Research


Administrative History

Dutch settlement of the Delaware region by the West India Company (WIC) began in 1624 on High Island (Burlington Island). High Island was abandoned and Fort Nassau was built shortly after.

In 1631, Swanendael was established according to the patroonship plan of colonization, but only existed for a short time. In 1638, Peter Minuit, a former WIC official, established Fort Christina in the Delaware region on behalf of Sweden, and from 1638-1647, the Dutch coexisted with New Sweden in the region.

In 1648, Fort Nassau was abandoned and Fort Casimir was built on the west side of the river in order to intercept the Indian trade and better compete with the Swedes. In 1654 a Swedish relief ship destined for Fort Christina captured Fort Casimir on its way up the river. The WIC directors decided that the Swedes had to be eliminated. In 1655, Petrus Stuyvesant led a force of 340 soldiers and seven ships to the Delaware. Among the ships was a forty-two gun warship belonging to the city of Amsterdam. New Sweden was quickly taken and incorporated into New Netherland. Although the WIC directors urged Stuyvesant to scatter the Swedes elsewhere--even send them to the Esopus to assist in the Indian wars--he refused to do so, allowing them to maintain their identity as the Swedish Nation.

In 1657, the WIC repaid the city of Amsterdam for use of its warship by granting it a large section of the Delaware to administer as a quasi patroonship under the name of Nieuwer Amstel (New Amstel). The WIC maintained control of Fort Christina, renaming it Fort Altena, and the region from Bombay Hook to the mouth of the Bay. By 1663 the city of Amsterdam was granted the entire region and bay. New Amstel was considered subordinate to New Netherland as was the patroonship Rensslaerswijck.

The first director of New Amstel was Jacob Alrichs, who served from 1657 until his death in 1659. He was succeeded by Alexander d'Hinojossa and from 1659 to 1664 the colony prospered.