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SCARSDALE, N.Y. – Scarsdale Mayor Miriam Levitt-Flisser joined more than 140 descendents of Robert Purdy – an escaped slave from Louisiana who made his home on Saxon Woods Road – for a reunion Saturday.
Flisser spoke at the event, proclaiming Aug. 11, 2012 as Robert Purdy Day in the Village of Scarsdale. Purdy came to the village in 1840 and purchased a five-acre farm in 1858. Four generations of his family lived on that property until it was sold in February 2011.
Purdy, who died in 1890, was also a co-founder of the A.M.E. Zion Church in Mamaroneck. At the event, Flisser said it's important for residents to recognize Purdy's role in Scarsdale’s rich history.
“He played an important part in the history of Scarsdale, and this gave us the chance to recognize his historical impact,” she said. “We urge citizens to learn about this important citizen who played an important role in our village.”
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