Eastern New York Timeline - 1630s

1630

Oct 1

Patroon Killian van Rensselaer signs a co-partnership agreement with Samuel Godyn, Johannes de Laet, Samuel Bloemmaert, Adam Bissels, and Toussaint Moussart.

State

Amsterdam pearl merchant Killian van Rensselaer, the first patroon, founds Rensselaerwyck, on lands he purchased from the Mahican Indians, on the upper Hudson River. Receiving a grant for the land from the Dutch West India Company, begins recruiting immigrants. The first shipload arrives. ** The West India Company publishes a pamphlet advertising for New Netherland settlers. ** The first crops are planted at Fort Orange (Albany). ** The Pavonia patroonship is granted. ** John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Colony has a ship, Blessing of the Bay, built and sails it to Long Island to buy wampum from the Dutch. ** Privileges and Exemptions is printed in Amsterdam, the first document to be published about New Netherland. ** The ship Nieu Nederlandt (New Netherland) is built on the Hudson River below Albany.

1632

Mar 19

Peter Minuit returns to Holland aboard the Eendracht (Unity); is succeeded by Bastiaen Jansz Krol, as acting director. Also aboard are Dominie Johannes Michaëlius and Secretary Jan van Remunde.

Apr 7

Dutch diplomat Mijnheer Van Arnhem reports to the Heeren XIX (ruling council) at home that the English at Plymouth recently captured the Eendracht when it put into the harbor to take shelter from a storm. The New Englanders accused the Dutch of illegal settlement in New Netherland and demanded duties be paid on furs being shipped back to Holland.

May 23

Charles I informs the Dutch ambassador Albert Joachimi that the Dutch in America can remain as long as they submit to British royal authority.

1634

Dec 11

Dutch barber-surgeon Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, sent by an officer at Fort Orange to explore the area wheere the Mohawk flows into the Hudson, leaves the fort accompanied by Jeronimus dela Croix and sailor Willem Thomassen.

Dec 12

Ice flows prevent the party from crossing to the northern bank of the Mohawk.

Dec 20

After fording a treacherous stream the Albany explorers reach a Mohawk village of 32 dwellings, the first of several they will encounter.

Dec 24

Van den Bogaert’s poarty witnesses a Mohawk healing ceremony.

State

Indian fur trade with Albany along the Mohawk slows noticeably. The Dutch suspect French encroachment in the trade.

1635

January

Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, Jeronimus dela Croix and Willem Thomassen return to Fort Orange, having explored as far west as Oneida Lake.

Mar 10

The Grand Assembly Treaty of Taagonshi (between Iroquois & Dutch) signed.

England

Henry Alexander, son of the Earl of Stirling, is granted a patent for "matowack or Long Island" by the Council for New England".

1636

Apr 26

Henry, Lord Alexander, appoints James Farret to represent his North American lands. Farret is allowed two islands for himself. He calls one Robbins Island. The other is known as Mr. Farret's Island (later Shelter Island).

Dec 6

English colonial governor Sir Edmund Andros is born in London to Amice Andros - royal bailiff of Guernsey - and his wife.

State

The Delaware name Sewanhacky (place of shells), used to denote Long Island, first appears, in Dutch deeds for land on the western end of the island.

1637

May 3

Lion Gardiner buys an island from Manhassets sachem Poggaticut and his wife Awaw, for ten coats. He names it Isle of Wight (later Gardiner's Island). He will move his family here from Connecticut's Fort Saybrook during the summer.

State

The patroonship of Killian Van Rensselaer now encompasses land 24 miles by 48 miles, covering most of the future Albany and Rensselaer counties.

1638

Sep 21

The Treaty of Hartford (Connecticut) gives the Pequot Indian territory to the Connecticut Valley towns, disperses the survivors amongst the Narragansetts, Mohicans and Long Island's Montauk. The Montauk, as nominal allies of the Pequot, are forced to pay an annual tribute governor of New Haven.

Nov 1

Sir William Alexander, father of the late Lord Alexander, inherits his son's patent for Long Island.

State

Over the next three years the Wenrohronon (Wenro), meaning "the people of the place of floating scum," located near the oil spring at today’s Cuba, New York, migrate westward, seeking refuge from the Seneca with the Hurons. ** The Dutch begin referring to all land west of Albany as Terra Incognita.

1639

Mar 10

The Earl of Stirling is granted Gardiner’s Island. The island is allowed full power to become an independent town.

Apr 30

A three-day Hudson River flood forces residents at Fort Orange to camp in the woods until the water subsides.

Jun 12

James Farrett tansfers ownership of all ungranted land on Long Island to Daniel Howe, Edward Howell, and Job Sayer.

Aug 20

London's Lord Stirling ratifies Farret's disposal of his New England property; Mr. Farrett's Island becomes Shelter Island.

State

David Pieterszoon De Vries visits Fort Orange.

Netherlands

The Dutch West India Company relinquishes its monopoly on the North American fur trade, permitting colonist to enter the trade.

© 2011 David Minor / Eagles Byte