Mid-Atlantic Colonies: New Netherland & New York: Part II: New York

The English gained control of the Dutch territory in North America in 1664. New Netherland was renamed for the Duke of York [New York] as was New Amsterdam. Most of the other settlements were renamed as well. Fort Orange became Albany, Wildwyck became Kingston, and so forth.

East and West Jersey were created out of New York in 1665. New York also included parts of present-day Massachusetts and Connecticut, Maine, Vermont and Delaware. Western New York was under control of the Iroquois tribe.

The Netherlands regained control of the colony in 1673, but lost it again to England the following year.

Edmund Andros served as governor for several years. It was a contentious reign. Andros was frequently at odds with local citizens, be the English, Dutch, Walloon or Huguenot. He also had disputes with neighboring colonies.

New York became a Royal Colony in 1686. During the French and Indian War, upstate New York saw a good deal of fighting between the English/Iroquois alliance and the French and their native allies. New York was one of the leading colonies in the protests against the British. Still the colony had more than its share of those loyal to the Crown.

The British invaded New York during the fall of 1776 and defeated Washington's Continental Army. The Battle of Brooklyn and subsequent battles nearly ended the Revolution. New York City and its environs were under British control for the duration of the war. Yet, some of the patriots who chose to remain in their homes became part of Washington's spy network.
 and a handful of others
General Washington would make his triumphant return in 1783.

Family connections: Whittaker, Wakeman, Dally, Simmons, Jennison, Lockwood, St. John, and a handful of others. Edward Prall, serving with Smallwood's Marylanders, saw action at the Battle of Brooklyn and was taken prisoner. John Simmons Sr. ran a tavern at the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets. The tavern was the site of the swearing in of NY City's mayor in 1784.

Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York