Cadwell, Christopher Columbus

Cadwell, Christopher Columbus a Congregational minister, was born at Lenox, N. Y., Dec. 4, 1811. At the age of eighteen he went to the Manual Labor Institute at Whitesborough; thence to Lane Seminary, expecting to complete his theological course there, but became dissatisfied with the officers of that institution in repressing free discussion, as he declared, and left, in company with many others. In 1835 he was ordained, and began to preach in the April of that year, removing to Kingston, Canada, in 1836. In the fall of the same year he returned, and was a member of the anti-slavery convention held at Utica, N. Y., which was broken up by a mob, and completed its sessions at Peterborough. In May, 1837, he went back to Canada, and remained until February, 1838, preaching at various points with success, after which he returned to New York. In June he emigrated to Wisconsin, and spent his first year at Southport, now Kenosha. Subsequently he preached a few months at Racine; in 1840 went to Rochester, in Racine County, where he organized a church, and one also at North Rochester; in 1843 he removed to Waukegan, Ill., then called Little Fort, organized a church and preached there until July, 1844; in the same year went to Paris, Wis., and organized a church in that place. With broken health, he returned to his friends in New York State, Sept. 16, 1844. His health improving, he began to preach again in February following, and returned to the church at Little Fort, Ill., in May, 1845. After two years his health again failed, and he removed to Caldwell Prairie, Wis., where he built a church; preached also at Burlington, and helped build another church; early in 1854 he took charge of the churches at .Genoa and Richmond, Ill., spending fifteen years with them, and erecting two church-buildings. Desiring to enter more directly into missionary work, he went to Missouri in June, 1869, and began his labors in, Barton and Vernon Counties. He had founded a church at Lamar, and other organizations were in contemplation, when he died there, Jan. 16, 1870. See Cong. Quarterly, 1870, p. 405.