Cadwallader moves his family to New York sometime in the fall of 1718. He is quick to purchase land. On October 6, 1718, together with James Kennedy and James Alexander, he petitions for a grant of 2,000 acres lying in Ulster County. On April 9, 1719, the land patent is issued to him. Not long after obtaining this patent, he procures another one for a thousand acres which adjoins the first land, and this one he names "Coldengham" -- perhaps he was thinking of the historic village of Coldingham in Berwick, Scotland, close to where he grew up. Long after Colden's death, the estate would later be renamed Coldenham. It lies in the town of Montgomery in Orange County. The Coldens now have an estate to call their own.
Cadwallader does not move his family to Coldengham right away because he has not built a home there or prepared the land for settlement. He continues his mercantile business and his medical practice in the city.
On February 5, 1719, his daughter, Elizabeth, is born in the city. Her parents call her Betty. In an undated letter to his cousin, Richard Hill, in London, Cadwallader writes of Elizabeth's birth. "I am nott certain weither I told you in My Last my wife has brought mee a daughter near the beginning of last February & named her Elizabeth."
On February 18, 1720, Governor Hunter makes Cadwallader "Surveyor of Lands." In a letter from London dated February 18, 1720, Robert Hunter writes, "The Presidt receives with other orders by this conveyance Capt Long the Kings Orders by Mr Secretary Craggs letter for constituting you surveyer gen in the room of Austin Graham which I hope may be of use to you. I am now perfectly well and shall see you soon, My service to Mrs Colden & Mr. Coldeby." Austin Graham is the previous surveyor general who passed away in 1719.
In 1721 Cadwallader is also appointed to the Governor's Council and he will hold this post until his death in 1776.
In a December 7, 1721 letter to a Dr. Home, Cadwallader asks him to purchase slaves for him. "I am obliged to you for your kinde offer of buying for mee three or four slaves & that in so doing you will particularly consider my interest. Please to buy mee two negro men about eighteen years of age. I designe them for Labour & would have them strong & well made. Please likewise to buy mee a negro Girl of about thirteen years old my wife has told you that she desinges her Cheifly to keep the children & to sow & therefore would have her likely & one that appears to be good natured."
On May 26, 1722, another son is born to Cadwallader and Alice. This one is named Cadwallader and in his parents' letters he is known as Cad and is also sometimes called Caddie.
In his July 24, 1722 letter, Alice's father, David Christie, writes to Cadwallader Sr about the birth, "Yesterday to my great satisfaction I received your dated June 1 where in you give me the agreeable news of Alies being brought safely to bed of a Son, whom I pray the Lord to bless and preserve." In the same he goes on to say, "I thought Alie had either given over child-bearing or had miscarried, because you gave us no account of her being with child, but now I heartily rejoice to hear of a young Cad: Colden: I think Alie hath made a very good choice in the name."
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Alice Christie (Chrystie)
On November 11, 1715, Cadwallader marries Alice Christie, in Kelso, Scotland. She was born on January 5, 1690 and is the daughter of a clergyman named David Christie and his wife Alison Hamiltone. She is not entirely a stranger to Cadwallader. It would appear that her brother, James Christie, and Cadwallader had a friendship and wrote to each other. At the end of a letter to Cadwallader dated April 22, 1715, James says "My father Mother & Sister do always remember you." In addition to James, Alice also had brothers named David (who is often refered to as Davey), John and Andrew. I have not found a record of any sisters.
Some historians have noted that many of the colonial families never forgave Cadwallader for looking for a bride in Scotland when so many of their daughters in America needed suitable husbands.
What kind of a woman was Alice? We know that she was a well-educated one in keeping with what was expected of a clergyman's daughter. Cadwallader trusted her enough to educate his children while he was gone. He held her in high regard and in later years would leave the running of their New York estate in her capable hands while he attended to government business in Albany and the city,
On May 7, 1716, Cadwallader and Alice arrive in Philadelphia. She is already six months pregnant with their first child when they land in America. Cadwallader continues his mercantile business and starts practising medicine. It is during this time that we see a correspondence with his cousin, Richard Hill, in London, through whom Cadwallader purchases the latest medical books and journals. Cadwallader also starts purchasing drugs through various agents for his medical practice. It would be safe to assume that now that he is in a sound financial situation, he is slowly returning to his first love ... medicine.
On August 13, 1716, their son, Alexander Colden, is born in Philadelphia. Cadwallader has named him after his father. The child will be affectionately known as Sandy in the letters that his parents write home to Scotland.
In a February 14, 1717, letter from Oxnam, the Reverent Alexander Colden writes, "We had yours dated Aug. 14 which brought us the comfortable account of both your healths and of our sister and the continuance of her extraordinary kindness to you both and especially of our daughters safe deliverie of a sone for which we here have desired & endeavored with joyfull hearts to give praise to god with our lips. I take it as another evidence of your filial respect to me in giving him my name & we heartyly pray he be be spared."
A letter from David Christie (Alice's father) to Cadwallader Colden, written two days after Reverend Colden's on Feb. 16, 1717, tells us that baby Alexander has had the small pox. Christie ends his letter with "Remember us to all to Alie & Sandie; we all long to hear about him, if he hath gott over the small pox."
Between 1717 and 1718, Cadwallader's correspondence with merchants is solely about the purchase of medicine and medical books, so we know he is fully back in his medical practice.
In 1718 while he is visiting New York, he meets Governor Robert Hunter, who takes a liking to him and invites him to live in New York and promises him a government job. Cadwallader jumps at this opportunity because he is getting tired of Philadelphia which he considers too urban for his growing family.
Sometime between 1717 and his move to New York in 1718, he and Alice have a son named David who dies in infancy.
A March 9, 1719 letter from David Christie in Kelso to his daughter Alice talks about the baby's death. Christie writes: "The last I heard from you was dated at New York Jul: 14 which I received Sep: 19: And your brother had one from your husband dated (I think) Oct: 6 wherein he gives him the bad news of poor little Davies death, which you may be sure was an affliction to us all."
In the same letter Christie tells Alice that her brother, John, had died in Virginia the previous year. " But I have other melancholy news to tell you, your brother John dyed in Virginia upon the 9th of June last." He had died on board a ship called the Rumsay on the very day it came to Virginia.
Some historians have noted that many of the colonial families never forgave Cadwallader for looking for a bride in Scotland when so many of their daughters in America needed suitable husbands.
What kind of a woman was Alice? We know that she was a well-educated one in keeping with what was expected of a clergyman's daughter. Cadwallader trusted her enough to educate his children while he was gone. He held her in high regard and in later years would leave the running of their New York estate in her capable hands while he attended to government business in Albany and the city,
On May 7, 1716, Cadwallader and Alice arrive in Philadelphia. She is already six months pregnant with their first child when they land in America. Cadwallader continues his mercantile business and starts practising medicine. It is during this time that we see a correspondence with his cousin, Richard Hill, in London, through whom Cadwallader purchases the latest medical books and journals. Cadwallader also starts purchasing drugs through various agents for his medical practice. It would be safe to assume that now that he is in a sound financial situation, he is slowly returning to his first love ... medicine.
On August 13, 1716, their son, Alexander Colden, is born in Philadelphia. Cadwallader has named him after his father. The child will be affectionately known as Sandy in the letters that his parents write home to Scotland.
In a February 14, 1717, letter from Oxnam, the Reverent Alexander Colden writes, "We had yours dated Aug. 14 which brought us the comfortable account of both your healths and of our sister and the continuance of her extraordinary kindness to you both and especially of our daughters safe deliverie of a sone for which we here have desired & endeavored with joyfull hearts to give praise to god with our lips. I take it as another evidence of your filial respect to me in giving him my name & we heartyly pray he be be spared."
A letter from David Christie (Alice's father) to Cadwallader Colden, written two days after Reverend Colden's on Feb. 16, 1717, tells us that baby Alexander has had the small pox. Christie ends his letter with "Remember us to all to Alie & Sandie; we all long to hear about him, if he hath gott over the small pox."
Between 1717 and 1718, Cadwallader's correspondence with merchants is solely about the purchase of medicine and medical books, so we know he is fully back in his medical practice.
In 1718 while he is visiting New York, he meets Governor Robert Hunter, who takes a liking to him and invites him to live in New York and promises him a government job. Cadwallader jumps at this opportunity because he is getting tired of Philadelphia which he considers too urban for his growing family.
Sometime between 1717 and his move to New York in 1718, he and Alice have a son named David who dies in infancy.
A March 9, 1719 letter from David Christie in Kelso to his daughter Alice talks about the baby's death. Christie writes: "The last I heard from you was dated at New York Jul: 14 which I received Sep: 19: And your brother had one from your husband dated (I think) Oct: 6 wherein he gives him the bad news of poor little Davies death, which you may be sure was an affliction to us all."
In the same letter Christie tells Alice that her brother, John, had died in Virginia the previous year. " But I have other melancholy news to tell you, your brother John dyed in Virginia upon the 9th of June last." He had died on board a ship called the Rumsay on the very day it came to Virginia.
The Philadelphia Years 1711 - 1715
Almost as soon as he was settled in Philadelphia, Cadwallader Colden, started his general merchandise business, trading in bread, wheat, flour, rice, rum. He travelled far and wide from Philadelphia to Charles Toun in Carolina to Jamaica and the West Indies. In November, 1711, he writes from Charles Toun to a merchant in Philadelphia named Alexander Arbuthnotte, and tells him "Rum is the only best commodity that can be sent here at present." In the same letter he says "All your Country commodities in a little time will be wanted here as Ale Cyder but especially Bread & Flower a little milk bisket will do extroadinary well."
On December 18, 1711, Colden writes to Arbuthnot again and tells him that he is thinking of sailing to the Spanish Coast, "I have some thoughts of goeing a Voyage upon the spanish Coast in a Sloop which is now dayly expected, if I do succeed in what I do at present Imagine about that Voyage it will occasion me to be with you in the Spring."
Over the next few years through his correspondence with various merchants in Philadelphia, New York, Virginia, Jamaica and Barbados, we find Cadwallader continuing his mercantile business. He traded in goods and occasionally in guns and other hardware, but never in slaves.
His letters to various merchants continue through May 2nd, 1715, and then they stop. This is because Cadwallader Colden returns to Scotland with the intention of getting married.
On December 18, 1711, Colden writes to Arbuthnot again and tells him that he is thinking of sailing to the Spanish Coast, "I have some thoughts of goeing a Voyage upon the spanish Coast in a Sloop which is now dayly expected, if I do succeed in what I do at present Imagine about that Voyage it will occasion me to be with you in the Spring."
Over the next few years through his correspondence with various merchants in Philadelphia, New York, Virginia, Jamaica and Barbados, we find Cadwallader continuing his mercantile business. He traded in goods and occasionally in guns and other hardware, but never in slaves.
His letters to various merchants continue through May 2nd, 1715, and then they stop. This is because Cadwallader Colden returns to Scotland with the intention of getting married.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Beginning of the Colden Family in America
Cadwallader Colden came to America in 1710 and settled in Philadelphia to make his fortune. He had been born in Ireland on February 7, 1688 while his mother, Janet Hughes Colden, was visiting relatives. He spent most of his childhood in Dunse, Scotland, where his father, the Reverend Alexander Colden, was a Presbyterian minister.
Cadwallader had always been intended to follow in his father's footsteps but the younger Colden had different plans for himself. After his graduation from the University of Edinburgh in 1705, he took off for London where he studied medicine. The Colden family had spent all it had on his education and when he became a doctor, the family did not have the means to set him up in practice. At the invitation of his mother's sister, Elizabeth Hill, who was a wealthy widow in Philadelphia, Cadwallader left England to join his aunt in the new world.
When the twenty-two-year-old Cadwallader arrived in Philadelphia it was a thriving port. He found that the fastest way to make a good living was to start a mercantile business.
Cadwallader had always been intended to follow in his father's footsteps but the younger Colden had different plans for himself. After his graduation from the University of Edinburgh in 1705, he took off for London where he studied medicine. The Colden family had spent all it had on his education and when he became a doctor, the family did not have the means to set him up in practice. At the invitation of his mother's sister, Elizabeth Hill, who was a wealthy widow in Philadelphia, Cadwallader left England to join his aunt in the new world.
When the twenty-two-year-old Cadwallader arrived in Philadelphia it was a thriving port. He found that the fastest way to make a good living was to start a mercantile business.
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