Cynthia Hesdra facts for kids

Cynthia Hesdra (born March 6, 1808 – died February 9, 1879) was an amazing woman who became very wealthy after starting her life as an enslaved person. She was born in Tappan, New York, in Rockland County. Cynthia owned many businesses and properties in Nyack, New York, New York City, and Bergen County, New Jersey. After she died, her family, including her husband Edward, had a big legal fight over her money and properties.

Her Early Life and Freedom

Cynthia Hesdra's father, John Moore, was a well-known and rich man in Rockland County. He owned several businesses, including a mill that made blankets for soldiers during the American Civil War. We don't know much about Cynthia's mother, Jane. She might have been enslaved, which could be why Cynthia herself was enslaved for a time.

Cynthia met and married Edward D. Hesdra. Edward's father was a white planter from Virginia, and his mother was a free Black woman from Haiti. After they got married, Cynthia and Edward worked together to buy Cynthia's freedom. They then made their home on Amity Street in New York City.

Building Her Businesses

Cynthia was a very successful businesswoman. She ran a laundry business in New York City that did very well. She also bought several properties there. Later, she moved her businesses to Nyack, New York, where she also bought many properties. One of her houses in Nyack was even part of the historic Underground Railroad, which was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Today, there's a special marker on Main Street and Route 9W in Nyack where that important house once stood.

A Fight Over Her Fortune

Cynthia Hesdra passed away on February 9, 1879. Newspapers like The New York Times reported that she was worth more than $100,000. That would be like having over $3 million today!

At first, it seemed like Cynthia didn't have a will. But then, her husband Edward showed a will that he said left everything to him. Cynthia's relatives didn't believe it. They argued that the will was fake and that the signatures on it were forged.

This led to a big court battle over Cynthia's fortune. The case was important because it was one of the first times a new law in New York State was used. This law allowed courts to compare signatures that were known to be real with signatures that were questioned.

Court Cases and Her Legacy

Many people, including experts, spoke in court during the trials. In the end, the courts decided that Cynthia's will was real, and her husband Edward received her estate.

It's interesting that when Edward Hesdra later died, there was also a disagreement about his will! A lot of Cynthia's original fortune was used up in all these legal battles. What was left eventually went to different charities and to the state.

Cynthia Hesdra's story is an important part of history. On May 18, 2015, the Toni Morrison Society's Bench by the Road project honored Cynthia in Nyack, New York. They placed a special bench in Nyack's Memorial Park to remember her. The famous author Toni Morrison was there for the dedication. This bench is one of the first twenty benches placed by the Toni Morrison Society to honor important people and groups from the African Diaspora in the U.S. and beyond.

A Book About Her Story

There is a book about Cynthia Hesdra and her family, written by Lori L. Martin. She is a sociology professor and grew up in Nyack. The book tells the story of the Hesdra family, their connection to the Underground Railroad, and the court cases after Cynthia's death. It also shares what life was like for African Americans in the late 1700s to mid-1800s.