The Wallkill or Goodwill settlement is supposed to date from 1724-25. John Mackneel and Adam Graham were among the first settlers. When they came into the Precinct is not definitely known. The former owned a part of what is now known as the Downs farm; the latter settled on what is now the Parsonage farm. In 1727 Archibald, James and Robert Hunter purchased 200 acres of land, on which a house had then been built, from James Alexander, the patentee; this purchase included the Henry Suydam farm. In 1731 James Munnel settled on, or near, the Charles Miller farm, now owned by Mr. William Y. Dennison. Alexander Kidd settled on what is still known as the Kidd Homestead, about 2-1/2 miles north of the Church in 1736. Benjamin Haines came into the neighborhood in 1739, and the Rev. Joseph Houston was installed pastor of the Goodwill Church in 1740. Other early settlers were James Barkley, on the James W. Bowne farm; the Rev. Joseph Moffat, 1758; John Blake who bought 475 acres of land in 1761, part of which is owned and occupied by his great grandson, Mr. John P. M. Blake, and whose son, John Blake, Jr., was in after years, a prominent man, being supervisor sixteen years, and a member of assembly several terms, sheriff and congressman; Samuel Miller, who came from Canada previous to 1764; Peter Hill in 1767; Captain Hendrichs Van Keuren in 1768; Colonel John Nicholson; John Morrison; Gideon Pelton, and Tunis Van Arsdale, whose blacksmith shop is mentioned in the early records of the town. [Illustration: Robert Young.] Adjoining the Goodwill settlement on the east, Cadwallader Colden had been granted a patent for 2,000 acres and was settled in 1728 where Mr. George W. Pimm now resides. The locality was named Coldenham in his honor. He was one of the most prominent of the early settlers, being surveyor-general of the Province, lieutenant-governor and several limes acting governor. As a man he was esteemed for his great learning, benevolence and strict honesty. As a public officer he was distinguished for his unblemished integrity. Several buildings were erected in that vicinity by members of the Colden family, some of which are still standing.