2. History
German "Palatines" came in 1710 to the upper Hudson Valley, to land
that is today Germantown, Columbia County.
The “Palatines” were driven from the Rhenish Palatinate, a small Electorate
located near the junction of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers in Germany, by
wars and famine. They left their homeland in the so-called Great Migration
of 1709, and settled in New York in 1710.
3. The History of the Settlement of this area may be said to have begun
on, or about, September 29, 1710, when Robert Hunter, newly appointed
Royal Governor of New York Province, purchased some 6,000 acres of
land on the east bank of the Hudson River, from Robert Livingston, First
Lord of the Manor.
This land was purchased for the purpose of settling some 1,400 or more
German-speaking Palatines from the Rhine Valley and adjacent areas.
4. These Palatines were to be
settled along the Hudson
River, and put to work
manufacturing Naval
Stores, products of the pine
tree, for the British Navy.
Naval Stores is a term which
originally applied to the resin-
based components used in
building and maintaining
wooden sailing ships.
5. There were two species of pine trees predominant here along the
Hudson, the White Pine and the Pitch Pine.
The White Pine was most
numerous along the
river, but was not suited to
the purpose in mind,
6. The Pitch Pine also grew
here, but was most
numerous some distance
inland from the river. This
tree was suited to the project
under consideration.
The undertaking of manufacturing Naval Stores proved a
failure and, in the autumn of 1712, the Colony split, with many
of the settlers moving on.
7. Others elected to remain and
fought through some terribly
hard conditions.
By 1724, some 63 families were
firmly enough established to
petition for title to the 6,000
acres purchased by Governor
Hunter in 1710.
This petition was granted in
1725.
In 1740 the area was surveyed
and mapped, and those
remaining were given
Indentures of Ownership for
their lands.
Cadwallader Colden Map. A map of the
six thousand acres of land granted to
Paletine heads of families
8. Approximate locations of Palatine
Settlements at East Camp in 1710
ANNESBURY
In the Snyder's Corners-
Half Moon Anchorage area
QUEENSBURY
In the vicinity of Sharp's Landing
Road, Maple Avenue, Maple Avenue
Extension, and Highway 9G
HAYESBURY
In the area around the junction of
County Road No. 8 and Highway 9G
HUNTERSTOWN
In the vicinity of present-day
Cheviot
9. For more information
Town Hall: 50 Palatine Rd
Germantown, NY 12526
518 537 6687 Ext.308
Committee: P.O.Box 63
Germantown, NY 12526
www.germantownnyhistory.org
Germantown 300th Committee
Nadine Rumke Chair
Larry Osgood Treasurer
Nan Eliot PR & Press
Power Point created by: Devin Overington
