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Jane Colden (1724-1766)
Jane Colden is considered the first American born woman botanist. She was the daughter of Cadwalleder Colden a successful Scottish doctor and scientist who moved to the American Colony of New York in 1710. According to her father, Jane possessed intellectual prowess and took a great interest in “natural philosophy or natural history”. Her father had been the first to apply the Linnean system of plant classification to an American collection and he translated the text of Linnaeus’ books into English so that Jane could also apply it to her own work. Jane collected and described plants in the native area of her home that is now the present day town of Montgomery, Orange County, New York. She completed line drawings of the plant leaves, adding a light wash to some of them. She described the medicinal use of many of the plants and provided information on the quantity used and the method of administration as adopted by the local people. Jane Colden was admired for her botanical work by some of the leading botanists, scientists and nurserymen of her day; men such John and William Bartram, Peter Collinson, Alexander Garden and John Ellis. These last three were all Fellows of the Royal Society and all pleaded with Linneaus to name a plant after her. However, despite Jane Colden being the first American woman botanist and receiving support from key individuals, sadly no plant exists today honoured by her name. Jane married Dr. William Farquhar in 1759 but tragically
she died in 1766 soon after giving birth to her
only child who did not survive her long.
This is the one example of Jane Colden’s nature prints to have survived. The technique of taking prints from dried leaves and flowers was a popular pastime in the eighteenth century and Colden was thought to be quite skilled in this method of printing.
The Jane Colden Drawings Collection The Library holds one bound manuscipt volume titled Flora Nov-Eboracensis : Plantas in solo natali collegit, descripsit, delineavit, Coldenia C. Coldens filia &c. In addition to the nature print there are an additional 340 line drawings in the volume that have a light wash. The manuscript was reproduced by the Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties, New York in 1963.
Exhibition and publication details This drawing has not previously been on public
display.
References and further reading Bonta, M. M. (1991) Women in the field : America's pioneering women naturalists. Texas A & M University Press : Texas. 299pp. Colden, Jane (1963). Botanic manuscript of Jane Colden 1724 [-] 1766 edited by H.W. Rickett and E.C. Hall. Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties: New York. 205pp. Vail, A. M. (1907) Jane Colden : an early New York Botanist. Torreya / Torrey Botanical Club, vol. 7., p.21-34
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