West JerseyandEast Jerseywere two distinct parts of theProvince of New Jersey.The political division existed for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702. Determination of an exact location for aborder between West Jersey and East Jerseywas often a matter of dispute.
Province of West Jersey | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1674–1702 | |||||||||||
 The original provinces of West and East Jersey are shown in yellow and green respectively. TheKeith Lineis shown in red, and theCoxe–Barclay Lineis shown in orange. | |||||||||||
| Status | Colony ofEngland | ||||||||||
| Capital | Burlington | ||||||||||
| Common languages | English | ||||||||||
| Government | Proprietary colony | ||||||||||
| Lords Proprietor | |||||||||||
• 1674 | Edward Byllynge John Fenwick | ||||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||||
• 1680-1687 | Edward Byllynge (first) | ||||||||||
• 1699-1702 | Andrew Hamilton(last) | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Established | 1674 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1702 | ||||||||||
| Currency | Pound sterling | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Today part of | United States | ||||||||||
Background
editTheDelaware Valleyhad been inhabited by theLenape(or Delaware) Indians prior to European exploration and settlement starting around 1609, undertaken by the Dutch, Swedish and English. TheDutch West India Companyhad established one or twoDelaware Riversettlements, but by the late 1620s, it had moved most of its inhabitants to the island ofManhattan.This became the center ofNew Netherland.[1]West Jersey and East Jersey were two sections of New Jersey.
The development of the colony ofNew Swedenin the lower Delaware Valley began in 1638. Most of the Swedish population was on the west side of the Delaware. After the English re-established New Netherland'sFort Nassauto challenge the Swedes, the latter constructedFort Nya Elfsborgin present-daySalem County.Fort Nya Elfsborg was located between present daySalemandAlloway Creek.The New Sweden colony established two primary settlements in New Jersey: Sveaborg, nowSwedesboro,and Nya Stockholm, nowBridgeport.Trinity Church,located in Swedesboro, was the site of theChurch of Swedenfor the area.[2][3]
The Dutch defeated New Sweden in 1655. Settlement of the West Jersey area by Europeans was thin until the English conquest in 1664. Beginning in the late 1670s,Quakerssettled in great numbers in this area, first in present-day Salem County and then inBurlington.The latter became the capital of West Jersey.[4]
Before 1674,land surveyorsfor New Jersey considered it as ahundredand partitioned it intotenths.West Jersey comprised five of the tenths. But demarcation of the boundaries awaited settlement, thequit-rentsthe settlers would pay, and the land surveying which the money would purchase. Thus it took years and multiple surveys to settle boundary disputes.Burlington Countywas formed on May 17, 1694 by combining the first and second tenths.[5]At least three surveys were conducted of West Jersey.Richard Tindallwas surveyor-general ofFenwick's Colony,the fifth tenth.
| Date | Boundary Name | Description |
| 1674 | Original Duke of York Line (did not recognizeJohn Fenwick’s holdings) | Barnegat BaytoRancocas Creekon the Delaware River just north of present-day Philadelphia. |
| 1676 | Quintipartite Deed Line (between George Carteret on the East, andWilliam Penn,Gawen Lawrie,Nicholas Lucas, andEdward Byllyngeon the West, except for 10% to John Fenwick) | On the north from a point 41° 40' latitude on theDelaware Riverextending southward on a straight and direct line to the east side of Little Egg-Harbor. |
| 1687 | William Emley / John Reid Adjustment (commissioners from West and East Jersey respectively) | Adjusted description on the Delaware fifty minutes more westerly due to magnetic compass variation |
| 1687 | Keith Line aka Province Line (Surveyed north only to the south branch of the Raritan River) | Stopped by GovernorDaniel Coxeof West Jersey and GovernorRobert Barclayof East Jersey |
| 1688 | Coxe-Barclay Line Survey | Extended the Keith Line from theRaritan Riveralong specific properties that defined the eastern boundaries of present- day Morris and Sussex Counties and the northern border of Somerset County |
| 1696 | Thornton Line Survey | Attempted to correct errors from previous surveys |
| 1702 | East and West Jersey United | Violence became so obsessive, that East and West proprietors gave up their individual governing rights toQueen Anne |
| 1743 | Lawrence Line Survey (Land ownership disputes continued. West Jersey proprietors attempted to fund survey but failed. East Jersey Proprietors then hired John Lawrence) | Adopted by NJ supreme court in 1855 as the final arbiter of all land disputes. Today defines boundary for Walpack, Sandyston, Stillwater, Hampton, and Green Townships |
Constitution
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^The Delaware Indians: A History,(by Weslager, C. A. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 1972)
- ^The Swedes and Finns in New Jersey(Federal Writers' Project of WPA. Bayonne, New Jersey: Jersey Printing Company, Inc. 1938)
- ^A Brief History Of The Early Swedes in New Jersey(Gloucester County NJ History and Genealogy)http:// nj.searchroots /Gloucesterco/swedesboro.htm
- ^British Colony(Burlington County Historical Society. Burlington City, NJ )[1]
- ^abSnyder, John P.The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968,Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 93. Accessed September 30, 2013.
Further reading
edit- Weslager, C. A.Dutch Explorers, Traders, and Settlers in the Delaware Valley, 1609–1644.(Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1961).
- Johnson, AmandusThe Swedish Settlements on the Delaware Volume I: Their History and Relation to the Indians, Dutch and English, 1638–1664(Philadelphia: Swedish Colonial Society. 1911)