Description
A landholder given manorial rights to large tracts of land in New Netherland.
The Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions of 1629 granted this title to some of its investors. The idea was to encourage settlement of New Netherland. A patroon was to establish a settlement of at least 50 families within 4 years in order to keep the right to the land. The settlers paid rent to the patroon. The Dutch West India Company also provided enslaved persons to the Patroons.