Feb 6
The Duke of York is crowned as James II. New York becomes a royal
province.
Feb 24
Connecticut governor Robert Treat and New York governor Thomas
Dongan ratify the boundary between their colonies.
Oct 18
France's Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes, which had granted
tolerance towards Huguenots, increasing their migration to America.
Among them are John Jay's ancestors. Jay's grandfather Augustus
is away on a trading voyage to Africa at the time.
Nov 4
Governor Dongan issues a patent to the van Rensselaer cousins
for the Manor of van Renssalaerwyck.
Nov 5
The van Rensselaer patent is confirmed.
Nov 7
The New York General Assembly moves the Kings County (Brooklyn)
courts from Gravesend to Flatbush.
Dec 15
Governor Dongan directs Leon Beckwith to make a survey of Wall
Street's North Side.
Dec 16
Beckwith carries out the survey, writes his report.
City
Former Dutch receiver general Nicholas Bayard, a nephew of Peter
Stuyvesant and a favorite of Governor Dongan, is appointed mayor
for the year.
Apr 20
James II names Alexander Innes clerk to the garrison at New York.
Apr 27
New York colonial governor Thomas Dongan grants New York City
a new charter, confirming and enlarging the city's municipal powers.
The city is given control over vacant Manhattan shore lands extending
to the low water mark.
Jul 22
Albany City (Beverwick, William Stadt, New Orange) is incorporated
by patent. ** Columbia County's Livingston Manor is patented.
Sep 21
Officials of New York's Dukes County meet at Nantucket to discuss
Court schedules for each of the main islands. It may be at this
meeting, if not before, that Martin's Vineyard officially becomes
Mathew's Vineyard.
Dec 6
Governor Dongan confirms the incorporation of Southampton, in
Long Island's Suffolk County.
Dec 9
Dongan confirms the incorporation of East Hampton, in Suffolk
County.
City
James II bans the first House of Representatives and prohibits
printing presses. ** Businessman Stephanus Van Cortlandt is appointed
mayor for this and each of the next two years. ** The first member
of the Rhinelander family, future sugar and shipping business
owners, arrives from Germany. ** Captain John Manning's son-in-law,
Robert Blackwell, becomes owner of Minnahannock island, giving
it his name. ** The Kings County (Brooklyn) court house is built
at Flatbush. ** French Huguenot Augustus Jay, grandfather of John
Jay, settles here permanently.] ** A new seal is granted to the
city, bearing a beaver, a windmill, a flour barrel, a cross and
two Indians.
State
The colony's new Charter of Liberties is disallowed. ** The English,
French and Senecas all try diplomacy. ** Much of the coast of
Maine, known as Cornwall County, bought from the Earl of Sterling
and governed by New York, is transferred to Massachusetts.
England
The Crown establishes the Dominion of New England, covering all
lands from New Jersey to Maine.
May 6
Bentley Manor on Staten Island is granted to Captain Christopher
Billop.
May 22
Jacques René de Brisay, marquis of Denonville, governor
general of New France, having decided on a campaign against the
Iroquois in New York, has mass said at Québec and sets
out to rendezvous with his flotilla of canoes at Notre Dame de
l'Etrisse, about ten miles upriver. Denonville then goes on ahead
to Montréal. The fleet is halted by strong winds at Villeneuve.
May 24
The fleet starts out early in the afternoon in spite of strong
winds. It soon becomes necessary to empty water out of four of
the boats.
May 25
Heavy rain causes the fleet to remain moored.
May 26
The fleet sets out, stopping at Trois-Rivièr where Denonville
confers with post governor de Varenne. Setting out again he is
halted by squalls and takes refuge at the house of the farmer
La Force, at the entrance to Lake Ontario. Denonville and his
wife are rescued when their canoe almost overturns.
May 28
After laying over a day because of high winds the fleet sails
on to St. Suplice.
May 29
Denonville proceeds, reaches Villemarie (Montréal Island),
where work is being done on the defenses.
Jun 3
Denonville learns that six French ships have arrived with 800
soldiers aboard, after a 33 day crossing, and he waits the arrival
of the troops.
Jun 5
The Intendant of the French forces arrives at Montréal
with news the troops are a short distance away.
Jun 7
The French forces land and go into camp on Isle Sainte-Hélène,
opposite Villemarie.
Jun 8
The French Intendant reviews the troops.
Jun 9
The French spend the next two days preparing their boats.
Jun 11
Two companies of Denonville's force set out from Montréal.
Jun 12
The French begin ascending the Montréal rapids.
Jun 13
Denonville and the Intendant remain at Montréal to supervise
the ascent of the rapids. Militia captain M. de Callieres leads
the advance.
Jun 14
The last of the French force passes through the rapids. 3 or 4
boats are left at the head of the rapids on Isle Perrot, to be
brought forward the next day. Denonville and the Intendant move
on overland to La Présentation (Ogdensburg, New York).
Jun 15
High winds and heavy rains prevent Denonville's departure from
La Présentation.
Jun 16
The troops manually haul the transport boats through the St. Lawrence
River rapids at The Cascades, just upriver from La Présentation,
sustaining minor injuries. Learning there are Cayugas back near
Présentation, Denonville detaches troops under De Louvigny
and Sivret to try and capture them.
Jun 17
Three transports sink in the swift currents at the Cedres, but
no lives are lost. 3/4 of a league are gained.
Jul 10
Denonville's forces arrive at the future site of Pultneyville.
Jul 11
Denonville lands a large invasion force - 1500 Frenchmen, including
the Baron de Lathonton (author), Daniel Duluth (founder of the
city), Henri de Tonty (explorer), François d'Orvillers
and Louis Hector de Callieres - and 1500 Ottawa and Mohawk Indian
allies) at the mouth of Irondequoit Bay, not daring to cross the
sand bar. He proposes to destroy the Seneca Indians to the south.
A small log enclosure is built and his boats are sunk so they
will not blow away.
Jul 12
Denonville marches his army southeast toward the Indian village
of Gannagaro (Ganandogan).
Jul 13
In the midst of intense heat, 800 Seneca, forewarned, attack Denonville's
forces - the Denonville Ambuscade. The Indians withdraw when the
remaining French forces come up. Casualties are moderate on both
sides.
Jul 14
Denonville enters Gannagaro, which the Indians have burned.
Jul 15
The French under Tonty, Calliere and Vaudreuille destroy Seneca
corn collected at their granary at Gahayanduk (Fort Hill at Ganondagan).
The remaining Seneca will all survive the winter.
Jul 19
The French destroy Totiakton (Rochester Junction).
Jul 20
The French destroy Gannounata (Lima-Avon). Denonville discovers
a coat of arms sent by British general Dongan claiming the area
is English territory.
Jul 23
The French camp at three small lakes, today's Mendon Ponds Park.
Jul 24
Denonville's forces burn their log fort on the bay.
Jul 26
Denonville departs from Irondequoit Bay, bound for the Niagara
area and then to Montréal in August.
Sep 26
Over five days male Dutch residents of King's County, New York,
sign an oath of allegiance to James II.
November
The entire Iroquois League allies itself with the English.
City
Flour trade revenue reaches £5,000.
State
Fortifications are erected by Denonville at the future site of
Fort Niagara. ** Johannes Van Rensselaer dies, childless, leaving
the patroonship of Rensselaerwyck clear for his nephew Killian.
City
Politician Leonard Lewis marries Elisabeth Hardebnbergh of Kingston.
State
Fortifications erected last year at the future site of Fort Niagara
are dismantled.
Apr 27
Albany learns that France has declared war on England.
May 31
Fearing an invasion from a French and Catholic Canada, the New
Amsterdam militia assumes control of the city's fort and chooses
Captain Jacob Leisler to command.
Jun 22
An embassy of officials from Connecticut notify Leisler that William
and Mary are now proclaimed King and Queen of England, and he
announces the news to the city. Meeting with Governor van Cortlandt,
he agrees to give over the city's government if van Cortlandt
will declare allegiance to the new monarchs. The governor stalls,
hoping to force Leisler into officially seizing power. Leisler
adherents claim three fires have been set in Fort George.
Jun 25
Leisler calls an assembly at the fort to authorize a provincial
defense force.
Aug 1
The Albany Convention is established for protection against a
French attack.
September
Meeting with Mohawk chiefs at Albany, New England commissioners
form an alliance against the French, with the Five Nations.
October
New York election results are confirmed by Leisler.
Dec 11
Leisler seizes the entire colony of New York.
State
Approximately 2250 Seneca inhabit the colony.