Decarteret, A Family History

Chapter 4 - Part 1

Philip de Carteret (1639-1683)

Philip de Carteret became the first governor of New Jersey following the English conquest of the previous Dutch administration of New Netherland and the subsequent renaming of the territory. In 1665 he was appointed by John, Lord Berkeley and his cousin Sir George de Carteret, the two proprietors of New Caesaria or New Jersey, to take possession and assume the position of governor.

Existing inhabitants

He found the province inhabited by "a few hundred Dutchmen and English Puritans, who had settled in Woodbridge and Newark". During his governorship, more towns sprung up in New Jersey.

Philip Carteret and Berkeley issued the Concessions and Agreements of the Proprietors of New Jersey, the "most liberal grant of political privileges made by any English colonial proprietor to the people". Freedom of conscience was guaranteed and generous land grants were promised.

Carteret issued many grants of lands to settlers and landowners, partly with the purpose of increasing the worth of the colony. The pair "expected to profit from sales of their rich North American land holdings, and they were not disappointed".

First assembly

Carteret designated Elizabethtown (named after the wife of George Carteret) as the capital of New Jersey, where a representative assembly first met in 1668.

Two townships refused to send representatives to this New Jersey Assembly and declared their independence, electing James Carteret as their leader. Philip Carteret became angry and left for England, and had the English government force the New Jersey settlers to pay quitrents.

After the death of George Carteret, Governor Edmund Andros of New York attempted to seize power in East Jersey. When Carteret refused to give up his position as governor, Andros sent a raiding party to Carteret's home and had him beaten and arrested to New York. Carteret was placed on trial, but was acquitted by the jury. The attack caused permanent injuries and he died in 1682.