New Netherland: Directors General: 1624-1664
| Directeur-generaal van Nieuw-Nederland [1] | |
| 1624 | Cornelius Jacobsz. May (Mey) [2] |
| 1625 - 1626 | Willem Verhulst (van der Hulst) [3] |
| 1626 - 1632 | Peter Minuit |
| Jan? 1632 - Mar? 1633 | Bastiaen Jansz. Krol [4] |
| Mar? 1633 - Apr 1638 | Wouter van Twiller [5] |
| Apr 1638 - May 1647 | Willem Kieft [6] |
| May 1647 - 29 Aug/8 Sep 1664 | Peter Stuyvesant [7] |
- The style directeur-generaal is attested as consistently used only during the term of Stuyvesant.
- May is said to have been the skipper of a vessel that brought the first colonists to New Netherland in 1624 and the first director of the colony (Wassenaer's Historical Account, 12:38; New Netherland Narratives 1609-1664, p. 84). There is no evidence that he was appointed director by the West India Company, as required by the charter of 1621.
- Verhulst was appointed provisional director ("by provisie directeur") or commissioner ("commis") of the West India Company, as evidenced by two sets of instructions of which the first is undated and the second is dated 22 Apr 1625 (New Netherland Documents 1624-1626, pp. 35-129). He was deposed and replaced by Minuit by the Council of New Netherland certainly before 18/28 Jul 1626, the date of arrival in New Amsterdam of the Secretary of New Netherland, Isaack de Rasières, as reported in his letter dated 23 Sep 1626 (New Netherland Documents 1624-1626, pp. 171-251).
- Krol was appointed director by the West India Company, probably in early 1632 (Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts, pp. 217, 302)
- Van Twiller was appointed director general by the West India Company before 10/20 Jul 1632 (Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts, p. 217). He arrived in New Netherland most probably in March 1633 and certainly before 6/16 Apr 1633, as recorded in the diary of David de Vries (De Vries Voyages, p. 57).
- According to the Register of the Resolutions of the States General of the Netherlands, the issuance of commission appointing Kieft was ordered on 23 Aug/2 Sep 1637, and he was sworn in the same day. Kieft arrived in New Amsterdam on 18/28 Mar 1638. The minutes of the Director and Council under Kieft begin on 29 Mar/8 Apr 1638.
- The commission of Stuyvesant as Director General is dated 18/28 Jul 1646, and he was sworn in on the same day. Stuyvesant arrived in New Amsterdam on 1/11 May 1647. The first resolutions of the Director General and Counci signed by Stuyvesant are dated 17/27 May 1647, while the last patent known to be signed by Kieft is dated 6/16 May 1647.