Jacob Leisler

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Biography

Leisler was probably born in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, about 1640, the son of a Calvinist pastor. He went to New Netherland (New York) in 1660, married a wealthy widow in 1663, engaged in trade, and soon accumulated a fortune.

The rebellion

The English Revolution of 1688 divided the people of New York into two ill-defined factions. Past historians have stressed the generality of the small shopkeepers, small farmers, sailors, poor traders and artisans allied against the patroons, rich fur-traders, merchants, lawyers and crown officers; however, recent scholarship has produced a more muddy picture of the true divisions. The former were led by Leisler, the latter by Peter Schuyler (1657-1724), Nicholas Bayard (c. 1644 1707), Stephen Van Cortlandt (1643-1700), William Nicolls (1657-1723) and other representatives of the aristocratic Hudson Valley families.

The Leislerians claimed greater loyalty to the Protestant succession. When news of the imprisonment of Gov. Andros in Massachusetts was received, they took possession on May 31, 1689, of Fort James (at the southern end of Manhattan Island), renamed it Fort William, and announced their determination to hold it until the arrival of a governor commissioned by the new sovereigns. Thus began Leisler's Rebellion. The aristocrats also favoured the Revolution, but were unsure as to how they should act because of the meddling of Increase Mather in London. This caused a declaration of William and Mary's ascendancy to be delayed for quite some time. When news finally reached New York it was uncertain and from a weak source; therefore, Lieutenant-Governor Francis Nicholson decided to suppress the information until a formal declaration made its way across the Atlantic.

Leisler as acting lieutenant-governor

Nicholson sailed for England on June 24, a committee of safety was organized by the popular party, and Leisler was appointed commander-in-chief. Under authority of a letter from the home government addressed to Nicholson, or in his absence, to such as for the time being takes care for preserving the peace and administering the laws in His Majesty's province of New York, he assumed the title of lieutenant-governor in December 1689, appointed a council and took charge of the government of the entire province.

He summoned the first Intercolonial Congress in America, which met in New York on May 1, 1690, to plan concerted action against the French and Native Americans. Colonel Henry Sloughter was commissioned governor of the province on September 3, 1689, but did not reach New York until March 19, 1691.

Leisler and the Huguenots

Acting on behalf of a group of Huguenots in New York, Leisler brokered the purchase of the land upon which they would settle. In 1689 John Pell, Lord of Pelham Manor, officially deeded 6,100 acres (25 km²) to Leisler for the establishment of a Huguenot community. In addition to the purchase money, Leisler and his heirs and assigns were to yield and pay unto John Pell and his heirs and assigns (Lords of the Pelham Manor) one "Fat Calf" yearly as acknowledgment of their feudal obligation to the Manor. ["New York - A Guide to The Empire State", Work Projects Administration of New York, p. 245.]

End of the rebellion

In the meantime British Major Richard Ingoldesby and two companies of soldiers had landed (January 28, 1691) and demanded possession of the fort. Leisler refused to surrender it, and after some controversy an attack was made on 17 March in which two soldiers were killed and several wounded.

When Sloughter arrived two days later, Leisler hastened to give over to him the fort and other evidences of authority. He and his son-in-law, Jacob Milborne, were charged with treason for refusing to submit to Ingoldesby, were convicted, and on the 16 May 1691 were executed. He was drawn and quartered.

In 1695, by parliamentary act, Leisler's name was cleared and his estate restored to his heirs. In 1698, the governor authorized the reburial of Leisler from the potter's field to the Dutch church. One-quarter of New York City's population turned out for the reburial.

References

* See JR Brodhead, "History of the State of New York" (vol. 2, New York, 1871). For the documents connected with the controversy see EB O'Callaghan, "Documentary History of the State of New York" (vol. 2, Albany, 1850).

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External links

* [http://www.nyu.edu/leisler/biography.html The Life of Jacob Leisler] - from the Fales Library, New York University
* [http://www.newrochelleny.com/photo.asp?photo=22 Statue of Jacob Leisler] - in New Rochelle, NY