View source for Colen Donck

{{New Netherland}}
'''Colen Donck''' (in English "Donck's Colony") was a {{Convert|24,000|acre|km2|adj=on}} [[patroon]]ship in [[New Netherland]] along the southern [[Hudson River]] in today's [[Bronx]] and [[Yonkers]] established by Dutch-American lawyer and land developer [[Adriaen van der Donck]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/digital-exhibitions/a-tour-of-new-netherland/hudson-river/colen-donck/ |title=Colen Donck &#124; A Tour of New Netherland |publisher=Newnetherlandinstitute.org |date= |accessdate=2016-03-05}}</ref>

==History==
The land was granted van der Donck by controversial Director General of [[New Netherland|New Netherlands]] [[Willem Kieft]] in 1646 in return for van der Donck's role as an interpreter and peacemaker in conflicts between Dutch colonists and Native Americans. The [[Dutch West India Company|West India Company]] had purchased the land (then called "Kiskiskeck") from its Native American holders in 1639.<ref name=DeLancey>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bl4EAAAAYAAJ&dq=Colen+Donck&pg=PA66 De Lancey, Edward Floyd. ''Origin and History of Manors in the Province of New York and in the County of Westchester'', 1886, p. 67]{{PD-notice}}</ref>

Van der Donck's parcel began on the mainland directly to the north of the island ([[Manhattan]]), continued along the river for twelve miles, and carried eastward as far as the Bronx River, becoming much of what is today the Bronx and southwestern [[Westchester County]].

He named his estate Colen Donck (or "Colendonck"; spellings vary, the latter being more consistent with Dutch construction) and built his house between current-day Van Cortlandt Lake and Broadway. He also built a saw mill on the [[Saw Mill River|Neperan River]] where it flows into the Hudson. He then built a grist mill to process the corn grown on what had been the old Indian corn grounds.<ref name=DeLancey/> Van der Donck paid the Indian chief Tacharew, whose tribe used to live on the land, as a gesture of friendship. This area later became part of [[Van Cortlandt Park]]. The estate was so large that locals referred to him as the Jonkheer ("young gentleman" or "squire"), the source of today's name "[[Yonkers]]". His political activities and trip to Holland, precluded his giving the patroonship the attention it needed.<ref name=DeLancey/>

Records show Van der Donck to have been alive in August 1655.  He is described as having died on Manhattan island in 1655 by ''Who's Who in America''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9GnhAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Supremus+in+jure%22+degree&pg=PA547 ''Who's Who in America'' 1607-1896, A. N. Marquis Company, Chicago, Illinois 1963, p. 547]</ref> Records of the following January indicate there was a dispute between his relations over two bibles taken by Indians in the sacking of his home in the raids known as the [[Peach War]], leaving the cause of his death unknown.

His widow remarried and moved to Maryland. Obtaining confirmation of title from [[Richard Nicolls|Governor Richard Nicolls]], she sold the land to her brother, Elias Doughty, who then began to sell off parcels. A portion later became part of [[Fordham, Bronx|the Manor of Fordham]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Fordham |volume=10 |page=643}}</ref> Northern section became the [[Philipsburg Manor|Manor of Philipsburg]].<ref>Maika, Dennis J. (2005). "Philipsburg Manor".  ''Encyclopedia of the State of New York'', First ed. (Peter Eisenstadt, ed.). Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. p. 1199. {{ISBN| 0-8156-0808-X}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|first=Russell.|last=Shorto|title=The Island at the Center of the World, The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony that Shaped America|year=2004|publisher=Doubleday|location=New York|isbn=0-385-50349-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/islandatcenterof00shor}}

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[[Category:New Netherland]]
[[Category:History of New York City]]
[[Category:History of the Bronx]]
[[Category:Geography of the Bronx]]
[[Category:1646 establishments in the Dutch Empire]]