The Dutch and the Patroons

Stanley Rubenstein

[An essay included in an historical series published by
the Henry George School of Social Science, New York, NY - 1967]

One memorable September day, almost three hundred and fifty years ago, the Half Moon under the command of Henry Hudson, sailed into the harbor of New York, and ushered into the New World a part of the Old World. The subsequent fifty year period was one of trading and settlement by the Dutch, with many roots of land ownership and tenure formulated. It appears characteristic of many colonial powers to transplant the archaic traits of their culture and economy in colonies. A case in point is the Netherlands, for many of its democratic aspects appear not to have taken root in their New York settlements.

Although he was English by birth, Henry Hudson transferred his reportings of discoveries in the New World to the Dutch East India Company. Since the United Netherlands was primarily a sea-faring country during the first half of the seventeenth century, trade was of prime consideration and colonization secondary. Therefore, rather than commence emigration on a scale comparable to the English, the establishing of trading posts was of utmost importance. Accordingly a charter was granted by the Estates General of the United Netherlands to the New Netherland Company authorizing exclusive rights to visit and navigate the area called New Netherlands.

The Dutch West India Company, several years later, was granted a new charter with almost unlimited powers, and an era started which had collateral effects in rent riots two centuries later, and three and a half centuries later in land ownership. In 1623 the New Netherland set sail under auspices of the newly chartered trading company with approximately thirty Walloon families, for the purpose of colonization. These families of hearty Protestant stock were deposited at strategic locations in lower Manhattan, along the Delaware and Connecticut rivers, on the western shore of Long Island and in Albany.

Colonization progressed at a slow rate and the Dutch company and the Estates General were anxious to facilitate the process. In 1629 they both adopted the Charter of Freedom and Exemptions which authorized private persons, with the permission of the governor and his council, to "choose and take possession of as much land as they could properly cultivate and hold in full ownership." The Dutch company granted to certain members known as patroons, manorial rights frequently in conflict with the system conceived by Van Rensselaer, one of its directors. Since permanent settlers were needed for successful colonization; he evolved the plan of granting large estates to men who would pay the cost of transporting and settling them. A bona fide patroon was one who obtained fifty adults within a period of four years. This entitled him to have lands extending sixteen miles on one side or eight miles on both sides of a river and as far in as necessary.

The system of patroonship resembled in many respects feudalistic times in medieval Europe. The patroon administered justice and established the court system to implement it. He received a tenth of all grains, fruits and other products raised; obtained a rent of 500 guilders or $200 a year; and received from the occupants of the patroonship a multitude of services including quit rent, wheat, butter and fowl. The Rensselaerwyck was the most successful and after several purchases controlled the counties of nearby Albany, Rensselaer and part of Columbia, but there were others whose size was a major factor in their importance. The Van Cortland manor comprised 85,000 acres, and the Livingston manor, now located in Columbia County, 160,000 acres. Cortnelis Melyn controlled all of Staten Island, Thomas Pell controlled Pelham, James Lloyd possessed Lloyd's Neck on northern Long Island, John Archer owned Fordham, and Caleb Heathcote occupied Scarsdale.

Although history has a tendency to record mainly the grandeur of the large estates, the majority of the colonists were neither patroons nor lords of the manors. Those who. occupied western Long Island and various points along the Hudson river played an important role in the development of the province. The patroonship system was doomed to failure because it attempted to implant a feudalistic society in an area where much land could be obtained. free, oz for beads, shells, blankets and trinkets traded to the Indians.

In 1664 the Dutch ceased to rule in New York for they were defeated by the English. The lords of the manor now took on proportions of a landed aristocracy. A footnote to the cessation of Dutch rule in New York was the recognition by the Duke of York of England of the validity of all titles granted by the Dutch Trading Company.