The province had originally been settled by europeans as part of new netherland, but came under english rule after the surrender of fort amsterdam in 1664, becoming a proprietary colony. New jersey grew and prospered during the early 1800s. Jan 19, 2010 the governor of new jersey is the head of the executive branch of new jersey s state government and the commanderinchief of the states military forces. Bergen, founded in 1660, was new jersey first permanent european settlement. In 1790, trenton officially became the state capital of new jersey. The land was divided into east and west jersey with the west being settled mostly by quakers and the east by puritans and wealthy plantation owners. On april 17, 1702, under the rule of queen anne, the two sections of the proprietary colony were united and new jersey became a royal colony. New jersey colony facts and history the history junkie. A big reason why our colony is so successful is because we keep everything controlled to where the citizens elect the people that have.
Will of lewis morris, including autobiographical material. In 1665, philip carteret became the first colonial governor. New jersey was one of the original thirteen colonies, and was the third colony to ratify. Constitution and the first state to sign the bill of rights. Hangout assignment new jersey a short history of new. Oct 03, 2015 edward hyde, known as lord cornbury, and later the third earl of clarendon, served as governor of the colonies of new york and new jersey from 1702 until 1708. Sir george carteret was the founder of the new jersey colony along with lord berkeley. English explorer john cabot saw the new jersey coast in 1498, but the italian navigator giovanni da verrazzano was the first european to explore and chart it, in 1524. The land was granted to 12 massachusetts natives by new jerseys first governor, philip carteret. New jersey was one of the original thirteen colonies, and was the third colony to ratify the constitution forming the united states of america. The dutch west india company worked to stimulate settlement in the area by granting patroonships, land grants in which the grantee was given proprietary and manorial rights over settlers he sponsored. List of colonial governors of massachusetts wikipedia.
The official web site for the state of new jersey a short. New jersey was founded by the english colonists in 1664. New jersey governors, 1776present center on the american. The first towns were settled, including elizabethtown, the first colonial capital of new jersey, named in honor of sir georges wife, elizabeth. The new jersey colony was founded by sir george carteret and lord berkeley in 1664. Jun 30, 2019 john cabot was the first european explorer to come into contact with the new jersey shore.
In 1524 the italian explorer giovanni da verrazzano was the first european to reach new jersey. In the early 17th century, the dutch and the swedes founded the first european settlements in the state. The first europeans to set foot in new jersey were sailors from the dutchowned ship half moon, commanded by english explorer henry hudson, in 1609. The first new jersey state constitution, ratified in 1776, provided that a governor be elected annually by the state legislature, the members of. Judge lewis morris led the case for a separate governor, and was appointed governor by king george ii in 1738. New jersey history britannica encyclopedia britannica. In the new jersey colony, our government is a representative government. New jersey was named after british island of jersey, situated in the english channel and part of the channel islands. James oglethorpe he acted as georgias first governor, and in many ways, proved to be a wise, brave, and kind leader.
The first college in the colony was queens college, now called rutgers was founded in 1766. The dutch west india company gave michael pauw a patroonship in new jersey. Henry hudson also explored this area as he searched for the northwest passage. Tom kean, the 48th governor of new jersey, comes from some of the united states most storied families. When new jersey at last gained its independence from new york in 1736, lewis morris was appointed the colonys first governor. For many years new jersey was part of new york colony.
In 1664 england took control of the land that was the new jersey colony. John berkeley and george carteret were named proprietors of the colony. The colony was founded in 1664 by lord berkeley and sir george carteret. In 1702, both divisions of new jersey were reunited as one royal colony by queen anne with a royal governor appointed by the crown. Colony of new jersey a brief history new jersey was so named, in 1664, at the time of its conquest by the english from the dutch, in honor of sir george carteret, who had been governor of the isle of jersey, in the british channel, and to whom, with lord berkley, the duke of york conveyed the territory. In 1738, as a result of the efforts of lewis morris, new jersey gained its. Edward hyde, lord cornbury was the first man to govern the colony under its new status of a royal colony. First established in 1666, the town is currently celebrating its 350year anniversary. By 1701 the colony had fortyfive distinct congregations. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the new jersey legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment. Edwardss inefficiency and corrupt nature lead him to be a unsuitable governor for an english colony so he was deported back to england, judge lewis morris became governor in 1738 after showing his motivation for a better colony by. The official residence for the governor is drumthwacket, a mansion located in princeton, new jersey. The dutch west india company claimed the areas of new jersey and new york as the colony of new netherland, and in 1655 the colonial governor, peter stuyvesant, expelled the swedish. A brief history of the colony of new jersey, 16641738.
The popham colony was founded on the coast of phippsburg, maine in 1607 as a colonization attempt by the virginia company of plymouth. William livingston became new jersey s first state governor. The province of new jersey was one of the middle colonies of colonial america and became new jersey, a state of the united states in 1783. The official web site for the state of new jersey a short history of. Settlement of elizabethtown, the first english town in new jersey 8 april 1665 governor richard nicolls signs the grant known as the monmouth patent, for lands which includes what is now monmouth county and parts of ocean and middlesex counties. From a sketch of the greene family of watauga, by the late rev. Testimony from the time indicates that the cornbury enjoyed going openly in womens clothing, even doing state business dressed as.
In 1664, england took control of land that is now new jersey. In june 1776 he left congress to command the new jersey militia as a brigadier general and held this post until he was elected later in the year as the first governor of the state. History of the jersey settlement from history of wautauga county. They guaranteed the religious freedom to those who were willing to settle in new jersey. Philip carteret designated bergen as the first capital of the colony. Governors under 1776 new jersey constitution 17761844 governors elected by the legislature for oneyear terms with no term limits. In contradiction to his own earlier stated views, he soon was accused of using power arbitrarily.
The first settlements in new jersey were made by the dutch along the western bank of the hudson, with one on the delaware at fort nassau. The colony was united as one in 1702 and edward hyde became the first governor of the new jersey colony. The colonial history of new jersey started after henry hudson sailed through newark bay in 1609. George appointed his cousin philip as the first governor in 1665. Greene, baptist missionary to china, we learn that about the middle of the eighteenth century a colony moved from new jersey and settled in rowan county, north carolina. England based its claim to new jersey on cabots voyage and on the power of its navy. The name new jersey was introduced, which honored the isle of jersey in the english channel. Until 1738, this province of new jersey shared its royal governor with the neighboring province of new york.
New jersey was one of the original thirteen colonies and was admitted as a state on december 18, 1787. Livingston held the position throughout and beyond the warin fact, for 14 consecutive years until his death in 1790. Carteret, philipphilip carteret arriving at the colony of new jersey in 1665 to serve as its governor, from a 19thcentury coloured engraving. William livingston became new jerseys first state governor. Prior to declaring its independence, new jersey was a colony of the kingdom of great britain. When new jersey at last gained its independence from new york in 1736, lewis morris was appointed the colony s first governor. List of colonial governors of new jersey wikipedia. John cabot was the first european explorer to come into contact with the new jersey shore. The governor of new jersey is the head of the executive branch of new jersey s state government and the commanderinchief of the states military forces. However, it became difficult for the two proprietors to collect the quitrents. New jersey granted as a separate province and colony 1738 the province continued under the,governors of new york. The official web site for the state of new jersey a. Edward hyde, lord cornbury, became the first governor of the colony as a royal colony.
Established the dutch, swedes, and finns were the first european settlers in new jersey. In 1664 the dutch lost new netherlands when the british took control of the land and added it to their colonies. Religious pluralism in the middle colonies, divining. The colony had originally been settled by the dutch as part of new netherland, but came under british rule after the surrender of fort amsterdam in 1664, becoming a proprietary colony. The newly formed state of new jersey elected william livingston as its first governor on 31 august 1776a position to which he would be reelected until his death in 1790. Queen anne, who was now the reigning monarch, extended the jurisdiction of new yorks governor over new jersey, and this arrangement continued for thirtysix years, when in 1738, the two colonies were finally separated. The dutch west india company worked to stimulate settlement in the area by granting patroonships, land grants in which the grantee was given proprietary and manorial rights over settlers he sponsored in 1620, a trading post was established at the site of bergen, new jersey, which would.
Settlement of new jersey like delaware, the early european settlement of new jersey was a contest between the dutch and the swedes. The proprietors appointed philip carteret as the first governor of new jersey, who designated elizabethtown as the colony s capital. Jun 02, 2017 the new jersey colony was one of the middle colonies of colonial america and became the u. List of colonial governors of new jersey facts for kids. Before the europeans arrived, the delaware or lenni lenape indians had long occupied the region. The new jersey colony was one of the middle colonies which also included the new york colony, the delaware colony, and the pennsylvania colony. Religious pluralism in the middle colonies, divining america. Philip brought a constitution for the colony and free assembly consisting of a governor, council, and representatives. Jul 27, 2019 on this day in 1777, new york elects brigadier general george clinton as the first governor of the independent state of new york. February 10, 1665 philip carteret was appointed the. James oglethorpe he acted as georgias first governor, and in many ways, proved to be a. Morris died on may 21, 1746, at the age of seventyseven. The history of new jerseys oldest towns onlyinyourstate.
Nj governors the history of the governorship new jersey. Hangout government nj governors the history of the. As a result, on march 18, 1673 berkeley sold his share of new jersey to the quakers. New jersey was inhabited by native americans for more than 2,800 years, with historical tribes such as the lenape along the coast. The first governor of new jersey was william livingston, who served from august 31, 1776, to july 25, 1790. Edward hyde, known as lord cornbury, and later the third earl of clarendon, served as governor of the colonies of new york and new jersey from 1702 until 1708. The township lines were redrawn in 1855 and we now know it as the city of elizabeth. The governor of new jersey is the head of the executive branch of new jerseys state. The new jersey governorship dates back to the mid17th century.
The first and only reservation in new jersey, the brotherton reserve was sold back to the state in 1801 by the remaining members of the tribe, who moved up north to join relatives in new. The proprietors appointed philip carteret as the first governor of new jersey, who designated elizabethtown as the colonys capital. It is said that the 1st governor in new jersey colony in the 1600s to 1700s was andrew hamilton. Later on, he became governor of also west jersey in. He was a very important person in that colony because he did a. In 1702 the proprietors of the colony turned it back to the crown. The family of his father, robert winthrop kean, includes john kean, toms greatgreatgrandfather, who served as a delegate from south carolina to the continental congress and as the first cashier of the bank of the united states. The english later seized control of the region, naming it the province of new jersey after the largest of the channel islands, jersey, and granting it as a. The english had never recognized either dutch or swedish claims to new jersey.
The newly formed state of new jersey elected william livingston as its first governor on 31 august 1776a position to which he would be reelected until his. Historical timeline of early new jersey descendants of. Additional settlers soon arrived quakers and baptists fleeing a puritan colony along the piscataqua river in. Who was the first governor of the colony of new jersey answers.
The colony of new jersey timeline timetoast timelines. In 1664 colonel richard nicolls lead a fleet of english ships into the port of new jersey, where fort amsterdam was, the english fleet took control of the fort and its surrounding area, giving the control of these lands to the country of england. In 1787, new jersey became the third state to ratify the u. Like delaware, the early european settlement of new jersey was a contest between the dutch and the swedes. New york was one of the original thirteen colonies on the east coast of north america, and was admitted as a state on july 26, 1788. The area that would later be new jersey was part of new netherland. History and development of the jersey settlement, nc. Prior to declaring its independence, new york was a colony of the kingdom of great britain, which it in turn obtained from the dutch as the colony of new netherland.
The colonial history of new jersey started after henry hudson sailed through newark. The colony lasted about one year before being abandoned. New jersey, numbering some seventyfive thousand inhabitants in 1760, was settled almost wholly by english people. George popham died in the colony in 1608 and was replaced by raleigh. Philip carteret was appointed by the two proprietors as the first governor of new jersey. He sailed along the coast and anchored off sandy hook. Philip carteret was appointed the first governor of the new jersey colony. Bergen, founded in 1660, was new jerseys first permanent european settlement. Almost a century passed before colonization began with the arrival in 1609 of the english navigator henry hudson, who sent a party to explore sandy hook bay. The new jersey colony was originally named the province of new jersey, after the british island named jersey.
New jersey, if slower to develop, also embraced a variety of religious groups. Prior to declaring its independence, new jersey was a colony of the kingdom of great britain the first new jersey state constitution, ratified in 1776, provided that a governor be elected annually by the state legislature, the members of which were selected by the several counties. New jersey was so named in 1664, at the time of its conquest by the english from the dutch in honor of sir george carteret. Who was the first governor of the colony of new jersey. Clinton would go on to become new yorks longestserving. On this day in 1777, new york elects brigadier general george clinton as the first governor of the independent state of new york. The province of new jersey was governed by appointed governors until 1776. Americas forgotten swedish colony for nearly 20 years in the 17th century, sweden had a littleknown colony that spanned parts of delaware, pennsylvania and new jersey. New jersey was then ruled by the governors of new york, but this infuriated the settlers of new jersey, who accused those governors of favoritism to new york. Governors under the 1844 new jersey constitution 18441946.
The area of new jersey was given to lord john berkeley and sir george carteret. He sent his nephew philip carteret to act as governor of the first settlement at elizabethtown, named in honor of sir georges wife. The english then renamed the province after the isle of jersey in the. Chronology of colonial swedes on the delaware 163817. However, he was an ineffective and corrupt ruler, taking bribes and speculating on land. In 1665, carteret began to colonize his new possessions.
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