Cynthia May Alden

Short Biography

Cynthia May Westover Alden (May 31, 1862 – January 8, 1931), commonly known as Cynthia W. Alden, was an American journalist, author, and New York City municipal employee. She had moved to New York from Iowa, where she was born and grew up, after college education in Colorado.BiographyShe was born in Afton, Iowa. She was educated at the University of Colorado and the Denver Business College.Alden moved to New York City. In 1887 she was appointed there as an inspector of customs, in which position she was involved in the seizure of smuggled goods. She lived and worked in New York City as a music teacher and as soloist in church choirs. For two years Alden worked as secretary to the New York City Commissioner of Street Cleaning. For a time she was also employed at the New York Museum of Natural History.Alden entered journalism as editor of the woman's department, first, of the New York Recorder, and later of the New York Tribune. During her three years with the Tribune she planned and founded the International Sunshine Society, of which she became president-general.Alden accepted a position on the editorial staff of the Ladies' Home Journal, based in the Midwest, but she continued to reside in New York City. , where she died.Her published writings include: Manhattan, Historic: Artistic; Bushy: Child Life in the Far West; Women's Ways of Earning Money (1904).