Colonial history of New Jersey
Encyclopedia
European colonialization of New Jersey started soon after the 1609 exploration of its coast and bays by Sir Henry Hudson. Part of the state was settled by Dutch
and Swedish
as New Netherland
and New Sweden
. In 1664 the entire area was surrendered to the British
, and given its name. With ratification of the Treaty of Westminster
in 1674, they formally gained control of the region until the American Revolution
.
Dutch settlement in the seventeenth century was concentrated along the banks of the North River and the Upper New York Bay
, though they maintained facotijen along the Delaware River
as well. Although the European principle of land ownership was not recognized by the Lenape
, Dutch policy required formal purchase of all land settled upon The settlement grew slowly, impeded by Willem Kieft
's mismanagement. In 1658, the last Director-General of New Netherland
, Peter Stuyvesant
, "re-purchased" the entire peninsula known as Bergen Neck
, and in 1661 granted a charter to the village at Bergen
, establishing the oldest municipality in the state.
, founded in 1638, rose to its height under governor Johan Björnsson Printz
(1643–1653). Led by Printz, the settlement extended as far north as Fort Christina
(on both sides of the Delaware River
). He helped to improve the military and commercial status of the colony by constructing Fort Nya Elfsborg
, which is now near Salem
, on the east side of the Delaware River. Swedesboro
and Bridgeport
were founded as part of the colony. In 1655, the Dutch asserted control over the territory.
had been the first to discover North America, the British granted the land that now encompasses New Jersey to the Duke of York
, who ordered Colonel
Richard Nicolls
to take over the area. In September 1664, a British fleet under the command of Richard Nicolls sailed into what is now Port of New York and New Jersey
and seized the colony from the Dutch. The British received little resistance due to West India Company's decision not to garrison the colony. After capturing the colony, Nicolls took the position of deputy-governor of New Amsterdam
and the rest of New Netherland, guaranteeing colonists' property rights, laws of inheritance, and the enjoyment of religious freedom.
Within six years, the nations were again at war, and in August 1673 the Dutch recaptured New Netherland with a fleet of 21 ships. Nevertheless, in November 1674, the Dutch Treaty of Westminster
concluded the war and ceded New Netherland to the English due financial insolvency.
and Maryland
to his brother, the Duke of York (later King James II
), which was renamed New York
. Soon thereafter James granted the land between the Hudson River
and the Delaware River
to two friends who had been loyal to him through the English Civil War
: Sir George Carteret
and Lord Berkeley of Stratton
. That part of New Netherland was named New Jersey after the English Channel
Island of Jersey
.
The two proprietors of New Jersey attempted to entice more settlers to move to New Jersey by granting sections of lands to settlers and by passing Concession and Agreement
, a document granting religious freedom to all inhabitants of New Jersey; under the British Church of England
there was no such religious freedom. In return for land, settlers paid annual fees known as quitrents. Land grants made in connection to the importation of slaves were another enticement for settlers.Philip Carteret
was appointed by the two proprietors as the first governor of New Jersey. Philip Carteret designated Elizabethtown
as the first capital of the colony. However, it became difficult for the two proprietors to collect the quitrents. As a result, on March 18, 1673 Berkeley sold his share of New Jersey to the Quakers
.
With this sale, New Jersey was divided into East Jersey
and West Jersey
, two distinct provinces of the proprietary colony. The political division existed for the 26 years between 1674 and 1702. Determination of an exact location for a border between West Jersey and East Jersey
was often a matter of dispute, as was the border with New York.
The border between the two sides reached the Atlantic Ocean to the north of Atlantic City. The border line
was created by George Keith
, and can still be seen in the county boundaries between Monmouth
and Burlington
/Mercer
Counties; Burlington
and Ocean
Counties; and Hunterdon
and Somerset
Counties, reaching upward to a point on the Delaware River which is just north of the Delaware Water Gap
. The border was often disputed, so with the 1676 Quintipartite Deed more accurate surveys and maps were made to resolve property disputes. This resulted in the Thornton line, drawn around 1696, and the Lawrence line, drawn around 1743, which was adopted as the final line for legal purposes.
, Newark Tract, Horseneck Tract
, Woodbridge
, Piscataway, Shrewsbury
, New Barbadoes Neck
, English Neighborhood
, and Maisland
. In West Jersey, Salem
and Burlington
were early settlements.
After the final transfer of power to the English, New Netherlander
s and their descendents spread across East Jersey and established many of the towns and cities which exist today. The Dutch Reformed Church
played an important role this expansion Following the course of the Hudson River
in the north to the Raritan River
in the south, settlement and population grew along what George Washington
called the "Dutch Belt". The American classis secured a charter in 1766 for Queens College (now Rutgers University
), where the appointment in 1784 of John Henry Livingston
as professor of theology marked the beginning of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
.
built in the colonial era are:
, in today's Jersey City
.
Two Colonial Colleges were founded in the Province. In 1746, The College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
) was founded in Elizabethtown by a group of Great Awakening "New Lighters" that included Jonathan Dickinson
, Aaron Burr, Sr.
and Peter Van Brugh Livingston
. In 1756, the school moved to Princeton. In 1766, Queens College (now Rutgers University
) was founded in New Brunswick by Dutch Reformed ministers with a Royal Charter from George III. The college was named after his wife Queen Charlotte.
Rutgers Preparatory School
was founded in 1766. The Newark Academy
was founded in 1774.
, making it pivotal in the ultimate victory of the American colonists. The important role earned it the titles of "Crossroads of the Revolution" and the "Military Capital of the Revolution".
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
as New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
and New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
. In 1664 the entire area was surrendered to the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, and given its name. With ratification of the Treaty of Westminster
Treaty of Westminster
Treaty of Westminster may refer to:*Treaty of Westminster , also known as the Treaty of Wallingford*Treaty of Westminster , also known as the Treaty of Westminster-Ardtornish...
in 1674, they formally gained control of the region until the American Revolution
New Jersey during the American Revolution
As the location of many major battles, New Jersey was pivotal in the American Revolution and the ultimate victory of the American colonists. The important role New Jersey played earned it the titles of "Crossroads of the Revolution" and the "Military Capital of the Revolution".Not all of the...
.
Pre-Colonial History
A wave of inhabitant entered the region 2,986 years ago and left behind advanced hunting implements such as bows and arrows and evidence of an agricultural society. The region has probably remained continually inhabited from that time.New Netherland
Upper New York Bay
Upper New York Bay, or Upper Bay, is the traditional heart of the Port of New York and New Jersey, and often called New York Harbor. It is enclosed by the New York City boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island and the Hudson County, New Jersey municipalities of Jersey City and Bayonne.It...
, though they maintained facotijen along the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
as well. Although the European principle of land ownership was not recognized by the Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
, Dutch policy required formal purchase of all land settled upon The settlement grew slowly, impeded by Willem Kieft
Willem Kieft
Willem Kieft was a Dutch merchant and director-general of New Netherland , from 1638 until 1647. He formed the council of twelve men, the first representative body in New Netherland, but ignored its advice...
's mismanagement. In 1658, the last Director-General of New Netherland
Director-General of New Netherland
This is a list of Directors, appointed by the Dutch West India Company, of the 17th century Dutch province of New Netherland in North America...
, Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
, "re-purchased" the entire peninsula known as Bergen Neck
Bergen Neck
Bergen Neck is a name for the peninsula between the Upper New York Bay and the Newark Bay in the Hudson County, New Jersey municipalities of Bayonne and Jersey City...
, and in 1661 granted a charter to the village at Bergen
Bergen Square
Bergen Square, at the intersection of Bergen Avenue and Academy Street in Jersey City, is in the southwestern part of the much larger Journal Square district...
, establishing the oldest municipality in the state.
New Sweden
New SwedenNew Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
, founded in 1638, rose to its height under governor Johan Björnsson Printz
Johan Björnsson Printz
Johan Björnsson Printz was governor from 1643 until 1653 of the Swedish colony of New Sweden on the Delaware River in North America.-Early Life in Sweden:...
(1643–1653). Led by Printz, the settlement extended as far north as Fort Christina
Fort Christina
Fort Christina was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony...
(on both sides of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
). He helped to improve the military and commercial status of the colony by constructing Fort Nya Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg was a fortification and settlement established as a part of New Sweden. Built in 1643 and named after the Älvsborg Fortress off Gothenburg, Fort Nya Elfsborg was located on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, between present day Salem and Alloway Creek.-History:Fort Nya...
, which is now near Salem
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
, on the east side of the Delaware River. Swedesboro
Swedesboro, New Jersey
Swedesboro is a borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,055....
and Bridgeport
Bridgeport, New Jersey
Bridgeport is an unincorporated area within Logan Township, located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08014....
were founded as part of the colony. In 1655, the Dutch asserted control over the territory.
British takeover
Italian navigator John Cabot left England in 1456 to explore North America. The British claimed that New Netherland was part of Cabot's discoveries, prior to Hudson. Insisting that John CabotJohn Cabot
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America is commonly held to have been the first European encounter with the continent of North America since the Norse Vikings in the eleventh century...
had been the first to discover North America, the British granted the land that now encompasses New Jersey to the Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
, who ordered Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Richard Nicolls
Richard Nicolls
Richard Nicolls was the first English colonial governor of New York province....
to take over the area. In September 1664, a British fleet under the command of Richard Nicolls sailed into what is now Port of New York and New Jersey
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey comprises the waterways in the estuary of the New York-Newark metropolitan area with a port district encompassing an approximate area within a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument...
and seized the colony from the Dutch. The British received little resistance due to West India Company's decision not to garrison the colony. After capturing the colony, Nicolls took the position of deputy-governor of New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
and the rest of New Netherland, guaranteeing colonists' property rights, laws of inheritance, and the enjoyment of religious freedom.
Within six years, the nations were again at war, and in August 1673 the Dutch recaptured New Netherland with a fleet of 21 ships. Nevertheless, in November 1674, the Dutch Treaty of Westminster
Treaty of Westminster (1674)
The Treaty of Westminster of 1674 was the peace treaty that ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War. Signed by the Netherlands and England, it provided for the return of the colony of New Netherland to England and renewed the Treaty of Breda of 1667...
concluded the war and ceded New Netherland to the English due financial insolvency.
Proprietary Colony
Charles II gave the region between New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to his brother, the Duke of York (later King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
), which was renamed New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Soon thereafter James granted the land between the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
to two friends who had been loyal to him through the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
: Sir George Carteret
George Carteret
Vice Admiral Sir George Carteret, 1st Baronet , son of Elias de Carteret, was a royalist statesman in Jersey and England, who served in the Clarendon Ministry as Treasurer of the Navy...
and Lord Berkeley of Stratton
John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton
John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton was an English royalist soldier. From 1648 he was closely associated with James, Duke of York, and rose to prominence, fortune and fame.-First English Civil War:...
. That part of New Netherland was named New Jersey after the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
Island of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
.
The two proprietors of New Jersey attempted to entice more settlers to move to New Jersey by granting sections of lands to settlers and by passing Concession and Agreement
Concession and Agreement
Concession and Agreement was a document that provided religious freedom in the colony of New Jersey. It was issued as a proclamation for the structure of the government for the colony written in 1665 by the two proprietors, Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret.The document promised religious...
, a document granting religious freedom to all inhabitants of New Jersey; under the British Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
there was no such religious freedom. In return for land, settlers paid annual fees known as quitrents. Land grants made in connection to the importation of slaves were another enticement for settlers.Philip Carteret
Philip Carteret (Governor)
Philip Carteret was the first and fourth British colonial governor of New Jersey, from 1665 to 1672 and from 1674 to 1682.The English annexed the Dutch province of New Netherland in 1664, and lands west of the Hudson River were awarded to two Lords Proprietors, John Berkeley and George Carteret...
was appointed by the two proprietors as the first governor of New Jersey. Philip Carteret designated Elizabethtown
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
as the first capital of the colony. However, it became difficult for the two proprietors to collect the quitrents. As a result, on March 18, 1673 Berkeley sold his share of New Jersey to the Quakers
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
.
Division into East and West
East Jersey
The Province of East Jersey and the Province of West Jersey were two distinct, separately governed parts of the Province of New Jersey that existed as separate provinces for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702. East Jersey's capital was located at Perth Amboy...
and West Jersey
West Jersey
West Jersey and East Jersey were two distinct parts of the Province of New Jersey. The political division existed for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702...
, two distinct provinces of the proprietary colony. The political division existed for the 26 years between 1674 and 1702. Determination of an exact location for a border between West Jersey and East Jersey
Border between West Jersey and East Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was formally separated into two provinces, West Jersey and East Jersey, for the 28 years between 1674 and 1702.Determination of an exact location for a West Jersey/East Jersey borderline was often a matter of dispute...
was often a matter of dispute, as was the border with New York.
The border between the two sides reached the Atlantic Ocean to the north of Atlantic City. The border line
Keith line
The Keith line was a line drawn through the Province of New Jersey, dividing it into the Province of West Jersey and the Province of East Jersey. The line was created by Surveyor-General George Keith in 1686, when he ran the first survey to mark out the border between West Jersey and East Jersey...
was created by George Keith
George Keith
George Keith was a Scottish missionary.-Life:Born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to a Presbyterian family, he received an M.A. from the University of Aberdeen...
, and can still be seen in the county boundaries between Monmouth
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
and Burlington
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
/Mercer
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
Counties; Burlington
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
and Ocean
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
Counties; and Hunterdon
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
and Somerset
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
Counties, reaching upward to a point on the Delaware River which is just north of the Delaware Water Gap
Delaware Water Gap
The Delaware Water Gap is on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains...
. The border was often disputed, so with the 1676 Quintipartite Deed more accurate surveys and maps were made to resolve property disputes. This resulted in the Thornton line, drawn around 1696, and the Lawrence line, drawn around 1743, which was adopted as the final line for legal purposes.
Early Partitions and Tracts
After 1675 much of the territory was quickly divided up leading to the distribution of land into large tracts which later led to real estate speculation and subdivision. In East Jersey they included the Elizabethtown TractElizabethtown Tract
The Elizabethtown Tract was a property that was purchased on October 28, 1664, by John Baily, Daniel Denton and Luke Watson from the Native Americans that is in the area of present-day Elizabeth, New Jersey....
, Newark Tract, Horseneck Tract
Horseneck Tract
The Horseneck Tract was an area in present-day Essex County, New Jersey, United States, that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.On May 1, 1701...
, Woodbridge
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
-Communities:Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places, but they are all unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within the Township that,...
, Piscataway, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Shrewsbury is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,809....
, New Barbadoes Neck
New Barbadoes Neck
New Barbadoes Neck is the name given in the colonial era for the peninsula in northeastern New Jersey, USA between the lower Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, in what is now western Hudson County and southern Bergen County...
, English Neighborhood
English Neighborhood
The English Neighborhood was the colonial-era name for the towns in eastern Bergen County, New Jersey, along the Hudson Palisades between the North River and the Hackensack River, particularly around its main tributary, Overpeck Creek. The region had been part of the Dutch New Netherland colony of...
, and Maisland
Maisland
Maisland, or Mais Land was an area in Hudson County, New Jersey.-Location:The region of Maisland was located on the western slope of the Hudson Palisades....
. In West Jersey, Salem
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
and Burlington
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
were early settlements.
Dutch Reformed Church
New Netherlander
New Netherlanders were residents of New Netherland, the seventeenth century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the northeastern coast of North America, centered around the Hudson River and New York Bay, and at the end of the colony in the Delaware Valley.The...
s and their descendents spread across East Jersey and established many of the towns and cities which exist today. The Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
played an important role this expansion Following the course of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in the north to the Raritan River
Raritan River
The Raritan River is a major river of central New Jersey in the United States. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
in the south, settlement and population grew along what George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
called the "Dutch Belt". The American classis secured a charter in 1766 for Queens College (now Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
), where the appointment in 1784 of John Henry Livingston
John Henry Livingston
The Reverend John Henry Livingston was the fourth President of Queen's College serving from 1810 until his death in 1825.-Biography:...
as professor of theology marked the beginning of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick Theological Seminary is a professional and graduate school founded in 1784, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to educate ministers for the congregations of the Reformed Church in America...
.
| Year | Congregation |
|---|---|
| 1660 | Bergen Old Bergen Church The Old Bergen Church is located in Jersey City, New Jersey and is the oldest continuous congregation in New Jersey dating back to 1660. The congregation embraces a combination of Reformed Church in America and Presbyterianism.... at Bergen Square Bergen Square Bergen Square, at the intersection of Bergen Avenue and Academy Street in Jersey City, is in the southwestern part of the much larger Journal Square district... , now Jersey City Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay... |
| 1693 | Acquackanonk in Passaic Passaic, New Jersey Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861... |
| 1694 | Tappan Tappan, New York Tappan is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Old Tappan, New Jersey; east of Nauraushaun and Pearl River; south of Blauvelt and west of Palisades and Sparkill... |
| 1696 | Hackensack First Reformed Dutch Church, Hackensack First Dutch Reformed Church, also known as the "Old Church on the Green" is located in Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, where it sits in the churchyard of the church by the same name, the current building being constructed in 1791. The east wall of the building is of particular interest... |
| 1699 | Brick Old Brick Reformed Church The Old Brick Reformed Church began in Marlboro, New Jersey in 1699. It is a member of the Reformed Church in America, the oldest Protestant denomination in America.- External links :*... in Marlboro |
| 1700 | Second River Reformed Dutch Church of Second River Reformed Dutch Church of Second River, also known as the Belleville Dutch Reformed Church was founded in 1697 as a Dutch Reformed Church, located in present day Belleville, New Jersey. The church is named after the Second River which is a tributary of the Passaic River. The church was rebuilt in... in Belleville Belleville, New Jersey Belleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:... |
| 1703 | Six Mile Run Six Mile Run Reformed Church The Six Mile Run Reformed Church is in Six Mile Run, Franklin Park, New Jersey and takes its name from Six Mile Run, a tributary of the Millstone River that flows through the area.... |
| 1710 | Ponds Oakland, New Jersey Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House... in Oakland Oakland, New Jersey Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House... |
| 1717 | New Brunswick First Reformed Church, New Brunswick, New Jersey The First Reformed Church and Cemetery is in New Brunswick, New Jersey on Church Street and is adjacent to the First Presbyterian Churchyard, New Brunswick.-History:The congregation was formed in 1717. The church building was constructed in 1812... |
| 1720 | Fairfield Fairfield Dutch Reformed Church Fairfield Dutch Reformed Church is a historic church on Fairfield Road in Fairfield, New Jersey.The congregation was established in 1720. The building dates to 1804 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.... |
| 1724 | Schraalenburgh South Schraalenburgh Church South Schraalenburgh Church, also known as South Presbyterian Church, was founded 1723 in Bergenfield, New Jersey as a Dutch reformed church, as an alternative place of worship, as the nearest church was located in Hackensack. The square church was completed in 1728... now Dumont Dumont, New Jersey Dumont is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 17,479 at the 2010 Census.Dumont was formed on July 20, 1894, as the Borough of Schraalenburgh from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping... |
| 1725 | Paramus Paramus Reformed Church Historic District Paramus Reformed Church Historic District is a historic district bounded by Franklin Turnpike, NJ 17, Saddle River, south side of the cemetery, and Glen Avenue in Ridgewood, New Jersey.... now Ridgewood Ridgewood, New Jersey Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was... |
| 1727 | Harlingen Harlingen, New Jersey Harlingen is an unincorporated area within the Belle Mead section of Montgomery Township, New Jersey. It is adjacent to the historical areas of Dutchtown, New Jersey and Bridgepoint, New Jersey. Harlingen Road and U.S. Route 206, are in Harlingen. The Harlingen Dutch Reformed Church on Route 206 is... |
| 1736 | Pompton Plains |
| 1740 | Ramopock Dutch Reformed Church at Romopock Dutch Reformed Church at Romopock is a historic church on Island Road at West Ramapo Avenue in Mahwah, New Jersey. The church was built in 1798 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 1985.-External links:* via Google Street View... in Mahwah Mahwah, New Jersey Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was... |
| 1755 | Totowa Totowa, New Jersey Totowa is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 9,892.Totowa was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1898, from portions of the now-defunct Manchester Township and Wayne... in Paterson Paterson, New Jersey Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023... |
| 1756 | Montivlle Parsonage of the Montville Reformed Dutch Church Parsonage of the Montville Reformed Dutch Church is a historic church parsonage at 107 Changebridge Road in Montville, New Jersey.It was built in 1840 and added to the National Register in 1992.-External links:*... |
| 1770 | Ridgefield Dutch Reformed Church in the English Neighborhood Dutch Reformed Church in the English Neighborhood is a historic church at 1040 Edgewater Avenue in Ridgefield, New Jersey... in the English Neighborhood English Neighborhood The English Neighborhood was the colonial-era name for the towns in eastern Bergen County, New Jersey, along the Hudson Palisades between the North River and the Hackensack River, particularly around its main tributary, Overpeck Creek. The region had been part of the Dutch New Netherland colony of... |
Religious Society of Friends
Much of West Jersey was settled by Quakers who established congregations and founded towns througout the region, including eponymous Quakertown in 1744. Among the meeting housesFriends meeting house
A Friends meeting house is a meeting house of the Religious Society of Friends , where meeting for worship may be held.-History:Quakers do not believe that meeting for worship should take place in any special place. They believe that "where two or three meet together in my name, I am there among...
built in the colonial era are:
| Year | Locale | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Seaville Friends Meeting House | Seaville Upper Township, New Jersey Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census... |
1716 |
| Woodbury Friends' Meetinghouse Woodbury Friends' Meetinghouse Woodbury Friends' Meetinghouse is a historic Quaker meeting house at 120 N. Broad Street in Woodbury, New Jersey.It was built in 1715 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.-See also:*List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey... |
Woodbury Woodbury, New Jersey Woodbury is a city in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, 10,307 residents were counted. Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County.... |
c.1715 |
| Bordentown Friends Meetinghouse | Bordentown Bordentown, New Jersey Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek... |
1740 |
| Smith Friends Meetinghouse | Harmony Harmony Township, New Jersey -Transportation:The only major road that traverses Harmony is CR 519 which leads to U.S. Route 22 to the south and U.S. Route 46 to the north.The closest limited access road is Interstate 78 which is in neighboring Greenwich and Franklin.- Local government :... |
1753 |
| Alloways Creek Friends Meetinghouse Alloways Creek Friends Meetinghouse Alloways Creek Friends Meetinghouse is a historic Quaker meeting house on Buttonwood Ave, 150 feet west of Main Street inHancock's Bridge, New Jersey.... |
Hancock's Bridge Hancock's Bridge, New Jersey Hancock's Bridge is an unincorporated area located within Lower Alloways Creek Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08038.... |
1756 |
| Dover Friends Meetinghouse Friends Meetinghouse (Dover, New Jersey) Friends Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house in Dover, New Jersey.It was built in 1758 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.... |
Dover Dover, New Jersey Dover is a town in Morris County, New Jersey on the Rockaway River. Dover is west of New York City and west of Newark, New Jersey. As of the United States Census, 2000, the town's population was 18,188.-Geography:... |
1758 |
| Evesham Friends Meeting House Evesham Friends Meeting House Evesham Friends Meeting House is a historic Quaker meeting house at Moorestown-Mt. Laurel and Hainesport-Mt. Laurel Roads in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.It was built in 1760 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.... |
Mount Laurel | 1760 |
| Greenwich Friends Meetinghouse | Greenwich Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Greenwich Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 4,879.... |
1771 |
| Salem Friends Meetinghouse | Salem Salem, New Jersey Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and... |
1773 |
| Chesterfields Friends Meetinghouse | Crosswicks Crosswicks, New Jersey Crosswicks Village is an unincorporated area within Chesterfield Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08515.... |
1773 |
| Arney's Mount Friends Meetinghouse Arney's Mount Friends Meetinghouse and Burial Ground Arney's Mount Friends Meetinghouse and Burial Ground is a historic Quaker meetinghouse which is located at the intersection of Mount Holly-Juliustown and Pemberton-Arney's Mount Roads, Arney's Mount, New Jersey.... |
Pemberton Pemberton, New Jersey Pemberton, formerly New Mills, is a Borough in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,210.... |
1775 |
| Copenney Friends Meetinghouse | 1775 | |
| Trenton Friends Meeting House Trenton Friends Meeting House Trenton Friends Meeting House is a historic Quaker meeting house at 142 E. Hanover Street in Trenton, New Jersey.It was built in 1776 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.... |
Trenton Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913... |
1776 |
Baptists
| Church | Locale | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Cohansey Baptist Church | Roadstown, west of Bridgetown Bridgeton, New Jersey Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 25,349. It is the county seat of Cumberland County... |
1683/1690 |
| Stelton Baptist Church Stelton Baptist Church, Edison The Stelton Baptist Church is in Edison, New Jersey. It is the second oldest Baptist Church in New Jersey and the tenth oldest in the United States.-History:... |
Piscataway Township, later Edison Edison, New Jersey Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township... |
1689 |
| Ye Olde Yellow Meeting House Upper Freehold Baptist Meeting Upper Freehold Baptist Meeting is a historic church in Imlaystown, New Jersey, and the oldest Baptist Meetinghouse in the State.... |
Imlaystown Imlaystown, New Jersey Imlaystown is a small historic community and unincorporated area located within Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in zip code 08526. The village is easily accessible from Exit 11 off Interstate 195.-History:... |
1720 |
Architecture
There are numerous extant buildings from the colonial era located throughout the state.Schools
The oldest continuosly used school site in the state was established in 1664 at Bergen SquareBergen Square
Bergen Square, at the intersection of Bergen Avenue and Academy Street in Jersey City, is in the southwestern part of the much larger Journal Square district...
, in today's Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
.
Two Colonial Colleges were founded in the Province. In 1746, The College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
) was founded in Elizabethtown by a group of Great Awakening "New Lighters" that included Jonathan Dickinson
Jonathan Dickinson
Jonathan Dickinson was a Quaker merchant from Port Royal, Jamaica who was shipwrecked on the southeast coast of Florida in 1696, along with his family and the other passengers and crew members of the ship....
, Aaron Burr, Sr.
Aaron Burr, Sr.
The Reverend Aaron Burr, Sr., was a notable divine and educator in colonial America. He was a founder of the College of New Jersey and the father of the third United States Vice President, Aaron Burr , who killed Alexander Hamilton.-Biography:A native of Connecticut, Burr was born in 1716 in...
and Peter Van Brugh Livingston
Peter Van Brugh Livingston
Peter Van Brugh Livingston was a Patriot during the American Revolution.-Life:...
. In 1756, the school moved to Princeton. In 1766, Queens College (now Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
) was founded in New Brunswick by Dutch Reformed ministers with a Royal Charter from George III. The college was named after his wife Queen Charlotte.
Rutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School is a private, coeducational, university preparatory day school located in Somerset, New Jersey serving students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade...
was founded in 1766. The Newark Academy
Newark Academy
Newark Academy is a coeducational private day school located in Livingston, New Jersey. With both lower and upper schools, this institution comprises grades six through twelve...
was founded in 1774.
Revolutionary War
Many major battles were fought in New Jersey during the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, making it pivotal in the ultimate victory of the American colonists. The important role earned it the titles of "Crossroads of the Revolution" and the "Military Capital of the Revolution".
See also
- Director-General of New NetherlandDirector-General of New NetherlandThis is a list of Directors, appointed by the Dutch West India Company, of the 17th century Dutch province of New Netherland in North America...
- List of colonial governors of New Jersey
- British colonization of the AmericasBritish colonization of the AmericasBritish colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
- Toponymy of Bergen, New NetherlandToponymy of Bergen, New NetherlandBergen was part of the 17th century colony of New Netherland centered around Fort Amsterdam in what is now northeastern New Jersey. Placenames in most cases had their roots in Algonquian language Lenape and Dutch....
Other sources
- Ward, Christopher L. The Dutch and Swedes on the Delaware, 1609-64 (University of Pennsylvania. 1930)
- Leiby, A. C. The Early Dutch and Swedish Settlers of New Jersey (Princeton: D. Van Nostrand Co. 1964)
External links
- New Jersey Emigration and Immigration
- New Jersey City University: Chronology of History of New Jersey