died, had been taken from Monfort Cemetery in Port Washington decades ago.

WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports

It moved around, eventually winding up at a historic house near the cemetery.

"The stone was just propped up against the back patio. I said, it doesn't quite belong here," said Charles Rubin, who found the stone on his daughter's property.

"It was a little bit surprising to find it where I did. The stone was misplaced and I just wanted to see that it got back where it belonged," Rubin told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall.

Rubin gave the 238-year-old stone to the Town of North Hempstead historian to restore and return to the cemetery.

"She was the daughter of Martin Schenck, who was really one of the patriots. He was part of one of the founding Dutch families here on Long Island," town historian Howard Kroplick told Hall.

About two dozen people were at Monfort Cemetery, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, to see the return of the stone.

"It's really wonderful. There's really a good feeling just for doing the right thing. Restoring the headstone to its proper place, it's a great feeling," Kroplick said.

Elizabeth Schenck's headstone was cemented into the ground to prevent it from being removed again.

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