Bio: Daniel Horsmanden

Daniel Horsmanden was born in Kent county England in 1691, son of Rev Daniel Horsmanden. According to William Smith Jr, historian of New York, young Horsmanden, "had no prospect of establishing himself at the English bar, fell deeply into debt, and in 1729 came out to Virginia, where his cousin William Byrd of Westover lived. Two years later he was settled as a lawyer in New York, warmly recommended to Cadwallder Colden by Micajah Perry."

During his years in New York, Daniel Horsmanden served in a number of important offices, including Recorder of New York City, and Justice of the Supreme Court. He lost both offices in 1747, during the administration of Gov George Clinton. Horsmanden was married to Mrs Mary Reade Vesey, widow of Rev William Vesey, rector of Trinity Church, "an advantageous match". He was eventually restored to the Council and Court, and became a trustee of Kings College (Columbia University) in 1754.

Daniel Horsmanden died in 1778, and is buried at Trinity Church in New York City, where he had served as a vestryman for more than forty years.

The Letters and Papers of Cadwallader Colden make it clear that Daniel Horsmanden was well aquainted with Vincent Mathews, my 7xgreatgrandfather. Mathews often served as courier of letters between Horsmanden and Colden. The three men were of similar age and politics, and exchanged confidences regularly in the 1730's, but gradually their relationships began to cool. There is no evidence to confirm whether Daniel Horsmanden knew Vincent Mathew's son-in-law John Markham. I have considered whether the relationship between Daniel Horsmanden and his cousin William Byrd in Virginia could have contributed to John Markham's move to Virginia in the early 1750's.

Do you want to know more?
Link to Daniel Horsemanden in the database
Sketch: John Markham meets Catherine - Friends in the Neighborhood.
Sketch: John Markham moves on to Virginia - Where is the Evidence?

Further Reading:
For interesting and detailed biographies of Cadwallader Colden and Daniel Horsmanden, see Patriot Improvers, by Whitfield Jenks Bell; American Philosophical Society, 1997. Available online through googlebooks.

Biography of Daniel Horsemanden; written by Pamela Hutchison Garrett for John Markham of Chesterfield website; 2015.