Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.
For the next few weeks I will be writing a daily blog on "what happened 250 years ago on this date at the Colden Store." The store was in what is today the Town of Montgomery, New York. The exact location of the store is not known, but it is believed to have been on the Colden Estate as the records of the store have page headings of "Coldengham." Colden had just built a new home at about this date. The ruins of this home are visible at 17K and Stone Castle Road. Perhaps the store was close to that structure? (also see http://www.coldenpreservation.org/)
A DayBook of the Store has been preserved in the New-York Historical Society. Volunteers have started to transcribe the DayBook. All of the names in the book have been transcribed and can be searched at http://www.orangecountyhistoricalsociety.org/Colden_DayBook.html. The transcription of the items purchased is still a work in progress. Those items give us a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived in this area before the War for Independence.
The store was not some small enterprise operated as a hobby. Monthly transactions included hundreds of gallons of rum and molasses, yards of fabric, pounds of lead/shot/gun powder, along with luxury items of handkerchiefs, bonnets, snuff/pipes, and even lottery tickets (no joke). On the other side of the ledger the store bought wheat, flaxseed, honey, walnuts, hogs, skins, hats, and leather from the locals. Colden must have maintained almost a daily cartage from his store to the docks at Newburgh/New Windsor to maintain this trade.
On Friday, January 15, 1768, 250 years ago today, the store had nine customers. In at least two cases, the customer was represented by his son, and in another two cases by a neighbor. (See below. You can do the search yourself here.)
If you know the 18th century history of this area of New York, you many recognize a few of the names. McClaughrey was a colonel during the war and married into the Clinton family. Gallatian was an influential farmer whose 1798 map of the area hangs in the Montgomery Town Center. The Graham family was also influential, many of whom were officers in the militia. A few sided with the British in the war to come.
The image above is a transcription of the purchases of Josiah Talket (Talcott) (ID=165-02). Benjamin Wood was the person in the store on his behalf. Both items, silk thread and Buckram fabric, were likely used to make clothes for his family. I have found no instances of clothes (other than hats) being sold back to the store. If you are not familiar with some of the names of items sold at the store, I maintain a dictionary here.
John McClaughrey (165-03) was a carpenter, so his purchase of brads and nails (see above) is not surprising. Rum was one of the most common purchases at the Colden Store. In the prior four months, Colden had sold over 400 gallons of rum. There were two types: Y Rum and W Rum, the second being more expensive, but consumed in almost equal quantity. More on rums in a future blog.
The image below show purchases of Carskadan, Henyon, and Gallatian.
Gun powder, lead, and shot were common items purchased at the store. This ammunition was undoubted used in militia drills as well as for hunting. A few deer skins were sold to the store.
Robert Graham (166-02) wins the prize for most items purchased...10. (See below) His selection includes many of the favorites that were bought again and again at the store.
Although rum was a popular item, the community spent much more on sewing goods such as the fabrics, buttons, and mohair purchased by Graham. Tea was more expensive and yet much more popular than coffee. A pound of tea was 7 shillings, more than the price of a days labor. Sugar and molasses were also common items. Domestic rum or beer manufacture is a likely use.
If you are still puzzled by Shalloon and Buckram you can go to DayBook Dictionary or wait until a future blog.
On a personal note, my 5th great grandfather lived in this area and shopped at this store. On this date he was about 33 years old. He probably never imagined on this date that he would live another 60 years. According to family tradition (in otherwords this is probably not true ;-)) he died 190 years ago today, January 15, 1828.
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