Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.
The Funeral of Patrick McCay
William Wear purchased six items "for funeral of Patrick McCay" at the Colden Store on this day, 250 years ago.
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| Daybook entry of March 28, 1768. Detail for William Wear from approx. pg. 239 of Daybook, 1767 Aug. 11-1768 Nov. 2., Cadwallader Colden, 1722-1797, New-York Historical Society Mss Collection (BV Colden, Cadwallader, Jr), Publication Date: 1767, Description: 1 v. (467 p.) ; 8 x 19 in.; image #94210d, Collection of the New-York Historical Society. |
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This article is one in a series of a daily accountings of Colden Store transactions. Be sure you read the first installment for an introduction to the store. You should also read this article which appeared in the Journal of the Orange County Historical Society.
I have written about the McCay family on prior occasions as they owned a farm adjacent to my 6th great-grandfather, Samuel Campbell. Patrick McCay died in early 1768. Samuel Campbell was also aging. He wrote his will in 1773 and would not live to see the birth of the United States.
The purchaser, William Wear, appears only eight times in the DayBook. On most entries he is additionally identified as 'Wallkill', meaning either that he is living on the Wallkill River or in the hamlet of Wallkill, which was the area of the Goodwill Church. [Identifying him as living in the Precinct of Wallkill would not make sense, as they all lived in the Precinct of Wallkill.]
McCay's name appears six times in the DayBook, but he must have been ailing for some time, as he never appeared in person at the store.
From the purchases we can see that the funeral traditions of the time included socializing aided by the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. They undoubtedly made a tasty rum punch from the allspice, sugar, and rum.
"5 1/2 Galn Rum @5/
7 # Sugr [sugar]
1 Galn Wine
1/2 Gross Pipes [a gross is 12 dozen]
1 # Alspice
4 # tobaco"
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