Patroon

For other uses, see Patroon (disambiguation).

In the United States, a patroon (from Dutch patroon, owner or head of a company) was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland in North America. Through the Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions of 1629, the Dutch West India Company first started to grant this title and land to some of its invested members. These inducements to foster immigration (also known as the "Rights and Exemptions"), are the basis for the patroon system.

The deeded tracts were called patroonships and could span 16 miles in length on one side of a major river, or 8 miles if spanning both sides. In 1640 the charter was revised to cut new plot sizes in half, and to allow any Dutch American in good standing to purchase an estate. The title of patroon came with powerful rights and privileges, similar to those of a lord in the feudal period. A patroon could create civil and criminal courts, appoint local officials and hold land in perpetuity. In return, he was commissioned by the Dutch West India Company to establish a settlement of at least 50 families within four years on the land. As tenants working for the patroon, these first settlers were relieved of the duty of public taxes for ten years, but were required to pay the patroon in money, goods, or services in kind. A patroonship had its own village and other infrastructure, including churches (which recorded births, baptisms, and marriages).

After the British takeover of New Netherland in 1664, the system continued with the granting of large tracts known as manors, and sometimes referred to as patroonships.

Rensselaerswyck

The largest and most successful patroonship in New Netherland was the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, established by Kiliaen van Rensselaer. Rensselaerswyck covered almost all of present-day Albany and Rensselaer counties and parts of present-day Columbia and Greene counties in New York State.

Original patents

• Zwaanendael (Delaware Bay) - Samuel Blommaert and Samuel Godyn, plundered by Native Americans soon after its founding.
• Pavonia (Hudson County) - Michael Reyniersz Pauw, re-sold to the West India Company becoming a company-managed holding.
• Staaten Eylandt (Staten Island) - Cornelis Melyn, mired in conflict with Raritan Indians and company politics
• Achter Col (Hackensack River), aborted at the outset of Kieft's War

Other large private land patents

• Colen Donck (Bronx and Yonkers) - Adriaen van der Donck
• Bronx - Jonas Bronck
• Vriessendael - David Pietersen de Vries

English manorial grants

• Bentley Manor - Christopher Billopp.
• Cassilton Manor - John Palmer
• Livingston Manor (Dutchess and Columbia counties) - Robert Livingston the Elder 160,000 acres (650 km²)
• Lloyd's Neck Manor - James Lloyd
• Pelham Manor - David Pelham
• Manor of Rensselaerswyck and Lower Manor at Calverack

Notable English non-manorial grants

• Cortlandt Manor - Stephanus Van Cortlandt (Westchester County) 85,000 acres (340 km²)
• Schuyler Mansion - Pieter Schuyler (Albany and Saratoga County)
• Castleton Manor - Thomas Dongan - now Dongan Hills, Staten Island
• Morrisania - Lewis Morris

Resistance

• Jacob Leisler and Leisler's Rebellion
• Anti-Rent War

Abolition

The word patroonship was used until the year 1775, when the English redefined the lands as estates and took away the jurisdictional privilege. Rensselaerswyck was dismantled in the 18th century and became different counties and towns in New York's Capital District.

See also

• New Netherland settlements
• Voorleser

References

• The Patroon System
• Patroonships
• Manor Lords
• Schuyler House
• Dutch Patroons
• The Patroonship plan
• [1]

External links

• Westhook Patent:[2]
• Rensselaerswyck information
• Albany Patroons Basketball Team
• Dragonwyck
• Howard Zinn's: A People's History of the United States Chapter 10: The Other Civil War