Governor Thomas Dongan
Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick
Born: 1634 in Castletown Kildrought, Kingdom of Ireland
Died: December 14, 1715 in London, England
He was a member of Irish Parliament, Royalist military officer during the English Civil War, and governor of the Province of New York. He is noted for having called the first representative legislature in New York, and for granting the province's Charter of Liberties.
He was born in 1634 in Castletown Kildrought (now Celbridge), County Kildare in the Kingdom of Ireland. He was the youngest son of Sir John Dongan, Baronet, Member of the Irish Parliament. As Catholics, his family faced persecution after the overthrow of Charles I and fled to France. While in France, he served in an Irish regiment with Turenne. He continued to stay in France after the Restoration and achieved the rank of colonel in 1674.
After the Treaty of Nijmegen ended the French-Dutch War in 1678, Dongan returned to England in obedience to the order that recalled all English subjects fighting in service to France. James, Duke of York, who had served as a fellow officer of Dongan's in French army, arranged to have him granted a pension and high-ranking commission in the army and designated for service in Flanders. That same year, he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Tangiers. In September 1682, James, who had become the Lord Proprietor of the Province of New York after it was acquired from the Dutch, appointed Dongan as provincial governor (1683–1688) and granted him an estate on Staten Island. The stone farmhouse was called The Christopher House. The estate eventually became the town of Castleton; later, another section of the island was named Dongan Hills in honour of Dongan. Five years later, James consolidated the colonial government of New York, New Jersey and the United Colonies of New England into the Dominion of New England and appointed Edmund Andros, the former Governor-General of New York, as the single Governor-General of all six colonies. Dongan transferred his governorship back to Andros on August 11, 1688.
At the time of his appointment, the province was bankrupt and in a state of rebellion. Dongan was able to restore order and stability through tactful means. On October 14, 1683, he convened the first-ever representative assembly in New York history, which convened at Fort James.
Dongan was to grant land grants to establish several towns throughout New York State including the eastern Long Island communities of East Hampton and Southampton. The land grants were called the Dongan Patents. The patents set up Town Trustees as the governing bodies with a mission of managing common land for common good. The Dongan Patents still hold force of law and have been upheld by the US Supreme Court with the Trustees—rather than town boards, city councils or even the State Legislature—still managing much of the common land in the state.
In 1698, his brother William, Earl of Limerick, died with issue. Because of his service to the Crown as a military officer and as provincial governor, he was granted his brother's title and a portion of his brother's forfeited estates by a special Act of Parliament for his relief.
In 1709 he sold the family property at Castletown to William Conolly.
Born: 1634 in Castletown Kildrought, Kingdom of Ireland
Died: December 14, 1715 in London, England
He was a member of Irish Parliament, Royalist military officer during the English Civil War, and governor of the Province of New York. He is noted for having called the first representative legislature in New York, and for granting the province's Charter of Liberties.
He was born in 1634 in Castletown Kildrought (now Celbridge), County Kildare in the Kingdom of Ireland. He was the youngest son of Sir John Dongan, Baronet, Member of the Irish Parliament. As Catholics, his family faced persecution after the overthrow of Charles I and fled to France. While in France, he served in an Irish regiment with Turenne. He continued to stay in France after the Restoration and achieved the rank of colonel in 1674.
After the Treaty of Nijmegen ended the French-Dutch War in 1678, Dongan returned to England in obedience to the order that recalled all English subjects fighting in service to France. James, Duke of York, who had served as a fellow officer of Dongan's in French army, arranged to have him granted a pension and high-ranking commission in the army and designated for service in Flanders. That same year, he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Tangiers. In September 1682, James, who had become the Lord Proprietor of the Province of New York after it was acquired from the Dutch, appointed Dongan as provincial governor (1683–1688) and granted him an estate on Staten Island. The stone farmhouse was called The Christopher House. The estate eventually became the town of Castleton; later, another section of the island was named Dongan Hills in honour of Dongan. Five years later, James consolidated the colonial government of New York, New Jersey and the United Colonies of New England into the Dominion of New England and appointed Edmund Andros, the former Governor-General of New York, as the single Governor-General of all six colonies. Dongan transferred his governorship back to Andros on August 11, 1688.
At the time of his appointment, the province was bankrupt and in a state of rebellion. Dongan was able to restore order and stability through tactful means. On October 14, 1683, he convened the first-ever representative assembly in New York history, which convened at Fort James.
Dongan was to grant land grants to establish several towns throughout New York State including the eastern Long Island communities of East Hampton and Southampton. The land grants were called the Dongan Patents. The patents set up Town Trustees as the governing bodies with a mission of managing common land for common good. The Dongan Patents still hold force of law and have been upheld by the US Supreme Court with the Trustees—rather than town boards, city councils or even the State Legislature—still managing much of the common land in the state.
In 1698, his brother William, Earl of Limerick, died with issue. Because of his service to the Crown as a military officer and as provincial governor, he was granted his brother's title and a portion of his brother's forfeited estates by a special Act of Parliament for his relief.
In 1709 he sold the family property at Castletown to William Conolly.
Thomas Dongan: Soldier and Statesman: Irish-Catholic Governor of New York, 1683-1688P. W. Browne
Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review Vol. 23, No. 91 (Sep., 1934), pp. 489-501 Published by: Irish Province of the Society of Jesus Article Stable URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/30079857 |
Thomas Dongan Line:
William Dungan 1607-1639
Rev. Thomas Dungan 1634 - 1687
Thomas Dungan Jr. - 1671 - June 23, 1759
James Dungan 1714 - 1782
Captain Benjamin Dungan - April 27, 1743 - June 23, 1816
James Reed Dungan 1782 - February 5, 1860
Lewis H. Dungan February 13, 1814 - October 9, 1865
John Milton Dungan May 16, 1840 - February 22, 1903
William Dungan 1607-1639
Rev. Thomas Dungan 1634 - 1687
Thomas Dungan Jr. - 1671 - June 23, 1759
James Dungan 1714 - 1782
Captain Benjamin Dungan - April 27, 1743 - June 23, 1816
James Reed Dungan 1782 - February 5, 1860
Lewis H. Dungan February 13, 1814 - October 9, 1865
John Milton Dungan May 16, 1840 - February 22, 1903