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126-421: Border wars were not unusual in the early days of settlements of the colonies and originated in conflicting land claims. Because of ignorance, willful disregard, and legal ambiguities, such conflicts arose involving local settlers until a final settlement was reached. In the largest of these squabbles some 210,000 acres (850 km) of land were at stake between New York and New Jersey. In this situation originally

252-491: A broad, sluggish inlet of the sea, with many marshes along its side, widening steadily into its great estuary, Delaware Bay . The Delaware River constitutes the boundary between Delaware and New Jersey. The Delaware–New Jersey border is actually at the easternmost river shoreline within the Twelve-Mile Circle of New Castle , rather than at mid-river, mid-channel or thalweg , so small portions of land lying west of

378-574: A collective name for the Lenape , a Native American people who inhabited an area of the basins of the Susquehanna River , Delaware River, and lower Hudson River in the northeastern United States at the time of European settlement, as well as for their language . As a result of disruption following the French and Indian War , American Revolutionary War , and the later Indian removals from

504-526: A committee to discuss it, but there are no reports of any decisions being made by this committee. The East New Jersey Board of Proprietors, frustrated by inaction after repeated complaints to New York, voted on May 5, 1695, to complete the necessary border survey on their own. John Reid, the East New Jersey Surveyor General, was instructed to carry out this survey, but due to his reported preoccupation with other matters, this action

630-581: A day from the Delaware and its upstream tributaries. The Delaware River has been attached to areas of high pollution . The Delaware River in 2012 was named the 5th most polluted river in the United States, explained by PennEnvironment and Environment New Jersey. The activist groups claim that there is about 7–10 million pounds of toxic chemicals flowing through the waterways due to dumping by DuPont Chambers Works. PennEnvironment also claims that

756-510: A depth of 40 ft (12 m). There is an effort underway to deepen the 102.5-mile stretch of this federal navigation channel, from Philadelphia and Camden to the mouth of the Delaware Bay to 45 feet. The Delaware River port complex refers to the ports and energy facilities along the river in the tri-state PA - NJ - DE Delaware Valley region. They include the Port of Salem ,

882-460: A designe (contrary to their knowledge) of ruining all the hopes of increases in this Your Royal Highness his territory, which hee hath fully compleated, unless Your Royal Highness take farther order herein. Thus from the establishment of the colony of New Jersey the leaders of New York realized that they had lost a very valuable territory with great potential. This realization compelled Governor Nicolls and many of his successors to wish and scheme for

1008-496: A letter from Governor Hamilton of New Jersey to Governor Fletcher of New York, dated February 13, 1693, the east station point of the border was again established at Tappan Creek (as was done in 1684), due west of Frederick Philipse's Lower Mill. Governor Hamilton asked that a joint effort between the colonies be undertaken to exactly survey the line, so that taxes could be assessed correctly, and militia training begun. The Council of New York responded to Hamilton's proposal by setting up

1134-400: A peak of 30.95 feet (9.43 m) on September 23, 2004, 34.07 feet (10.38 m) on April 4, 2005, and 33.62 feet (10.25 m) on June 28, 2006, all considerably higher than the flood stage of 22 feet (6.7 m). Since the upper Delaware basin has few population centers along its banks, flooding in this area mainly affects natural unpopulated flood plains. Residents in the middle part of

1260-484: A provision in New York's 1717 debt bill providing authorization for an official survey of the line, as long as an agreement could be reached with New Jersey over the line's exact location. Minisink patentees Peter Schuyler. (the son of Arent) and Stephan DeLancey unsuccessfully attempted to defeat the debt bill, and thus this provision, because of the expense to taxpayers. In addition, a group of London merchants petitioned

1386-547: A quiet and charming country of farm and forest, diversified with plateaus and escarpments, until it crosses the Appalachian plain and enters the hills again at Easton , Pennsylvania. From this point it is flanked at intervals by fine hills, and in places by cliffs, of which the finest are the Nockamixon Cliffs, 3 miles (5 km) long and above 200 feet (61 m) high. The Appalachian Trail , which traverses

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1512-605: A result of the failure of a controversial plan to build a dam on the Delaware River at Tocks Island , just north of the Delaware Water Gap to control water levels for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The dam would have created a 37-mile (60 km) lake in the center of present park for use as a reservoir. Starting in 1960, the present-day area of the Recreation Area was acquired for

1638-769: A small Run or Spring of Water that Run down the North Side of the Place where I think Merrett's House afterwards stood. Sometime Early in the Beginning of the year 1691. I went and Remark'd the said Tree but do not Remember what was the Latitude that was mark'd thereon. They went afterwards to a House to the Southward of a Place Call'd Verdrietige Hook and from thence Southerly to a Farmer's to the Northward of Tapan Meadow at

1764-588: Is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States . From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York , the river flows for 282 miles (454 km) along the borders of New York , Pennsylvania , New Jersey , and Delaware , before emptying into Delaware Bay . The river has been recognized by

1890-538: Is a major barrier to travel between New Jersey and Pennsylvania . Most of the larger bridges are tolled only westbound, and are owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority , Delaware River Port Authority , Burlington County Bridge Commission or Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission . After New York City built 15 reservoirs to supply water to the city's growing population, it was unable to obtain permission to build an additional five reservoirs along

2016-450: Is an important part of the Delaware River's history, adding to its diverse cultural legacy. The magnitude of the commerce of Philadelphia has made the improvements of the river below that port of great importance. Small improvements were attempted by Pennsylvania as early as 1771. Commerce was once important on the upper river, primarily prior to railway competition of 1857. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area came about as

2142-644: Is named in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), an English nobleman and the Virginia colony's first royal governor , who defended the colony during the First Anglo-Powhatan War . Lord de la Warr waged a punitive campaign to subdue the Powhatan after they had killed the colony's council president, John Ratcliffe , and attacked the colony's fledgling settlements. Lord de la Warr arrived with 150 soldiers in time to prevent

2268-720: Is the necessary Line." The New Jersey Legislature, on March 27, 1719, passed "An Act for Running and Ascertaining the Division Line betwixt this Province and the Province of New York." New Jersey appointed Dr. John Johnston, George Willocks and James Alexander. (who would take charge of the expedition) as commissioners. They were charged with determining the true north point of the Duke of York's deed of 1664. The New York Assembly also appointed commissioners, naming Allane Jarrat as their head, and charged them to: find out that place of

2394-402: Is working to try to address the issue of flooding along the river. As the past few years have seen a rise in catastrophic floods, most residents of the river basin feel that something must be done. The local governments have worked in association with FEMA to address many of these problems, however, due to insufficient federal funds, progress is slow. A number of oil spills have taken place in

2520-604: Is written in a deed granted by the Governor and Council of New Jersey in 1685, which referred to a location "at Tappan Creek upon the Hudson's River at the line of Division agreed upon by the Governors of the two provinces." Seventy years later, Governor Robert Morris, in an affidavit used to support New Jersey's border claim, described what he had heard of this meeting. I Do hereby Certify that some Time in or about as I Believe

2646-568: The Army Corps of Engineers through eminent domain . Between 3,000 and 5,000 dwellings were demolished, including historical sites, and about 15,000 people were displaced by the project. Because of massive environmental opposition, dwindling funds, and an unacceptable geological assessment of the dam's safety, the government transferred the property to the National Park Service in 1978. The National Park Service found itself as

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2772-778: The Delaware City Refinery , the Dupont Chambers Works , Oceanport Terminal at Claymont , the Marcus Hook Refinery, the Trainer Refinery , the Paulsboro Asphalt Refinery , Paulsboro Refinery , Eagle Point Refinery, and Sunoco Fort Mifflin. As of 2011, crude oil was the largest single commodity transported on the Delaware River, accounting for half of all annual cargo tonnage. The Delaware River

2898-702: The National Wildlife Federation as one of the country's Great Waters and has been called the "Lifeblood of the Northeast" by American Rivers . Its watershed drains an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km ) and provides drinking water for 17 million people, including half of New York City via the Delaware Aqueduct . The Delaware River has two branches that rise in the Catskill Mountains of New York:

3024-612: The Otter Creek tributary , leading to a water advisory in Philadelphia . With the failure of the dam project to come to fruition, the lack of flood control on the river left it vulnerable, and it has experienced a number of serious flooding events as the result of snow melt or rain run-off from heavy rainstorms. Record flooding occurred in August 1955, in the aftermath of the passing of the remnants of two separate hurricanes over

3150-406: The Port of Wilmington , the Port of Chester , the Port of Paulsboro , the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Camden . Combined they create one of the largest shipping areas of the United States. In 2015, the ports of Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington handled 100 million tons of cargo from 2,243 ship arrivals, and supported 135,000 direct or indirect jobs. The biggest category of imports

3276-772: The Tri-States Monument at the confluence of the Delaware and Neversink Rivers near Port Jervis to the Hudson River . The New York and New Jersey legislatures ratified the compromise in 1772, and the King approved it on September 1, 1773. Early in 1665 the Governor of the Royal Colony of New York, Colonel Richard Nicolls , received news that James, the Duke of York , had granted a charter for New Jersey to two court friends, Sir George Carteret and John Lord Berkeley . Governor Nicolls immediately realized that

3402-629: The West Branch at Mount Jefferson in Jefferson , Schoharie County , and the East Branch at Grand Gorge , Delaware County . The branches merge to form the main Delaware River at Hancock, New York . Flowing south, the river remains relatively undeveloped, with 152 miles (245 km) protected as the Upper , Middle , and Lower Delaware National Scenic Rivers . At Trenton, New Jersey ,

3528-466: The 1717 debt bill had not yet been granted, but Governor Hunter, believing that much had already been done, allowed the expedition to begin. He also left for London in June 1719, to help assure the bill's passage. Both colonies' commissioners met on June 22, 1719, at a location on the Delaware River. According to recorded reports, Allane Jarrat was uncooperative from the very beginning. John Reading , one of

3654-550: The Assembly to continue New York's liberal land granting policies so as to force New Jersey into granting compensation to New York in order to settle the border dispute. Immediately upon becoming Governor of New York and New Jersey, Cornbury began to grant floating patents for land, with sizes dependent on the actual location of New York's southern border with New Jersey. These floating grants made an already volatile situation worse, as settlers attempted to restrict settlement either to

3780-613: The Bottom of the Bay, I cannot particularly Remember whether observations was made at one or both these Places – but I was told They there did Agree that the Mouth of Tapan Creek should be the Point of Partition on Hudsons River. Little was done after the 1684 meeting, and there is no solid evidence that a survey was ever completed. In 1754, to complicate and thus stall proceedings attempting to settle

3906-652: The Clean Water Act explains how conditions of the river should be stable enough for human fishing and swimming. Even though the river has had success with the cleanup of pollution, the Delaware River still does not meet that standard of swimmable or fishable conditions in the Philadelphia/Chester region. In March 2023, a pipe rupture at a Trinseo chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania , released over 8,000 gallons of latex finishing material into

New York – New Jersey Line War - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-500: The Commissioners but only worsened as they were exposed to verbal abuse by New York settlers on July 22, 1719. But the commissioners were able to arrive at a final agreement on July 25, which came to be known as the "Tri Partite Deed". This agreement placed the northern station point upstream of an Indian village known as Casheightouch, today known as Cochecton, New York. The latitude was determined to be 41°40′ at this location and

4158-512: The Council of the 1694 agreement between Governors Hamilton and Fletcher (placing the east station point at Tappan Creek), accused Captain Harrison of lying when he reported there were no other branches farther north on the Delaware, and requested that the final survey be held up until the King decided on the legitimacy of the 1717 debt bill. As a final gesture, the petitioners offered to pay half

4284-454: The Delaware 35 miles (56 km) north of the "Mahakkamack" branch. By July 17, 1719, a sub-expedition led by Captain Harrison, which had been investigating the Delaware River for branches farther north, arrived at the camp and reported that no substantial northerly branch of the River had been found. However, they had found the small Popaxtun Branch, with modern coordinates at 41°55′. On July 18,

4410-666: The Delaware River as the River of the Year for 2020, citing 75 years of progress in reducing pollution and restoring wildlife. In 1984, the U.S. Department of the Treasury authorized the creation of a wine region or " American Viticultural Area " called the Central Delaware Valley AVA located in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey . The wine appellation includes 96,000 acres (38,850 ha) surrounding

4536-745: The Delaware River north of Philadelphia and Trenton , New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, it consists of the territory along the Delaware River in Bucks County ; in New Jersey, the AVA spans along the river in Hunterdon County and Mercer County from Titusville , New Jersey, just north of Trenton, northward to Musconetcong Mountain . As of 2013, there are no New Jersey wineries in the Central Delaware Valley AVA. In

4662-497: The Delaware River's tributaries. As a result, in 1928 the city decided to draw water from the Delaware River, putting them in direct conflict with villages and towns across the river in Pennsylvania which were already using the Delaware for their water supply. The two sides eventually took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court , and in 1931, New York City was allowed to draw 440 million US gallons (1,700,000 m ) of water

4788-415: The Delaware River. This settlement marked one of the earliest European establishments in the region, with Fort Christina (located near modern-day Wilmington, Delaware) becoming a key trading post and symbol of Swedish colonial ambition. The Swedes engaged in peaceful land negotiations with the local Lenape people and developed a thriving colony. New Sweden became a center for trade and cultural exchange between

4914-522: The Delaware basin experience flooding, including three major floods in the three years (2004–2006) that have severely damaged their homes and land. The lower part of the Delaware basin from Philadelphia southward to the Delaware Bay is tidal and much wider than portions further north, and is not prone to river-related flooding (although tidal surges can cause minor flooding in this area). The Delaware River Basin Commission , along with local governments,

5040-552: The Delaware becomes tidal , navigable , and significantly more industrial . This section forms the backbone of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area, serving the port cities of Philadelphia , Camden, New Jersey , and Wilmington, Delaware . The river flows into Delaware Bay at Liston Point, 48 miles (77 km) upstream of the bay's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean between Cape May and Cape Henlopen . Before

5166-565: The Delaware over the years. The National Marine Fisheries Service is considering designating sixteen rivers as endangered habitat for the Atlantic sturgeon which would require more attention to be given to uses of the rivers that affect the fish. The river is part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System . Nicolaes Visscher I Nicolaes Visscher I (25 January 1618, Amsterdam – buried 11 September 1679, Amsterdam)

New York – New Jersey Line War - Misplaced Pages Continue

5292-754: The Delaware. Similarly, the East Branch begins from a small pond south of Grand Gorge in the town of Roxbury in Delaware County , flowing southwest toward its impoundment by New York City to create the Pepacton Reservoir , the largest reservoir in the New York City water supply system . Its tributaries are the Beaver Kill River and the Willowemoc Creek which enter into the river ten miles (16 km) before

5418-535: The Duke designated the following points as the northern stations for the boundary line between New York and New Jersey: and to the Northward as far as the Northernmost branch of the said Bay or River of Delaware, which is forty one Degrees and forty minutes of Latitude and crosseth over thence in a straight line to Hudson's River in forty one Degrees of Latitude If the northernmost branch of the Delaware had been found at 41°40′ little doubt would have existed as to

5544-567: The EPA involved the Delaware County Regional Water Authority (DELCORA) where they set up a plan to spend around $ 200 million to help rid the waterway of about 740 million gallons of sewage and pollution. DELCORA was also fined about $ 1.4 million for allowing the Delaware River to have so much pollution residing in the river in the first place and for not complying with the Clean Water Act. Part of

5670-596: The Hudson River, after surveys placed the eastern station point 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Tappan Creek (figure 2). But before the final survey of the agreed line could be completed Mr. Walter, one of the New York Commissioners, reported feeling ill. The expedition was suspended until September, with many of New York's commissioners proceeding on to New York City. In the city the commissioners spoke to several of their friends who had property along

5796-626: The Jerseyans attempted to capture the leaders of the New York faction. Because the fight took place on the Sabbath , neither side used weapons. The New York leaders were captured and kept briefly in the Sussex County jail. The conflict was eventually settled. The King of Great Britain through the royal commission of October 7, 1769, appointed commissioners to establish what would become the permanent and final border that runs southeast from

5922-475: The King, because they believed the loss of any part of New York would cause harm to their business. It was always easier to trade with a Royal Colony, and they reminded the King that he would lose some of his quit rents, and that the Minisink Patent was becoming an important part of the New York colony. Their attempt to hinder the debt bill would also fail. On April 19–20, 1717, Governor Hunter addressed

6048-667: The Lenape". The Delaware River played a key factor in the economic and social development of the Mid-Atlantic region. In the seventeenth century it provided the conduit for colonial settlement by the Dutch ( New Netherland ) and the Swedish ( New Sweden ). Beginning in 1664, the region became an English possession as settlement by Quakers established the colonies of Pennsylvania (including present-day Delaware ) and West Jersey . In

6174-404: The Line between this province and that of East Jersey, beginning in the latitude of forty-one degrees and forty minutes upon the Delaware River. Wells and Robinson established the location of 41°40′ along the Delaware, and then proceeded to the Hudson River and established the position of 41° at that location (figure 2). No evidence exists concerning the exact location identified by the surveyors as

6300-424: The Minisink Country. The Council passed an act instructing Swartwout to honor the agreement, and within the act they also requested that Governor Bellomont of New York begin considering the increasing friction between New York and New Jersey residents along the disputed border. Aeritsen, when he approached the council, must also have told them of the increasing threat to property because of the continuing dispute over

6426-407: The Minisink region in 1694. He was so impressed with the area that he returned in May 1697 to settle a 1,000-acre (4.0 km) patent of his own, which was granted to him by Governor Fletcher of New York. Fletcher, in 1696, also granted a 1,200-acre (4.9 km) patent to Jacob Cedebec, Thomas Swartwout , Gerritt Aeritsen and others in the Minisink region, and the Kakiate patent on the eastern end of

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6552-407: The New Jersey Assembly. He told them of his efforts to end the dispute and of the debt bill's passage by the New York Assembly. He was empowered by New York to appoint commissioners and to solicit New Jersey's support in settling this matter. Hunter explained that his goal was "to prevent future Disputes and Disquiet and to do Justice to the Proprietors on the Borders of both a like law for that purpose

6678-426: The New York City water system. It is the most recently constructed New York City reservoir and began serving the city in 1964. Draining a large watershed of 455 square miles (1,180 km ), the reservoir's capacity is 95.7 billion US gallons (362,000,000 m ). This water flows over halfway through the reservoir to enter the 44-mile (71 km) West Delaware Tunnel in Tompkins , New York. Then it flows through

6804-418: The New York and New Jersey legislatures by 1719. However, the northbound extension of New Jersey was not respected by settlers from New York who moved westward from Orange County . The resulting conflict was carried out by settlers from both sides. In addition, these settlers had to fight off Native Americans who also raided the area during the French and Indian War . The last fight broke out in 1765, when

6930-501: The Pennsylvania–New Jersey state line for 25 miles (40 km) to the end of the ridge at Walpack Bend in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area . The Minisink is a buried valley where the Delaware flows in a bed of glacial till that buried the eroded bedrock during the last glacial period . It then skirts the Kittatinny ridge , which it crosses at the Delaware Water Gap , between nearly vertical walls of sandstone , quartzite , and conglomerate , and then passes through

7056-410: The Project of 1885, the U.S. government undertook systematically the formation of a 26-foot (7.9 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to deep water in Delaware Bay . The River and Harbor Act of 1899 provided for a 30-foot (9.1 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to the deep water of the bay. Since 1941, the Delaware River Main Channel was maintained at

7182-403: The Swedish settlers, Native Americans, and neighboring Dutch colonies. Although the Dutch would later assert dominance over the region in 1655, New Sweden laid the groundwork for European settlement along the Delaware River. The fort and surrounding settlements played a crucial role in the early European rivalry for control of North America's resources and territory. This era of Swedish colonization

7308-406: The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. The river flows southeast for 78 miles through rural regions along the New York-Pennsylvania border to Port Jervis and Shawangunk Ridge . At Port Jervis , New York, it enters the Port Jervis trough. At this point, the Walpack Ridge deflects the Delaware into the Minisink Valley, where it follows the southwest strike of the eroded Marcellus Formation beds along

7434-452: The West Branch meets the East Branch. The confluence of the two branches is just south of Hancock . The East Branch and West Branch of the Delaware River parallel each other, both flowing in a southwesterly direction. From Hancock, New York , the Delaware flows between the northern Poconos in Pennsylvania, and the lowered shale beds north of the Catskills. The river flows down a broad Appalachian valley, passing Hawk's Nest overlook on

7560-404: The affair with you, lest their own maps should rise up witness against them. There is no evidence that there was ever agreement, since no border line was established clearly at that time. But this confusion did not totally inhibit the settlement of surrounding areas, and perhaps was actually encouraged by the competing colonial governments attempting to establish de facto control over the area. By

7686-423: The agreement now that these errors had been made public. On the same day that Jarrat's petition was submitted to the Council, another was also received from "severall (of) the Inhabitants of the province of New York for themselves and others, owners and proprietors of land Bordering upon the Partition Line between the province of New York and New Jersey." This second petition, supported Jarrat's contentions, reminded

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7812-408: The agreement, petitioned the New York Council President, Peter Schuyler, for compensatory lands for their expected losses if this boundary line was accepted by the Council. But the initial request for compensation quickly changed into a request that New York fight to keep the land that would be lost to the "Tri Partite Deed." Allane Jarrat, in early September 1719, informed the Council of New York that

7938-437: The agricultural development of the region. The strategic Delaware River was the scene of several important campaigns during the American Revolutionary War . Perhaps the most famous event was George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River with the Continental Army on the night of December 25–26, 1776, leading to a successful surprise attack and victory against the Hessian troops occupying Trenton, New Jersey , on

8064-424: The aqueduct into the Rondout Reservoir , where the water enters the 85 miles (137 km) Delaware Aqueduct , that contributes to roughly 50% of the city's drinking water supply. At Deposit , on the border between Broome and Delaware counties, it turns sharply to the southeast and is paralleled by New York State Route 17 . It joins the East Branch at 880 feet (270 m) above sea level at Hancock to form

8190-543: The area with East New Jersey proprietary grants to pay an additional price for a New York grant for the same land or be forced to leave. It was even claimed that Governor Dongan had all New York grants predate New Jersey's by one day, so they could be used as evidence in any later property and border disputes. These governmental actions along the border region created a great deal of insecurity among settlers and holders of land grants, and may have resulted in uncommon settlement patterns near Tappan Creek. The first settlement along

8316-430: The area within less than a week: first Hurricane Connie and then Hurricane Diane , which was, and still is, the wettest tropical cyclone to have hit the northeastern United States. The river gauge at Riegelsville , Pennsylvania recorded an all-time record crest of 38.85 feet (11.84 m) on August 19, 1955. More recently, moderate to severe flooding has occurred along the river. The same gauge at Riegelsville recorded

8442-423: The arrival of European settlers, the river was the homeland of the Lenape native people. They called the river Lenapewihittuk, or Lenape River, and Kithanne, meaning the largest river in this part of the country. In 1609, the river was visited by a Dutch East India Company expedition led by Henry Hudson . Hudson, an English navigator, was hired to find a western route to Cathay (China), but his encounters set

8568-454: The border at the mouth of Tappan Creek , and assured each other that surveyors would soon be hired to run the final line to the Delaware River. A discussion of this Tappan meeting is found in the minutes of the Council of New York for April 9, 1684, which instructed the Indians to observe the surveyors while they placed markers on the Delaware, and to sell only to New Yorkers land to the north of that line. Other evidence that this meeting occurred

8694-408: The border dispute, New York would claim that evidence had been found indicating that a survey was made in 1684, and that the surveyors had placed the northern station point at the southern end of Minisink Island (an island today near Milford, Pennsylvania), and marked with a pen knife on a tree. But this 'evidence' was never produced by New York for inspection. It was not until 1686 that an agreement

8820-488: The border to Honan and Hawden. But New York was not alone in granting land within the disputed region in hopes of creating a de facto border; the East New Jersey Proprietors granted John Johnston and George Wollocks land in the border region and appointed them proprietors. But New York's efforts in granting land were more effective. By 1701 the Minisink Country area had enough residents to be given permission to hold an election as part of Ulster County, New York. Settlement along

8946-436: The border was creating inevitable friction between settlers representing each colony. The first report of problems appears indirectly in a November 1, 1700, Act passed by the Council of New York. The act deals with a dispute between two residents of Kingston, New York, Gerritt Aeritsen and Thomas Swartwout. Aeritsen had contacted the Council complaining that Swartwout was not holding to his part of their 1696 joint grant of land in

9072-446: The border were, "neither here nor there" in relation to their residency. Fauconnier wrote Lord Cornbury again on April 2, 1709, and went into more details about the problems of the border region. He reported that citizens were being taxed twice, and being required to serve in each colony's militia. He also reported that squatters and other illegal users of land were finding the confusion along the border beneficial to them, but that presence

9198-558: The border, among them Stephan DeLancey, Lancaster Symes and Henry Wileman. The commissioners reported to these men that the line they had agreed to in the "Tri Partite Deed" would result in the loss to New York of a large chunk of the Minisink and Wawayanda patents, along with the town of Orangetown (later known as Tappan) and most of the Kakiate and Cheescock patents. On August 20 these important men, possessing early first hand knowledge of

9324-522: The border. In response, Governor Bellomont contacted the Board of Trade in London asking for assistance. The Board wrote back to Bellomont on April 29, 1701, indicating that it would "be pleased to give some order," and requested a report be sent about the situation. However, before the letter reached him, the Governor had died. His successor decided to ignore the offer of help from the Board of Trade. Settling

9450-407: The branch did not exist at this location, the actual border should be much farther south. It was New York's hope that New Jersey, being a much smaller, poorer and less politically connected colony, would eventually have to compromise and move the border south in order to end this draining border dispute. The problems created by this mistake in cartography would begin in 1676, with negotiations between

9576-400: The caretaker of the previously endangered territory, and with the help of the federal government and surrounding communities, developed recreational facilities and worked to preserve the remaining historical structures. The nearby Shawnee Inn , was identified in the 1990s as the only resort along the banks of the Delaware River. American Rivers , an environmental advocacy group, named

9702-482: The charter meant the loss of valuable land from the New York colony, and was compelled to write the Duke to tell him that the land comprising New Jersey, as delineated in the charter, comprehended all the improveable part of Your Royal Highness his Pattent and capable to receive twenty times more people than Long Island and all the remaining Tracts in Your Royal Highness his patent in respect not onely to

9828-474: The colony's original settlers at Jamestown from giving up and returning to England and is credited with saving the Virginia colony. The name of the barony (later an earldom ) is pronounced as in the current spelling form "Delaware" ( / ˈ d ɛ l ə w ɛər / DEL -ə-wair ) and is thought to derive from French de la Guerre . It has often been reported that the river and bay received

9954-406: The commission's surveyors, reported in his journal on June 30: This morning instead of proceeding in their former traverses Capt. Jarrard wholly declined the same alleging that he could not undergo the fateaque thereof (altho' what he had experienced was very small to what I apprehended the event would be) Even with Jarrat's lack of cooperation, the final camp was reached on July 8, at a location on

10080-610: The cost for a more accurate surveying instrument. This petition was signed by 43 people. Among the signers were DeLancey, Wileman, Symes, the captain of the Orange County Militia, the Orange County High Sheriff, and two of Orange County's Representatives to the Assembly. These were all powerful and influential men in the colony of New York, all of whom could easily make life difficult for Allane Jarrat. Delaware River The Delaware River

10206-444: The dispute would only result in decreasing his power, and restricting him from making grants of land within the disputed area, and thus didn't make any attempt to establish de facto control. The amount of confusion and lack of control exhibited by the proprietors of New Jersey—especially when dealing with land title disputes among their grantees, a direct result of working with unsecured boundaries—gave Queen Anne justification to remove

10332-603: The disputed boundary. He wrote to friends in England about the great potential he saw for the Colony of New Jersey and his worry about the threat posed by the border dispute. He became a leader in the East Jersey Proprietor's efforts to have the border decided in a favorable manner. In 1717, New York's Governor Hunter decided the time had come to reduce tensions and resolve the dispute over the border. He inserted

10458-531: The eastern United States, the name "Delaware" has been spread with the Lenape's diaspora to municipalities, counties and other geographical features in the American Midwest and Canada. The Delaware River's drainage basin has an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km ) and encompasses 42 counties and 838 municipalities in five U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. This total area constitutes approximately 0.4% of

10584-404: The effort to establish the location of the northern station point because of the importance of this question in establishing title over much of their territory. Without a firm border, how could grants be made with firm titles; more importantly, without firm titles, how could new business and communities be established? The first attempt to establish the location of the northern border of New Jersey

10710-469: The eighteenth century, cities like Philadelphia , Camden (then Cooper's Ferry), Trenton , Wilmington and New Castle were established upon the Delaware and their continued commercial success into the present day has been dependent on access to the river for trade and power. The river provided the path for the settlement of northeastern Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley , and northwestern New Jersey by German Palatine immigrants—a population that became key in

10836-448: The entire effort of the expedition was threatened by a dispute between Jarrat and Alexander. Reading's Journal reports: in the morning the surveyors disagreed concerning the use of tables for calculating the suns and stars place and if that they had not been there they had certainly left the station unfixed, which after a great many arguments they agreed to settle, a memorandum of which was taken and brought down. Things did not improve for

10962-417: The exact location of New Jersey's northern boundary line. But no branch existed at this latitude. The confusion created by this revelation would be capitalized on by New York in order to stall any attempts at establishing the border's exact location and, thus, the legitimacy and stability so necessary for a healthy business environment in the new colony of New Jersey. It would be New York's contention that, since

11088-566: The fortune of the Duke, and he continued his letter by stating, Neither can I suppose that My Lord Berkeley or Sir G. Carterett know how prejudiciall such a graunt would prove to Your Royal Highness, but I must charge it upon Capt. Scott who was borne to make mischiefe as farre as hee is credited or his parts serve him. This Scot (it seems) aim's at the same patent which Your Royal Highness hath, and hath since given words out that hee had injury done him by Your Royal Highness, whereupon he contriv'd and betrayed my Lord Berkeley and Sir. G. Carterett into

11214-487: The governors. But most references to the survey of the time seem to indicate that the survey simply re-established the mouth of Tappan Creek as the station point. Once again an actual line was never drawn. A possible reason can be found in a letter from Daniel Coxe to the Proprietors of West New Jersey, dated September 5, 1687, which suggests that the final survey was held up while waiting for West New Jersey to agree with

11340-437: The land mass in the United States. In 2001, the watershed was 18% agricultural land, 14% developed land, and 68% forested land. There are 216 tributary streams and creeks comprising an estimated 14,057 miles of streams and creeks, in the watershed. While the watershed is home to 4.17 million people according to the 2000 Federal Census, these bodies of water provide drinking water to 17 million people—roughly 6% of

11466-505: The mid-1680s slow development began on the eastern edge of the border region, along the Hudson River. It is documented that the East New Jersey Proprietors, on February 19–20, 1685, leased property along Tappan Creek to a family named Lockhart. New Jersey would later claim that during 1686, Governor Dongan of New York actually gave New York grants to lands on the New Jersey side of Tappan Creek, and then forced those in

11592-850: The morning of December 26. During the Philadelphia Campaign control of the Delaware River was urgently needed by the British, allowing their naval fleet to supply troops occupying Philadelphia. To this end, the Battle of Red Bank and the Siege of Fort Mifflin were fought on and along the shores of the Delaware by the American and British navies, commanded by Commodore John Hazelwood and Admiral Francis Reynolds respectively. See historical map of that campaign. In 1638, Swedish settlers, led by Peter Menuet, established New Sweden along

11718-578: The name "Delaware" after English forces under Richard Nicolls expelled the Dutch and took control of the New Netherland colony in 1664. However, the river and bay were known by the name Delaware as early as 1641. The state of Delaware was originally part of the William Penn 's Pennsylvania colony . In 1682, the Duke of York granted Penn's request for access to the sea and leased him

11844-402: The partition line stretching "from the eastside of Little Egg Harbor, straight north, through the country, to the utmost branch of Delaware River." Obviously the exact location of this line would be dependent upon the exact border with New York, which was also located on this branch. But where exactly was this elusive branch of the Delaware River? The East New Jersey Board of Proprietors would lead

11970-539: The plateau in a deep trough. The branch flows generally southwest, entering Delaware County and flowing through the towns of Stamford and Delhi . In southwestern Delaware County it flows in an increasingly winding course through the mountains, generally southwest. At Stilesville the West Branch was impounded in the 1960s to form the Cannonsville Reservoir , the westernmost of the reservoirs in

12096-587: The pollutants in the river can cause birth defects, infertility among women, and have been linked to cancer. In 2015, the EPA saw the Delaware River as a concern for mass pollution especially in the Greater Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania area. The EPA was involved after accusations that the river met standards made illegal by the Clean Water Act . In complying with the Clean Water Act,

12222-487: The population of the United States. The waters of the Delaware River's basin are used to sustain "fishing, transportation, power, cooling, recreation, and other industrial and residential purposes." It is the 33rd largest river in the United States in terms of flow, but is among the nation's most heavily used rivers in daily freight tonnage. The average annual flow rate of the Delaware is 11,700 cubic feet per second at Trenton, New Jersey . With no dams or impediments on

12348-519: The provinces of East and West Jersey over the location of their mutual partition line, and would not end until 1769, when a Royal commission to solve the New York/New Jersey northern boundary dispute would impose a compromise border line. Some may argue that the dispute continued until 1896, when a joint state commission completed an accurate survey that compensated for measurement distortions caused by local iron ore formations, but for

12474-559: The purposes of this paper, we will follow the dispute—including its complicated political and economic battles and small skirmishes between residents of both states—until the compromise of 1769. During 1674, following a short period in which the Dutch had once again established control over most of the region, Berkeley and Carteret found themselves in serious financial difficulties. Due to these difficulties Lord Berkeley sold his share in New Jersey to Edward Byllynge, who immediately sold parts of

12600-503: The quantity of the Land but to the Coast of Delaware River the fertility of the soyle the neighborhood to Hudsons River , and lastly the faire hopes of Rich mines, to the utter discouragement of any that shall desire to live under your Royal Highness his protection. Governor Nicolls believed that the magnitude of the loss was so great that it could have only resulted from a conspiracy against

12726-459: The reannexation of New Jersey to New York, or at least obtain compensation for its loss. In New York's favor in these efforts was the very charter for New Jersey granted by the Duke. It was based on an inaccurate map created by the Dutch cartographer Nicolas Johannis Visscher in 1654. The Jansson–Visscher map, as it would later become known, established the northernmost branch of the Delaware River at latitude 41°40′ North. Based on this information,

12852-450: The responsibility for New Jersey from the proprietors, although they would still be permitted to allocate and grant all unsold lands. Queen Anne united East and West New Jersey with New York on April 15, 1702. Unification would continue until 1738, when New Jersey finally broke free again. The confusion and insecurity created by the border dispute had played into the hands of New York and increased its ability to control events. Obviously, there

12978-476: The results of this survey. Cox wrote: It was a great defect on your part, to agree upon a division either with New-York or East-Jersy, until you had a most exact survey of the country; they of New York and East Jersey, have in this respect, exercised the highest prudence, knowing the whole country to a little, and thereby have both overreached you. I have seen their draught, than which nothing can be more exact; but they dare not yet print them, till they have adjusted

13104-699: The ridge of Kittatinny Mountain in New Jersey, and Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania, crosses the Delaware River at the Delaware Water Gap near Columbia, New Jersey. In Easton, Pennsylvania , the Lehigh River joins the Delaware. At Trenton , the Delaware crosses the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line with a drop of 8 feet (2.4 m). Below Trenton , the Delaware flows between Philadelphia and New Jersey before becoming

13230-530: The river was renamed Delaware after Sir Thomas West , 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and the Virginia colony's first royal governor, who defended the colony during the First Anglo-Powhatan War . George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 led to the Americans winning the Battle of Trenton , which was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution . The Delaware River

13356-728: The river's main stem, the Delaware is one of the few remaining large free-flowing rivers in the United States. The West Branch of the Delaware River , also called the Mohawk Branch, spans approximately 90 miles (140 km) from the northern Catskill Mountains to its confluence with the Delaware River's East Branch at Hancock, New York . The last 6 miles (9.7 km) forms part of the boundary between New York and Pennsylvania . The West Branch rises in Schoharie County , New York at 1,886 feet (575 m) above sea level, near Mount Jefferson , and flows tortuously through

13482-436: The said northernmost branch of Delaware River that lies in the latitude of forty-one degrees and forty minutes, which is the north partition point of New York and New Jersey. This charge was far more specific than New Jersey's and left Allane Jarrat in the limited position of having to place the northern station point at 41°40′, and not at the location of the northernmost branch of the entire Delaware River. The King's approval of

13608-485: The share to a group of Quakers who were hoping to create their own colony in New Jersey. But before this new settlement could be begun, it was necessary to establish clearly the border between lands owned by Carteret and the Quakers. An agreement was arrived at with Carteret, on July 1, 1676, which would become known as the "Quintipartite Deed." This agreement divided the colony of New Jersey into East and West sections, with

13734-543: The shoreline, but on the New Jersey side of the river, are pene-exclaves under the jurisdiction of Delaware. The rest of the borders follow a mid-channel approach. At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the early 17th century, the area near the Delaware River was inhabited by the Native American Lenape people. They called the Delaware River "Lenape Wihittuck", which means "the rapid stream of

13860-425: The south or the north of their patents so as to enlarge the size of their floating patents. The Wawayanda Patent was the first of these floating patents. It was granted in 1703 to John Bridges and Company, all of whom were friends of Governor Cornbury. It was meant to encompass an area of between 60,000 and 350,000 acres (1,400 km), depending on the final location of the border. In 1704, the larger Minisink Patent

13986-653: The stage for Dutch colonization of North America in the 17th century. Early Dutch and Swedish settlements were established along the lower section of the river and Delaware Bay . Both colonial powers called the river the South River (Zuidrivier), compared to the Hudson River , which was known as the North River . After the English expelled the Dutch and took control of the New Netherland colony in 1664,

14112-425: The surveying instruments used on the expedition were actually inaccurate, and that his conscience would not allow him to accept the "Tri Partite Deed". According to the petition, Jarrat felt unwilling "to relye on my own judgement in so weighty and affair that so highly concerns the care of this province for Taphan and sundry other Gentlemens estates." The petition requested advice from the Council on how to proceed with

14238-462: The surveyors accepted the "Fishkill" (which was actually the main Delaware River north of the Mackhackimack branch) as being the most northernmost branch of the river. This was an apparent concession to New York and the charge under which Jarrat was working, since the smaller Popaxtun branch had actually been farther north. The "Tri Partite Deed" was signed two days later on July 27, 1719, along

14364-510: The territory along the western shore of Delaware Bay, which became known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware". In 1704, the Lower Counties were given political autonomy to form a separate provincial assembly, but they shared Pennsylvania's provincial governor until the two colonies separated on June 15, 1776, and they remained separate as states after the establishment of the United States. The name "Delaware" also came to be used as

14490-419: The west station, but most historians believe it was near the actual modern location of 41° 40.' Additionally, a great deal of controversy exists over the east station's exact placing. The East New Jersey Proprietors later claimed—a means to counter New York claims for a more southerly border—that this station was 4 miles (6.4 km) and 45 chains north of Tappan Creek, the border station previously established by

14616-482: The western and northern border of New Jersey ran "along said River or Bay (the Delaware ) to the northward as far as the northward most branch of the said Bay or River, which is in latitude 41 degrees, 40 minutes and crosseth over thence in a straight line to the latitude 41 degrees on Hudson's River ." Said point on the Delaware is Cochecton or Station Point. This border, set in 1664, had been acknowledged by both

14742-506: The western border region began in 1690 with the founding of the town of Port Jervis on the Delaware River by the Cortright, Van Auken, Westbrook, Decker, Kuykendal, Westfall, Titsworth, Cole, and Davis families. As previously reported, the governmental was taking little action to firmly establish the border line. However, increasing settlement allowed the confusion and problems with the border dispute to grow and become more complicated. In

14868-525: The year 1685, or 1686, Col. Thomas Dongan then Governor of New York and others met with Gawen Lawry, then Governor of New Jersey with some of the Gentlemen of the Council of New Jersey and others at a Place nigh which stood afterwards the house of Col. William Merrett on the West Side of Husdsons River where an observation was then made of the latitude and mark'd with a Pen Knife on a Beech-Tree standing by

14994-610: Was a Dutch engraver, cartographer and publisher. He was the son of Claes Janszoon Visscher . His son, Nicolaes Visscher II (1649–1702), also worked with him and continued the family tradition of mapmaking after his death. Visscher died in Amsterdam in 1679 and was buried in the Nieuwezijds Kapel on 11 September of that year, though a death year of 1709 is maintained by some sources. His engraved double hemisphere map, Orbis Terrarum Nova et Accuratissima Tabula ,

15120-436: Was fruit, carried by 490 ships, followed by petroleum, and containers, with 410 and 381 ships, respectively. The biggest category of exports was of shipping was containers, with 470 ships. In 2016, 2,427 ships arrived at Delaware River port facilities. Fruit ships were counted at 577, petroleum at 474, and containerized cargo at 431. At one time it was a center for petroleum and chemical products and included facilities such as

15246-454: Was granted to Matthew Ling and Company, again friends and supporters of Lord Cornbury. This patent included 160,000 acres (650 km) of disputed territory. The much smaller Cheescocks Patent was granted in 1707. To symbolize New York's commitment to control over this area, Orange County, New York, was established in 1709. In 1705, Peter Fauconnier, a Collector and Receiver General in New Jersey, reported to Lord Cornbury that those living along

15372-406: Was made in 1684. Evidence of this attempt is only circumstantial in nature, and is found in documents only as background information for other subjects. Pasting together a rough picture, it seems as though Governors Thomas Dongan of New York and Gawen Lawrie of New Jersey, along with their respective councils, met near Tappan on the Hudson River. They agreed to establish the east station point of

15498-585: Was no reason for the Governors of New York to hurry and resolve this border controversy. In May 1703, Lord Cornbury (who in July would be appointed Governor of New York and New Jersey) addressed the New York General Assembly. He said that New York's loss of territory (New Jersey) was irremediable, but that compensation could and should be obtained for this loss. Cornbury, who was obviously not on New Jersey's side concerning this matter, encouraged

15624-560: Was not beneficial to either colony. Increasing confusion, however, did not result in less settlement along the border. The Wawayanda Patent was first settled by Christopher Denn in 1712, and by 1716 the Minisink Patent (Walpack as it was known in New Jersey) had attracted enough settlers to support the first clergyman. In March 1717, James Alexander became Surveyor of New Jersey, Receiver of Quit Rents for East New Jersey, and Advocate General. Alexander owned 1,000 acres (4.0 km) along

15750-481: Was not to be carried out until 1719. The 1690s saw settlement continue to pick up along the border, much of it as the result of a land granting scheme on the part of New York, which hoped that the creation of a de facto border would eventually become the final boundary line with New Jersey. One of the first beneficiaries of this scheme was Captain Arent Schuyler, who was originally sent by New York to explore

15876-479: Was reached between the Governors of New York and New Jersey to survey a line. This agreement is reported in the minutes of the Council of New York and the East New Jersey Proprietors in June and July 1686, respectively. George Keith, of East New Jersey, Andrew Robinson, of West New Jersey, and Philip Wells of New York, met along the Delaware on September 1, 1686, to survey to line. The Council of New York instructed Wells: You are carefully and with great exactness to run

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