Page 6
History of Orange County
Town of Montgomery
Page 6
A COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY CADWALLADER COLDEN,
of Coldenham, to a cousin in Scotland; giving a particular account of the family of his father, Lieutenant Governor Colden, in all its branches. (Written in 1796 and never before published.)
Dear Sir :—Although I am now near seventy-four years of age, this is the first occasion I have had to address a relative in the style of a cousin, which I now do in answer to your favor of January last. I have wished much for some information respecting the relatives of my father’s family in Scotland, an inquiry that I was deficient in making of my father and mother before their death. I wished you had mentioned your father’s name, and whether my father had any more brothers. I think I have heard him mention two, viz: Andrew and James. I know that my father was son to Alexander Colden, a minister in the Church of Scotland—that he was regularly educated and took what is called a tour of Europe—that he was then invited to America by an aunt, a sister of his father's, and lived with her six years in Philadelphia, practising physic. After this he returned to Scotland, and married my mother, a well educated lady, by the name of Chrystie, to whom he had been pre-engaged. This being in the year 1715, in the time of the troubles, he made but a short stay, and returned with my mother to Philadelphia, where he remained but a few years—being induced to go to New York by an offer made to him of an office of honor and profit—that of Surveyor General. As he found the living in the city to be too expensive for a growing family, he settled on a large tract of land of which he obtained a grant, about 70 miles from New York, in what was called the Highlands.— Here have I lived since I was seven years old. My father being much from home on public business, I was left almost entirely to my mother for instruction and education, (there being no such thing as a school) who was as capable as most women, giving the brightest example of virtue and economy. In the year 1760 my father was called on to take upon him the administration of government, by the death of the Lieutenant Governor, and soon after was called upon to fill that office, where he continued till his death in 1776. It was unfortunate, for him and his family, that, during his administration, the peace of the country was broken upon by two ill-timed acts of Parliament, viz: the stamp act, and the tea act. The duty of his office led him to support these acts, which created him many enemies; but his private character was unimpeached and highly respected, though he suffered much insult and loss of property, as standing foremost in the King’s government. Yet he was the only one that government did not recompense for his loyalty: neither have his family been recompensed for their suffering during the American war, while others, less deserving, have recovered more than they lost. My father removed with his family to the city of New York, leaving me in possession of his estate here. My mother died in the government house of New York in 1762, as also my youngest maiden sister Katy. My eldest brother Alexander was Postmaster of New York, and succeeded my father in the Surveyor General’s office. He died in 1775, leaving four daughters and two sons. His eldest married Archibald Hamilton, formerly a captain in the British service: his wife died during the American war, leaving him a son and two daughters, with whom he went to England after the war. His son, I am informed, is in the British army, now in the West Indies, a promising young man. By a letter I received a few days ago from his daughters, Jane and Alice, dated Edinburgh, January, 1796, I learn that their father died there on the 1st of June, and they wish me to transmit to them a small patrimony arising from my father’s estate. My brother Alexander’s second daughter married John Antill, who, going in the British service in time of war, was, in peace, obliged to leave the country, and is now settled in Canada, where he lost his wife, and has since married her youngest sister. His first wife left him three children. My brother’s third daughter married Capt. Anthony Farrington, who is raised to be full Colonel of the Artillery and commands at Black Heath, London. They have several promising children. My brother’s eldest son, Richard, married a Scotch lady at the Isle of Man. He brought her to this country and soon after died, leaving two sons with his widow. She returned to Scotland, where she left them for education, named Alexander and Cadwallader. They have come to this country very well qualified for any business, but, to the regret of their mother, who seemed ambitious to have them shine in Congress, neither seemed inclined to any learned profession. The elder son, who is entitled to a very pretty estate as heir-at-law of my brother, inclines to the sea, and has already gone three voyages to London as Captain, and has now a ship of his own, and has gone to the West Indies. The other son is in the line. My brother’s second son was lost at sea. My youngest brother David lived with my father till his death, and was his private secretary. My father’s dying before the confiscation law took place was rather fortunate for his family, otherwise all would have gone; but our rulers fell upon poor David, and banished him from the country. He went to Europe to seek compensation, and soon died, leaving a widow, four daughters and a son, whom, after his death, I took under my roof. The mother and eldest daughter soon after died. The children have had a small compensation allowed them, but not one-fourth of what they lost. I have the happiness to see two of his daughters well-married, and the other in a fair way for it. The son is married to our Bishop’s daughter, and is likely to become one of our first lawyers: he is also a Cadwallader. My eldest sister Elizabeth married very young, in the first family then in New York, viz the De Lancey, and soon became the mother of a fine family of sons and daughters; and, as a wife and mother, was held in high esteem by all her acquaintance, though she was not very happy in a husband. He died many years ago, not much regretted, leaving her the mother of six sons and five daughters. She died since the war, leaving a numerous train of children and grand-children. Her daughters, like herself, are well esteemed as the first of women and ornaments of their sex. This shows how virtues may be inherited as well as fortunes; for their mother was an example worthy of imitation.