Cadwalader, Lambert, 1742-1823

Lambert Cadwalader (December 1742 – September 13, 1823) was an American merchant and leader in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He fought in the Revolutionary War, then represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress and the U.S. Congress.

Born in Trenton in the Province of New Jersey, his family moved to Philadelphia when Cadwalader was a child, where he attended Dr. Allison's Academy and the College of Philadelphia (later the University of Pennsylvania). Before graduating from the latter, he wsent into business with his brother, John. The brothers' business was a success and they became more active in civic affairs, both in Philadelphia and the wider field of the colony of Pennsylvania. They signed the non-importation agreement in 1765, to support the boycott of English merchants. Lambert became a particularly outspoken opponent of the Stamp Act and later measures. In 1768 he was elected to the American Philosophical Society. In 1774, he has elected to the Provincial Assembly, and, in Philadelphia, he was appointed to the city's Committee of Correspondence. In the spring of 1776, he played a prominent role in the call for a state Constitutional Convention. He was named as a delegate, but attended only the first few meetings, as military duty called him away.

In January 1776, Cadwalader was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion of the Continental Army. Late in the summer, he was in New York to aid that city's defense. Early in 1777, Cadwalader was named colonel and commander of the 3rd Battalion, now called the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment. He declined to take up the assignment because he was on parole and could not serve until exchanged. He was carried on the rolls for almost two years, but a suitable exchange was never arranged. Finally, after officer exchanges broke down, Washington accepted his resignation on January 29, 1777. When the British occupied Philadelphia in 1777, he withdrew to his father's property near Trenton, New Jersey. This home, called Greenwood, would be his residence for the rest of his life.

In 1784, New Jersey selected Cadwalader as a delegate to the Continental Congress. He would serve there for the remaining life of that institution, being returned each year until 1787. When the new government was established for the United States, Cadwalader was a Federalist in national politics. He was elected to the U.S. Congress twice, in 1788 and 1792, losing bids in 1790 and 1794. He died at Greenwood and is buried in the Friends Burying Ground at Trenton.