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Patroon

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Patroons redirects here. For the CBA team, see Albany Patroons.

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 (notably along the Hudson River in New York). 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 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).

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

Other large private land patents

English manorial grants

Notable English non-manorial grants

Resistance

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 the Capital District among them: Blauvelt, Cohoes, Colonie, Watervliet

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Burrows, Edwin G.; Wallace, Mike (1999) [1999], Gotham A History of New York City to 1898, New York: Oxford University Press, p. 92, ISBN 978-0-19-514049 {{citation}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |chapterurl= and |month= (help)
  2. ^ English Crown Grants By S.L. Mershon NEW YORK THE LAW AND HISTORY CLUB: PUBLISHERS 39 CORTLANDT STREET 1918

References

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