This is an old English family name, once written Cademans, and is taken from the trade of cade or barrel maker. The Amsterdam branch of the family in America descend from Christopher Cadman, born in England, who came to America in 1720, settling in southern Connecticut. An earlier record of the family is in Rhode Island, where William Cadman is mentioned in the Portsmouth records as early as 1659. He was a deputy several terms, and died in 1684. The families are no doubt connected, as Christopher was a common name in the Rhode Island family. Christopher of Connecticut had issue.
(II) Edward (1), son of Christopher Cadman, was born in Connecticut and died in Austerlitz, Columbia county, New York. The family had evidently settled there when the father died. His wife survived him and with her two sons, Edward and George, joined in the pioneer emigration north to Saratoga county, New York. There may have been. other children of Edward, but they are not of record.
(III) Edward (2), son of Edward (1), was probably born in Connecticut, and after the death of his father he, being the eldest son, became the head of the family. With his mother and brother George, he settled at Saratoga county at a date very early in its history. The country was heavily timbered and peopled with the wild things of the forest that everywhere lurked to do them harm. But like all pioneer men and women, they were stout-hearted and began vigorously wresting a farm and a home from the wilderness. They did clear the farm and did build the home, and saw the country fill up with settlers and become a prosperous community. They endured all the discomforts of early pioneer life and braved all its dangers. The mother, brave as the bravest, lived to a good old age, and saw her sons, to whom she was devoted as they were to her, grow to be prosperous men, the heads of families. Their farm was in the town of Providence. There the mother and sons were members of the Christian church, which they were helpful in building and supporting. Edward lived to be an old man. He married and reared a family of two, sons and three daughters:
- Henry, see forward.
- Ansel, settled in Gloversville, New York, where he died, leaving a large family.
- Loretta. She married John McCarthy, a farmer. They settled in Ballston, Saratoga county, where they died, leaving issue.
- ————, married Madison Cornell. They were residents of Sandy Hill, where he was superintendent of the paper mill. They left issue.
- Lydia, married Adolphus Kimball, a farmer of Saratoga county. Mrs. Kimball lived to a very old age.
(IV) Henry, son of Edward Cadman (2), was born on the homestead farm in Providence, Saratoga county, New York. He grew up on the farm and was trained by his father to habits of thrift and industry that influenced and benefited his after life. He succeeded his father in the farm management, but he afterward purchased an estate on which he spent the remainder of his days. He was a well-known character in the town and universally respected for his upright character and manly integrity. For nine years he was town assessor and for several years collector. He married Catherine Clark, born in Saratoga, of Dutch ancestry, who bore him two children:
- Charles Marvin (see forward), and
- Inez, who resides in Gloversville, New York, unmarried.
(V) Charles M., only son of Henry and Catherine (Clark) Cadman, was born on the homestead (wrested from the wilderness many years before) in Providence, Saratoga county, New York, July 18, 1841. He attended the district schools and labored on the farm until he had attained his majority. He had a taste for mechanics and learned the trade of millwright, a very profitable business in those days of grinding grain between great stones that must be carefully milled and set. He became very expert and was kept fully employed until milling methods changed and the machinist was needed rather than the millwright. He then took up carpentering, where his natural tastes were again gratified. In 1880 he removed to Amsterdam, where he has since resided, employed in building operations. He is a member of the Presbyterian church in Amsterdam and a supporter of the Republican party. Mr. Cadman married (first), in Saratoga county Hattie Sherman, born in the town of Providence, and died in Amsterdam, December, 1875. She left one child, Scott D., born in Providence, August 7, 1874. He is a carpenter, residing in Scotia, Schenectady county, New York. He married Ollie Dibble and has Marion G. Mr. Cadman married (second), in Amsterdam, Harriet, daughter of George and Eleanor (Duell) Vedder, of Amsterdam. Mr. Vedder was born in Saratoga county, and died October 4, 1890. Mrs. Vedder, also a native of Saratoga county, resides in Amsterdam. The Vedders are of Dutch ancestry and were both members of the Dutch Reformed church. Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Cadman have one child, Mary, born January 7, 1886. She was educated in the Amsterdam schools, after which she entered Pratt Institute, a famous school of Brooklyn, New York, where she took the course in costume illustration and design, graduating with the class of 1909. Mrs. and Miss Cadman are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Amsterdam. Mr. Cadman is a member of Montgomery Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Amsterdam, New York.