Dover Dates
Morris County, New Jersey

Morris Co. Up


Time Line from
"Dover Dates 1722~1922"

by Charles D. Platt

The following is a brief time line of events from the book Dover Dates 1722~1922 by Charles D. Platt, BKB.

1664The English assert their claim and rule New Jersey by Proprietary Government until 1702
1702New Jersey a Royal Province until 1776
1613Dutch founded a trading post at Manhattan, called New Amsterdam. The surrounding country was called New Netherland.
1614They [the Dutch] built a redoubt at Jersey City Point.
1620Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts. The country is named New England.
1638-1640English colonies were founded at New Haven and vicinity. From these colonies many went across Long Island Sound and settled on Long Island, at Huntington and elsewhere. The New England settlements are intimately related to the early English settlements in New Jersey.
1643Dutch have trouble with the Indians of New Jersey & massacre some of them. Fear of the Indians keeps the white men, for some years, from settling in New Jersey far from the coast.
1651Dutch begin to take up land in New Jersey under a patron system of large landed proprietors, like the old feudal barons of Europe.
1660Bergen was founded, the first permanent settlement in New Jersey.
1664The Dutch remained in possession of New Netherland (and in control of New Jersey) until 1664.
1664James, Duke of York, obtained from the king a grant of Maine, the islands of New England, Long Island, an the land from the Connecticut River to Delaware Bay, including land previously granted to Connecticut and including New Netherland.
1664, June 23The Duke of York conveyed New Jersey to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, the latter from the Isle of Jersey north of France, called in Latin "Insula Caesarea," after Julius Caesar, the "farthest North" explorer of his day. Carteret applied the name "Nova Caesarea" or New Jersey to his new possessions.
1665Philip Carteret was appointed governor of West New Jersey and made the seat of government at Elizabeth Town, which was named after the Lady Elizabeth, wife of Sir George Carteret.
1666Newark was founded by English settlers from New Haven and vicinity.
1667Quakers were settled at Shrewsbury.
1668First Meeting House was built at Newark.
First General Assembly was held at Elizabeth Town.
1673The English and Dutch are at war. The Dutch regain New Netherland. When peace is made New Netherland is restored to the English. Col. Edmund Andros was appointed governor of New York, claiming also jurisdiction over New Jersey.
1674Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley divided New Jersey by a line running from Little Egg Harbor to the Delaware Water Gap.

Berkeley sold his part, West New Jersey, to John Fenwicke and Edward Byllinge, Quakers, for one thousand pounds, with the right of government, March 18.

Byllinge sold to William Penn, Gawen Lawrie, Nicholas Lucas, Quakers. They sold to others, forming a company of Proprietors in Common, with concessions from the Crown.

1678Andros returned from a trip to England with full instructions from the Duke of York to claim jurisdiction over all New Jersey.
1679Sir George Carteret declares that all vessels that will trade to East New Jersey shall be free of New York Duties.
1680Sir George Carteret died. A new administration of East New Jersey became necessary. His widow was made executrix of his estate, becoming the Lady Proprietrix of the Province.
1681John Ogden of Elizabeth Town died, a man worthy to rank with the Pilgrim Fathers, the acknowledged pioneer of the town.
1682Lady Carteret and trustees sold East New Jersey to the highest bidder, viz., William Penn and eleven others, twelve proprietors, mostly Quakers. These twelve proprietors took partners, making twenty-four proprietors, called the London Company.
1682Robert Barclay, a Quaker proprietor in favor with William Penn, was made Governor of New Jersey for life, with the privilege of ruling by deputy. He appointed Thomas Rudyard, one of the proprietors, as his deputy. Rudyard took up residence in Elizabeth Town, November 13, 1682.
1682The four original counties of New Jersey, laid out in 1682, were Bergen, Essex, Middlesex and Monmouth.
1684The Board of Proprietors, was established to act with the deputy-governor and Assembly in settling disputes and establishing titles to land. This board was empowered to establish a new town to be called "Perth" in honor of the Earl of Perth, one of the new Quaker proprietors, Lord High Chancellor of Scotland.

The town was known as Perth Amboy and became the seat of government of the Province when the General Assembly of the people met here in 1686.

1685The Assembly met for the last time at Elizabeth Town, which then ceased to be the seat of Government.
1686The Assembly met at Perth Amboy, the new seat of government. Records of warrants and surveys from 1673 to 1738 are still kept there. The Board of Proprietors still meet there.
1688James the Second, formerly Duke of York made a decree.
That the two Jerseys and New York be united with New England under the rule of Andros.   New Jersey, as part of New England, is now a Royal Province, ruled by a governor appointed by the Crown.
1689James Ii was deposed. William of Orange was made king of England. The reign of William and Mary.
1693By an Act of the Assembly the bounds of townships were defined.
Elizabethtown took in Union county, parts of Somerset, Hunterdon, Morris, Warren and Sussex counties, including Morristown, Stanhope, Schooley's Mountain, and Newton.
1702Queen Anne re-united the two provinces of West and East New Jersey in one province and made her cousin, Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, governor of the combined province of New York and New Jersey. The combined colonies were called "New England"
1702-1776New Jersey was ruled by colonial Governors appointed by the Crown.
1713-14Hunterdon County was set off and named in honor of Colonel Robert Hunter, governor of New York, who had acquired large lands there.
1713Among the deeds recorded as of "Basse's Book of Surveys" pg 80, is one made out, May 19th, 1713, to Joseph Latham, for 527 acres in what is now Mine Hill.
1713William Schooley, of Schooley's Mountain, bought about 600 acres near Dover, including Mill Brook,.
1719Trenton took its name from William Trent, who built mills on the Delaware.
1722Dover, was founded by John Jackson, who set up an iron forge here. Jackson's Forge. John Jackson, "son of James Jackson of Flushing in Queens county on Nashaw Island, yeoman."
1738Lewis Morris was appointed governor of New Jersey, separate from New York. He died in 1746.
1739Morris County was set off from Hunterdon County, and named after the new governor. Jackson's Forge, up to this time, had been in Hunterdon County.
1740Morris County consisted of three townships - Morris, Hanover and Pequannock, to which Roxbury was added later in 1740.
1749Mendham was formed from Hanover, Morris and Roxbury. It included Dover's location, south of the river.
1804Jefferson was formed from Roxbury and Pequannock
1805Randolph was formed from Mendham, and named in honor of Hartshorne Fitz Randolph, who made his last will March 31, 1806. Randolph took in also parts of Dover north of the river.
1831Dover town (incorporated as a village in 1826) was formed in Randolph township.
1869Dover was incorporated, containing 1100 acres, in Randolph.
1871Dover limits were enlarged
1896Dover was separated from Randolph township.

 

The Capitals of East New Jersey from 1665 to 1790

Elizabeth Town1665~1686
Perth Amboy1686~1702
Elizabeth Town1688
New York1703~1738
Perth Amboy1738~1747
Elizabeth Town1751~1757
Perth Amboy1758~1776
Elizabeth Town1776~1790
Trenton1790

Burlington was the Capital of West New Jersey, 1677.

More notes from "Dover Dates"

1722 - May 31, nine years after Joseph Latham acquired title to his tract of 527 acres in Mine Hill, he sold it to John Jackson, "son of James Jackson of Flushing in Queens county on Nashaw Island, yeoman." The original deed was in the possession of Mr. James H. Neighbor in 1914 and is shown in full of the text in Dover History, pages 453-4. With the property therein described was conveyed in some way or title was assumed to a forge site on Jackson's Brook where Singleton's silk mill stand to-day, above Hurd Park. Here Jackson set up the second iron forge in the county in 1722, building himself a log cabin and becoming the first known settler, The Founder of Dover. From this date we count two hundred years to 1922. (pg 21-22)

1748 - There was a Quaker meeting conducted at Lamson's farm, south of Dover, before the present Quaker Church building was put up. On the map of 1832 Morris street is indicated as "The Road to Lamson's Farm."

1749 - Middle Forge was set up at Picatinny by Jonathan Osborn.


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