The Founding of The Church

The Barry Ave AME Zion Church, purchased in 1902, was founded by a former enslaved person in response to a growing need for a local place of worship for black residents. Before the church’s construction, religious gatherings took place in private homes, often hosted by Robert Purdy - the main founder of the church - or at Dinah Hicks' residence.

The Life of Robert Purdy

Robert Purdy, the main founder of the Barry Ave AME Zion Church, was a formerly enslaved man from Louisiana who escaped in 1842 to Scarsdale, New York, where slavery had been abolished. There, Purdy married Lena Landrine, an Indigenous woman, and together they purchased five acres of land in Scarsdale in 1858 for $270. According to research done by Hartwick College Professor Edyth Ann Quinn, it is probable that the black community that existed there was involved in the Underground Railroad.

Purdy established a successful farm on this land, raising bees and producing honey. Robert and Lena are both buried in the African American Cemetery in Rye, marking their lasting connection to the area. Purdy’s farm remained in his family for five generations until it was sold in 2011. That same year, the historic Purdy home was demolished following the Scarsdale Committee for Historic Preservation’s (CHP) decision to deny its historical preservation application.