The Move to New York City

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."