Charles S. Colden

Charles Senff Colden (June 3, 1885 – September 14, 1960) was an American lawyer and judge from New York.

Life Colden was born on June 3, 1885, in Whitestone, New York, the son of David Colden and Harriet Brian. His father was a farmer who owned a prosperous ice, hay, and grain business. He was a direct descent of New York colonial governor Cadwallader Colden and a great-nephew of New York City mayor Cadwallader D. Colden.

Colden graduated from the Whitestone public school in 1900 and from Flushing High School in 1904.

In February 1932, after Queens County District Attorney James T. Hallinan was appointed to the New York Supreme Court, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Colden to be the new Queens County District Attorney. Colden served as County Judge until 1943, when he was elected to the New York Supreme Court. He was a Democrat, but he was endorsed by the Republicans. He served as Justice on the Court until 1956, when he became the official referee of the Court. Furthermore, he was still refereeing when he died.

Colden was called the father of Queens College. In 1935, he was the organizer of the Queens College Association, which advocated for a college in the county. He was president of the association until his death. The college named its Center for Music and Speech after him, and he served as president of the Speech and Hearing Service Center until his resignation in 1949. In 1956, the college presented him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his leadership in founding the college. the Flushing Bar Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Royal Arcanum. He was also president of the Whitestone Improvers' Association and a trustee of Flushing Hospital. He belonged to the Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone. In 1909, he married Gunhild E. Dose. Their children were Helen and Charles Cadwallader. He was buried in Flushing Cemetery.