BETHLEHEM — Newly elected Town Board member David R. DeCancio took his oath of office on Monday, Jan. 3 on a Bible dating back to the early days of the Town. The Bible was maintained by Anna Clapper and William Vanderpool and dates back to 1825. Now part of the Bethlehem Historical Association collection, it was presented by association president Karen Beck specifically for DeCancio’s oath ceremony.
“It is powerful to think that Mr. DeCancio, whose election is historic, took his oath of office on this Bible, which dates back to the early days of the Town of Bethlehem,” Beck said. “The Clappers, Vanderpools and Schoonmakers were hard working families who helped make this town what it is today. I am sure they would be very proud.”
DeCancio, the son of Cuban refugees who arrived at the United States in 1962, is the first Latino to be elected to the Bethlehem Town Board.
“Our heritage makes us who we are today. We should honor our histories,” DeCancio. “I chose to take my Oath of Office on a family Bible that dates back to the early days of our great town. I want residents to know that I will do my best to honor our history and move Bethlehem forward for all the residents of Bethlehem.”
The Bethlehem Historical Association is presently showcasing a new exhibit at the museum, located on 1003 River Road in Selkirk, focusing on the life and times of Anna Hoffman who married Abraham Clapper in 1902. To learn more about the Historical Association and the exhibits visit https://bethlehemhistorical.org
