Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A landholder in New Netherland who, under Dutch colonial rule, was granted proprietary and manorial rights to a large tract of land in exchange for bringing 50 new settlers to the colony.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who received a grant of a certain tract of land and manorial privileges, with the right to entail, under the old Dutch governments of New York and New Jersey.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One of the proprietors of certain tracts of land with manorial privileges and right of entail, under the old Dutch governments of New York and New Jersey.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun US One of the landowning Dutch grandees of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, especially after it became a British possession, renamed as New York.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Dutch, from French patron, patron, master, from Old French; see patron.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Dutch, ultimately from Latin patronus.

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Examples

  • Holders of Dutch grants bore the title patroon, or patron.

    Alexander Hamilton, American Richard Brookhiser 1999

  • Holders of Dutch grants bore the title patroon, or patron.

    Alexander Hamilton, American Richard Brookhiser 1999

  • "He says," announced the Swiss, "that he is cousin and agent of the seignior they call the patroon, and his name is Van Corlaer."

    The Lady of Fort St. John Mary Hartwell Catherwood 1874

  • A patroon was a landholder who was granted one of these great estates in exchange for bringing fifty new settlers into the colony.

    History of American Women Maggiemac 2008

  • "Billy is 25 years old, and is known as the patroon of my boat for many years; in all probability he may resist; in that event 50 dollars will be paid for his HEAD."

    The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus American Anti-Slavery Society

  • "Billy is 25 years old, and is known as the patroon of my boat for many years; in all probability he may resist; in that event 50 dollars will be paid for his HEAD."

    The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Part 3 of 4 American Anti-Slavery Society

  • Settlers under these lords, who were known as patroons -- a term synonymous with the Scottish "laird" and the Swedish "patroon" -- were to be exempt for ten years from the payment of taxes and tribute for the support of the colonial government, and for the same period every man, woman and child was bound not to leave the service of the patroon without his written consent.

    The Land We Live In The Story of Our Country Henry Mann

  • "Billy is 25 years old, and is known as the patroon of my boat for many years; in all probability he may resist; in that event 50 dollars will be paid for his HEAD."

    American Slavery As It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses 1839

  • -- The tenants on some of the old "patroon" estates in New York refused to pay the rent.

    A Brief History of the United States

  • Virginian squires; and could we have peeped into the square, solid drawing-room in which, as President, he held his receptions, aided by the matronly grace and dignity of Mrs. Washington, the scene would be far gayer and more imposing than William Penn's house would have displayed, or the company of the richest Dutch "patroon" of New York could have presented in the seventeenth century.

    The Nation in a Nutshell George Makepeace Towle

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