York Shire (Province of New York)

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York Shire (also known as the Shire of York and Yorkshire) was the first large governmental unit organized in the English Province of New York soon after English control of the area was established in 1664.

History

On August 29, 1664, The Duke of York’s forces captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch, as part of their conquest of New Netherland. They renamed New Netherland as the Province of New York, which included modern New York, New Jersey, Vermont, southeast Pennsylvania, and Delaware. [1]

Yorkshire was created soon afterward in 1664. Its jurisdiction included Long Island, Staten Island, Manhattan Island, and the east side of the Hudson River coterminous with today's Bronx and Westchester. [2]

Like the original Yorkshire in England for which it was named, Yorkshire, New York was divided into three ridings: East, West and North. Yorkshire's East Riding consisted of modern Suffolk County, its West Riding contained Staten Island, modern Brooklyn and modern Elmhurst, Queens (also known as Newtown), while its North Riding encompassed the rest of modern Queens, Nassau County, Westchester County and the Bronx, in addition to Manhattan.

On July 21, 1667, the Peace of Breda between England, France and the Netherlands confirmed the English conquest of New York from the Dutch in 1664. [3] [4]

As a result of renewed fighting between England and the Netherlands, the Dutch re-captured New York in August 1673. On September 12, 1673, New Netherland reverted the government structure in New Amsterdam.

On February 9, 1674, the Anglo-Dutch War was concluded with the Treaty of Westminster, the terms of which again transferred the territory to British control. The English reverted the organization to the one they previously established plus the take over of the governments the Dutch established in the interim. [5]

On June 29, 1674, King Charles II of England granted the same territory previously granted to the Duke of York on March 12, 1663, including all territory previously in the Province of New York. [5] [6] [7]

Yorkshire was eliminated on November 1, 1683, and the three ridings were converted into counties. The East Riding became Suffolk County, the West Riding became Richmond (Staten Island) and Kings (Brooklyn) counties, and the North Riding into Queens (including today's Nassau County), New York, and Westchester (including today's Bronx) counties. [8]

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The towns and cities of Downstate New York were created by the U.S. state of New York as municipalities in order to give residents more direct say over local government. Present-day Westchester, Bronx, New York, Richmond, Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties were part of York Shire from 1664-August 1673 and again from February 1674 until 1683 at which point the Province of New York was divided into counties. From August 1673 to February 1674 New York was under Dutch control and English political units were suspended, then restored under English rule. York Shire was divided into three divisions called ridings, the East, West, and North ridings. In 1683 the colony of New York eliminated shires and ridings in favor of counties, the East Riding becoming Suffolk County, West Riding the counties of Richmond and Kings, while the North Riding became the counties of Westchester, New York, and Queens.

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References

  1. ↑ Flick, Alexander C., ed. History of the State of New York. 10 Volumes; New York City; Columbia University Press, 1933–1937; Volume 2; Page 80
  2. ↑ New York: Commissioners of Statutory Revision: Colonial Laws of New York from the year 1664 to the Revolution, including the Charters of the Duke of York, the Commissions and instructions to Colonial Governors, the Duke's Laws, the Laws of the Dongan and Leisler Assemblies, the Charters of Albany and New York, and the acts of the Colonial Legislatures from 1691 to 1775, inclusive. Report to the Assembly No. 107, 1894. Five Volumes. Albany, New York; 1894–1896. Volume 1; Page xi.
  3. ↑ Farnham, Mary Frances; Compiler. (1901–1902). Farnham Papers (1603–1688). Volumes 7 and 8 of Documentary History of the State of Maine. Portland, Maine: Collections of the Maine Historical Society, 2nd Series. Volume 7: Pages 311 and 314.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ Parry, Clive, ed. (1969–1981). Consolidated Treaty Series; 231 Volumes. Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceana Publications. Volume 10: Page 231.
  5. 1 2 Parry, Clive, ed. (1969–1981). Consolidated Treaty Series; 231 Volumes. Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceana Publications. Volume 13, Page 136.
  6. ↑ Williamson, William D. History of the State of Maine, from its First Discovery, A.D. 1602, to the Separation, A.D. 1820, Inclusive. 2 vols.; Hallowell, Maine; 1832. Vol. 1; P.446.
  7. ↑ Swindler, William F., Editor. Sources and Documents of United States Constitutions. 10 Volumes; Dobbs Ferry, New York; Oceana Publications, 1973–1979; Volume 4; Page 282.
  8. ↑ New York: Commissioners of Statutory Revision: Colonial Laws of New York from the year 1664 to the Revolution, including the Charters of the Duke of York, the Commissions and instructions to Colonial Governors, the Duke's Laws, the Laws of the Dongan and Leisler Assemblies, the Charters of Albany and New York, and the acts of the Colonial Legislatures from 1691 to 1775, inclusive. Report to the Assembly No. 107, 1894. Five Volumes. Albany, New York; 1894–1896. Chapter 4; Volume 1; Page 122

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