Research


Scope and Content Note

Each colonial patent gives the name of the grantee and a description of the lands granted; it reserves all gold and silver mines to the king and requires payment of quit rents. There are no commissions or incorporations in the books of patents from the statehood period.

Many of the patents issued immediately after the English conquest of 1664 confirmed grants made under Dutch rule prior to 1664. Many of the colonial patents granted lands that were then part of New York, but later became parts of other colonies and states (particularly New Jersey and Vermont). Some of the patents issued in the years around 1700 were later revoked. The earliest patent books also contain records of a few naturalizations and denizations of non-British subjects and Indian deeds.

Book 1 of this series includes copies of the grant from Charles II to the Duke of York, 1664; the duke's commission to Governor Richard Nicolls; and a few commissions, both civil and military, issued by Governor Nicolls. The colonial patents, Books 1-16, also contain incorporations of towns and churches, generally as part of a grant of land. Copies of the incorporation of New York City and Albany are in Book 5.

Books 1-7, 11-12, and 17 are certified copies of the engrossed originals, made pursuant to Chapter 13 of the Laws of 1786, which states that the volumes were "by various accidents so injured that a frequent Recourse to them may render them illegible." The original books were rebound and now comprise Series A0487, Letters patent transcribed pursuant to an Act of 1786. Patents after 1785 take the form of a grant of land from the People of the State of New York, as authorized by a resolution of the Commissioners of the Land Office. Books 1-54 of this series are available on microfilm. The reels containing books 7 and 8 are incomplete; both lack the index, and pages 516-531 in book 8 are also missing.

Later patent books include grants of land under water, the earliest dated 1717, mostly in New York harbor and in the Hudson River. These so-called "water grants" become numerous after ca. 1800 (they were recorded in separate books within this series starting 1832). The patent books also contain State Comptroller's deeds for lands of non-resident owners sold for unpaid taxes (recorded in separate books in this series starting 1878) and patents for abandoned canal lands (starting ca. 1849).