Great Nine Partners Patent
The Great Nine Partners Patent, also known as the "Lower Nine Partners Patent," was a land grant in Dutchess County, New York, made in May 27, 1697, by New York governor Benjamin Fletcher. The grant followed the partners' negotiation for approximately 145,000 acres (590 km2) of land with the "native Indian proprietors" of central Dutchess County: Perpuwas, Sasaragua, Makerin, Memram, Shawanachko, Shawasquo, Tounis (son of Shawasquo), Acgans, Nimham, Ouracgacguis, Tagahams, Seeck, Cocewyn, Mamany, A rye (Seeck's Son), Wappenas, Tintgeme, Ayawatask, Nonnaparee, and Kindtquaw. The parcel included about four miles (6 km) along the Hudson River. Two years later, land bordering the Hudson River comprising approximately 12,500 acres (51 km2) was divided into nine "Water Lotts". No further divisions of the land were made until 1734, when 36 "Second Division Lotts" were laid out, comprising approximately 120,000 acres (490 km2). By 1741, all of the remaining land had been divided. The Nine Partners company began a written record of their activities in 1730, when the land began to be surveyed, and a book containing minutes for approximately 150 meetings from 1730 through 1749 is held by the Dutchess County Historical Society.
Prior to 1734 there had been little settlement in the area, but it proceeded rapidly thereafter. Settlers came to the area up the Hudson, but also from New England. When the legislature divided Dutchess County into precincts in 1737, the Nine Partners Grant was included in the Crum Elbow Precinct. In 1762, the Crum Elbow Precinct was divided into two new precincts, called the Amenia and Charlotte Precincts. In 1786, Charlotte was divided into Clinton and Washington Precincts. Washington Precinct included the towns presently known as Stanford and Washington. Clinton Precinct included present-day Clinton, Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley. In 1788, the precincts were changed into towns, and in 1793 the town of Stanford was separated from the town of Washington. The town of Clinton was divided into Clinton, Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley in 1821. (See Timeline of town creation in the Hudson Valley.)
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