34 



and her husband in 1787. He is described as " a very worthy- 

 good Scotsman " and for some years before the Revolutionary 

 War one of the chief and fashionable practitioners of medicine, 

 "distinguished for his abilities and knowledge" in New York 

 City and vicinity. He was one of the founders of the St. 

 Andrew's Society of the State of New York, formed in 1756 

 of Scotchmen by birth or descent for social and charitable pur- 

 poses. He acted as an " assistant " (manager) of the Society in 

 1756 and as vice-president in 1757. * 



After 1759 Jane's name does not appear to be mentioned in her 

 father's correspondence, nor can any reference to her marriage 

 be found there. Her place of burial is unknown. 



Governor Colden died on Long Island, September 20, 1776, 

 aged over eighty-eight years, and was buried in the private 

 burying-ground on the Willet^ farm, "Spring Hill," that he pur- 

 chased in 1762 and where he spent the last years of his life. 

 This property had been deeded by the governor before his death 

 to his son David, but owing to the latter's loyalty to the Crown 

 it was confiscated in 1779 and passed into other hands. At the 

 present time, Governor Colden's farm lies within the limits of 

 Cedar Grove Cemetery in the Borough of Queens, and the 

 ancient burying-place is still extant. Though fallen into decay, 

 it has not been disturbed and is to be preserved in its present 

 condition. Numerous rough stones, bearing the names of mem- 

 bers of the WilletJf family are dated from 1722 to 1797, and local, 

 authorities relate that there is a stone with a Colden name on it 

 there, but owing to the heavy snowdrifts at the time of writing, 

 this could not be verified, and does not agree with descriptions 

 of the spot made in 1873.1 Governor Colden's fine old mansion 

 is now the office of the cemetery, and is said to have been but 

 little altered in recent years. 



*For some of these details, I am indebted to IMr. George Austin Morrison Jr., 

 Secretary of the Saint Andrew's Society, 

 t Purple, Genealogical Notes, 9. 



