Peter van Schaack

Peter van Schaack (March 1747 - 17 September 1832) was an American lawyer, born in Kinderhook, New York. Van Schaak studied at Columbia University. He was a loyalist, who at first agreed with and supported the colonists complaints, then he started to disagree with them and became opposed to the American Revolution, and founded his opposition in a belief that the colonies were part of the British Empire, that Parliament had the authority to pass laws, and that Britain had the right to collect taxes. Furthermore, he believed that the colonies would only fight among themselves if they became independent. He left the country for Great Britain in 1778, and lived there for seven years. During his time abroad he worked behind the scenes to help the new country and Great Britain make amends. He returned to America, and to practising law. He died in Kinderhook in September 1832.