Solomon Gedney Cemetery
N Barry Avenue, behind the F.E. Bellows School
The Gedney Property
Built on the property of the Gedney Farmhouse, this property dates from 1817-1911. This cemetery was established by Solomon H. Gedney Sr. (1769-1836). The farmhouse was located on East Boston Post Road, but was demolished in 2012. The farmhouse was part of the Gedney’s expansive estate. All of Gedney’s properties were linked by a private drive lined with walnut trees from East Boston Post Road to White Plains Road.
While the Gedney family occupies most of the gravestones, members of the Haines family lay there as well, as both families had ties to the boating industry in Mamaroneck Harbor.
Sojourner Truth
A prominent slavery-related case connected to the Gedneys involves Sojourner Truth, a noted abolitionist who escaped from slavery in 1826.
Her former owner, John Dumont, had sold her five-year-old son, Peter, to Eleazer Gedney to take him to England. While Eleazar Gedney was not a local, he was related to Solomon and was buried in the Eleazar Gedney Cemetery in Mamaroneck.
When this plan failed, Eleazer transferred Peter to his brother, Solomon Gedney, who then sold him to Fowler, their brother-in-law. Sojourner Truth filed a lawsuit against Solomon Gedney, Fowler, and the Albany Supreme Court for allowing this illegal sale. In court, Fowler returned Peter to Solomon Gedney to avoid indictment. With Truth present as a witness, the judge ruled that Peter, having no rightful owner, be returned to his mother. Truth’s memoir, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth (1850), recounts this historic case.
Court documents from this case were only discovered in 2022, revealing that Sojourner Truth became the first Black woman in American history to sue a white man and win. This landmark case remains a powerful testament to her resilience and advocacy for justice.
In addition, Isaac Gidney, Sr. is listed as having one enslaved person (name unknown) in the 1790 census. Gidney is the grandson of the aforementioned Eleazar Gedney. Other enslavers of the Gidney family include John Gidney (1 male, 1 female), Absolom Gidney (4 names unknown), John Gidney 1 male, 1 female names unknown).