South Jersey History

IMMIGRATION

It has been almost four hundred years since the first European settlements were made in this country. The earliest known settlement to South Jersey was Dutch, built in 1623 in Gloucester City. It was known as Fort Nassau, built by the Dutch Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey. The remnants of Fort Nassau cannot be found today but a monument was erected in 1920 to recognize the Dutch effort. It is believed that the Dutch were the first Europeans to settle along the Delaware River banks of South Jersey. Soon after their arrival, came the Swedes. They dominated the area for a short time until the Dutch took control of most areas. Eventually the English began to immigrate in vast numbers, establishing strong settlements along the way, until English rule became the law of the land. South Jersey history does not begin with Europe however, but with the natives who inhabited this land long before a white man ever set foot on it.

The native tribe of South Jersey to greet the new settlers was the Delaware, Lenni-Lenape Nation. They originally migrated from North Jersey. When they arrived in South Jersey it is believed that they joined with another tribe called Scheycechbi, pronounced “Shay-ak-bee”, meaning, “long land water”. These people were said to be of Chinese decent dating as far back as 458 AD. The two groups joined together as part of the same nation.

The onset of more immigrants to the area caused the Native Americans to move further north and west. Most of them migrated to Canada and Oklahoma. By 1800 there were not many of the Delaware left in South Jersey. This expansion of immigrants turned the tide of English dominance in the area as well. By the time the American Revolution was gearing up, the majority of inhabitants were no longer English but Dutch, Swede, German, Irish and Scot. For instance, Salem a more populated area of South Jersey at the time, had more Irish Quakers and Scots from Ulster then any other group. This gave way to the less popular view of British rule. The colonists were less tolerant of the British taxes and more favorable of self-government. Thus, the American Revolution paved the way to a new nation and the rest of course, is history.

iSouth Jersey A History, 1664-1924, Vol 1 Editor in Chief Alfred M. Heston, Lewis Historical Publishers Co. Inc. NY & Chicago

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Author: Vickie Van Antwerp