NEW NETHERLANDS 1645
New Netherlands in 1645 included settlements and forts that extended from Schenectady in the north to Swaanendael on the Delaware River estuary in present day Delaware. The Dutch referred to the Delaware River as the South River and the Hudson River as the North River. New Amsterdam was considered the capital and financial trade center for the colony. The Dutch interests came into conflict with New Sweden in the areas around Forts Casimir, Nassau and Swaanendael. It was in the area of Forts Casimir and Nassau that Olof Stille and his son Anders lived. Swedish interests would be taken over by the Dutch who would quickly lose their colony to the British in 1664. Our Smith Ancestors, the Stilles and von Couwehnovens, would survive Dutch and British conquests, including British annihilation of some colonies in the area.
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New Netherlands
