William Boardman was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts on October 12, 1781. He was installed as pastor at the Presbyterian church at Duanesburgh, New York in 1803. In 1804, he married Rachel Bloodgood, daughter of Abraham Bloodgood of Albany. Six months after Peter Fish died, Boardman came to Newtown. A year later, in October 1811, he became pastor of FPCN.

During Boardman's pastorate, the old Parsonage Farm (located on what is now Queens Blvd. in Rego Park) was sold. Maintaining this 70-acre farm had seriously burdened pastors for more than a century. The New York State Legislature had to pass a special act to empower the trustees to sell this land. FPCN purchased the Corner House (where Seaman's furniture store on Queens Blvd. is now) and surrounding eleven acres. This property was previously the site of the first Newtown church building, from 1674 to 1715. FPCN's current property occupies a portion of this land.

After Boardman's arrival, Newtown underwent "a revival of religion in which a large number of persons became hopefully converted." He caught an unknown disease and died on March 4, 1818. The congregation erected a monument over his grave, located possibly in the town cemetery. His remains and the stone were moved to Evergreen Cemetery sometime in the late nineteenth century.