Marilynilpa
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2005
- Messages
- 5,165
- Reaction score
- 1,292
In 1925, Alice McDonnell, heiress to a sizable fortune, married William H. Parsons, whose family made millions in Standard Oil. For a while the couple lived in New York City but in 1929 they moved permanently to their 11-acre estate, Long Meadow Farms, located in Stony Brook, Long Island. The Parsons had a rather usual hobby - they raised plump, "well-bred" chickens for the fancy restaurant trade. By all accounts, the two of them enjoyed their quiet life.
In 1931, Alice became ill and needed someone as a companion/housekeeper. On the recommendation of her sister, Alice hired Anna Kuprianova, an attractive Russian immigrant who spoke little English. She was very competent and when Alice recovered from her illness, Anna stayed on as the Parsons' housekeeper.
Oddly enough, Anna owned a valuable recipe for squab paste used on canapes. Together she and the Parsons formed a partnership of sorts. The Parsons quit raising chickens and began raising squabs to use in the squab paste. Before long, no party was considered a success unless Parsons-Kuprianova squab paste canapes were served.
It appeared that everything was fine in the Parsons household. When Anna's 5 year old son, Roy, came to live at Long Meadow Farms, the Parsons treated him like their own child. They had no children due to an accident Alice had in her youth. Before long, Roy Kurpianova became known as Roy Parsons and in 1936, when Anna took out citizenship papers, she changed her name to Anna Kuprianova-Parsons.
Early in the morning of June 9, 1937, Alice drove her husband to the station to catch a commuter train to NYC, then returned home. At 11:00 that morning, a black sedan occupied by a middle-aged couple pulled up to the house. After speaking with them for a few minutes, Alice called out to Anna, who was working in the kitchen, saying she was riding with the couple to look at a nearby estate she was trying to rent out. Alice Parsons climbed in the car, and was never seen again.
When Mr. Parsons arrived home around 7 p.m., Anna told him his wife had been gone most of the day and had not returned. Mr. Parsons conducted a quick search of the property, then called the police.
When the police arrived, they began a search of the estate, including the Parsons' car parked in front of the house. Nothing was found in the car, so it was locked up and the search continued. At 1:30 the following morning, a policeman happened to shine his flashlight in the car and noticed a note stuck under the floorboard in the back seat. It was a ransom note demanding $25,000 within 24 hours.
William Parsons and Anna Kurprianova-Parsons, joined by Alice's two brothers, waited at Long Meadow Farms for word from the kidnappers, but no contact was made. Mr. Parsons offered a reward for his wife's return, but no one came forward with any information. Eventually the FBI were called in. After a few months of investigation, the FBI turned the case back over to the local authorities, claiming Mrs. Parsons was murdered, not kidnapped.
The local authorities repeatedly questioned Mr. Parsons and the housekeeper, but they stuck to their stories. Eventually, with all clues exhausted, the police gave up on their search for Mrs. Parsons.
Some points to ponder:
1. 22 days before she vanished, Alice Parsons drafted a new will leaving $35,000 to her husband, $10,000 to Anna, and $15,000 to Roy to remain in trust until he turned 30.
2. In December of 1937, William Parsons began proceedings to adopt Anna's son Roy, now 12 years old. Mr. Parsons was living in California by then, and Anna and Roy left to join him there.
3. In 1940, William Parsons and Anna Kuprianova-Parsons were married, although Alice Parsons would not be legally declared dead until 1946.
4. Shortly after Alice disappeared, a series of eight letters were delivered to Anna Kuprianova-Parsons at Long Meadow Farms, allegedly from the kidnappers who claimed Alice had died of pneumonia. One letter contained a brooch which Mr. Parsons identified as belonging to Alice.
5. No one remembers seeing Alice Parsons drive her husband to the train station the day she disappeared.
6. Anna Kuprianova-Parsons was the only witness to the black sedan and middle-aged couple.
7. Alice's two brothers contested her will and eventually an agreement was reached wherein William Parsons received eight pieces of jewelry valued at $200, Anna got nothing, and the trust established for Roy remained intact. The remainder of Alice's estate was divided among her five nieces and nephews.
This information was found in the New York Times newspaper archives in articles dated June 10, 1937, December 21, 1937, May 27, 1938, and June 8, 1946. I also referred to an article entitled "Lost Ladies: Where Are They Now" by Pat Frank iin the February 18, 1947 issue of The American Weekly.
I eagerly await any comments!
In 1931, Alice became ill and needed someone as a companion/housekeeper. On the recommendation of her sister, Alice hired Anna Kuprianova, an attractive Russian immigrant who spoke little English. She was very competent and when Alice recovered from her illness, Anna stayed on as the Parsons' housekeeper.
Oddly enough, Anna owned a valuable recipe for squab paste used on canapes. Together she and the Parsons formed a partnership of sorts. The Parsons quit raising chickens and began raising squabs to use in the squab paste. Before long, no party was considered a success unless Parsons-Kuprianova squab paste canapes were served.
It appeared that everything was fine in the Parsons household. When Anna's 5 year old son, Roy, came to live at Long Meadow Farms, the Parsons treated him like their own child. They had no children due to an accident Alice had in her youth. Before long, Roy Kurpianova became known as Roy Parsons and in 1936, when Anna took out citizenship papers, she changed her name to Anna Kuprianova-Parsons.
Early in the morning of June 9, 1937, Alice drove her husband to the station to catch a commuter train to NYC, then returned home. At 11:00 that morning, a black sedan occupied by a middle-aged couple pulled up to the house. After speaking with them for a few minutes, Alice called out to Anna, who was working in the kitchen, saying she was riding with the couple to look at a nearby estate she was trying to rent out. Alice Parsons climbed in the car, and was never seen again.
When Mr. Parsons arrived home around 7 p.m., Anna told him his wife had been gone most of the day and had not returned. Mr. Parsons conducted a quick search of the property, then called the police.
When the police arrived, they began a search of the estate, including the Parsons' car parked in front of the house. Nothing was found in the car, so it was locked up and the search continued. At 1:30 the following morning, a policeman happened to shine his flashlight in the car and noticed a note stuck under the floorboard in the back seat. It was a ransom note demanding $25,000 within 24 hours.
William Parsons and Anna Kurprianova-Parsons, joined by Alice's two brothers, waited at Long Meadow Farms for word from the kidnappers, but no contact was made. Mr. Parsons offered a reward for his wife's return, but no one came forward with any information. Eventually the FBI were called in. After a few months of investigation, the FBI turned the case back over to the local authorities, claiming Mrs. Parsons was murdered, not kidnapped.
The local authorities repeatedly questioned Mr. Parsons and the housekeeper, but they stuck to their stories. Eventually, with all clues exhausted, the police gave up on their search for Mrs. Parsons.
Some points to ponder:
1. 22 days before she vanished, Alice Parsons drafted a new will leaving $35,000 to her husband, $10,000 to Anna, and $15,000 to Roy to remain in trust until he turned 30.
2. In December of 1937, William Parsons began proceedings to adopt Anna's son Roy, now 12 years old. Mr. Parsons was living in California by then, and Anna and Roy left to join him there.
3. In 1940, William Parsons and Anna Kuprianova-Parsons were married, although Alice Parsons would not be legally declared dead until 1946.
4. Shortly after Alice disappeared, a series of eight letters were delivered to Anna Kuprianova-Parsons at Long Meadow Farms, allegedly from the kidnappers who claimed Alice had died of pneumonia. One letter contained a brooch which Mr. Parsons identified as belonging to Alice.
5. No one remembers seeing Alice Parsons drive her husband to the train station the day she disappeared.
6. Anna Kuprianova-Parsons was the only witness to the black sedan and middle-aged couple.
7. Alice's two brothers contested her will and eventually an agreement was reached wherein William Parsons received eight pieces of jewelry valued at $200, Anna got nothing, and the trust established for Roy remained intact. The remainder of Alice's estate was divided among her five nieces and nephews.
This information was found in the New York Times newspaper archives in articles dated June 10, 1937, December 21, 1937, May 27, 1938, and June 8, 1946. I also referred to an article entitled "Lost Ladies: Where Are They Now" by Pat Frank iin the February 18, 1947 issue of The American Weekly.
I eagerly await any comments!
