Patroons

From Encyclopediak

Patroons, a class of landholders in New York growing out of the plans of The Dutch West India Company for colonizing what was then New Netherland. This company granted a charter of "Privileges and Exemptions" to any members of the company who within four years would plant a colony of 50 anywhere in New Netherland except on Manhattan Island. Those to whom these privileges were granted were called patroons. They had absolute authority over their settlements for a term of years. The system soon aroused opposition and the charter was modified in 1640 to include any good citizen of New Netherland. The patroons had numerous quarrels with the colonial government and later with the state.