Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.
Rhubarb
Thomas Belknap Jr. purchased a dozen Rhubarb [Rubarb] for one-and-one-half shillings at the Colden Store on this day, 250 years-ago.
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| Day Book entry of August 11, 1768 for Thomas Belknap. |
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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.
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Cultivation of rhubarb in America was rare at this date. However, the correspondence of John Bartram of Philadelphia shows that he was experimenting with rhubarb seeds as early as 1739. Bartram was a correspondent of Colden's father and had visited the Colden estate on a few occasions.
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| Rhubarb stalks. Image courtesy of revolutionarypie.com |
Bartram also corresponded with Colden's sister, Jane, who was a respected botanist herself. In one of her letters to Bartram she apparently requested rhubarb seeds from him. Bartram (letter of January 24, 1757) responded that 'If the Rhubarb from London be the Siberian, I have it."
It is entirely possible that Colden was growing rhubarb on his estate in 1768. It was known that rhubarb made excellent tarts before other fruits for that purpose came into season. Perhaps John Belknap was to make a rhubarb tart for his tavern guests?
This mention of rhubarb is the only one found in the DayBook (95% transcribed as of this writing.).
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