Jacob Leisler in the United States

Jacob Leisler was (c. 1635-1691) an American political agitator, was born probably at Frankfort-on-Main, Germany, about 1635. He went to New Netherland (New York) in 1660, married a wealthy widow, engaged in trade, and soon accumulated a fortune. The English Revolution of 1688 divided the people of New York into two well-defined factions. In general the small shop-keepers, small farmers, sailors, poor traders and artisans were arrayed against the patroons, rich fur-traders, merchants, lawyers and crown officers. 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” pretended greater loyalty to the Protestant succession. When news of the imprisonment of Gov. Andros in Massachusetts was received, they took possession on the 31st of May 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.

The aristocrats also favoured the Revolution, but preferred to continue the government under authority from James II. rather than risk the danger of an interregnum. Lieutenant-Governor Francis Nicholson sailed for England on the 24th of June, 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 the 1st of May 1690 to plan concerted action against the French and Indians. Colonel Henry Sloughter was commissioned governor of the province on the 2nd of September 1689 but did not reach New York until the 19th of March 1691. In the meantime Major Richard Ingoldsby 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 the 17th of 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 Ingoldsby, were convicted, and on the 16th of May 1691 were executed. There has been much controversy among historians with regard both to the facts and to the significance of Leisler’s brief career as ruler in New York.

From the Encyclopedia Americana

American colonial political leader: b. Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany; d. New York, 16 May 1691. He came to America as a private soldier in the service of the Dutch West India Company, and was for a time engaged in trade at Albany, and later settling in New York, was appointed in 1683 one of the “commissioners” (judges) of the Court of the Admiralty. In 1689 he was the leader of the insurrection against Governor Nicholson, supported mostly by the militia and the lower classes; the fort and the public funds were seized on the 31st of May, and Leisler a few days later declared for William and Mary, asserting his acts to be necessary for the “preservation of the Protestant religion.” A committee of safety was formed, who on 8 June commissioned Leisler as “captain of the fort.” In this capacity he at once began to repair the fort, and strengthened it with a “battery” of six guns beyond its walls, which was the origin of the public park still known as the Battery. Nicholson and the council of the province, with the authorities of the city, attempted by pacific means to prevent the uprising, but without effect. Becoming finally alarmed for their own safety, the lieutenant-governor sailed for England, and the mayor with the other officials retired to Albany. On 16 August the committee of safety appointed Leisler “commander-in-chief of the province,” with the full power of a governor in all matters civil and military. He next attempted to reduce Albany and the northern parts of the colony, which from the first had refused to recognize his authority, but was for some time unsuccessful; Albany finally submitted to him after the Indian attack on Schenectady (1690). In December arrived a despatch from William and Mary directed “to Francis Nicholson, Esq., 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.” This Leisler construed as an appointment of himself as the king’s lieutenant-governor. He therefore dissolved the committee of safety, swore in a council, and assumed the style of a royal lieutenant-governor and commander-in-chief. After the massacre at Schenectady he engaged with great vigor in the expeditions against the French, and equipped and despatched against Quebec the first fleet of men-of-war ever sent from the port of New York. A few months later Major Ingoldsby arrived with the news of Sloughter’s appointment as governor, and demanded possession of the fort, which Leisler refused. On Sloughter’s own demand immediately upon his arrival in March 1691, he likewise refused to surrender it, until convinced of Sloughter’s identity, and the latter had sworn in his council. Leisler was immediately imprisoned, charged with treason and murder, and shortly after tried and condemned to death. His son-in-law and secretary Milborne was also condemned on the same charges. These trials were manifestly unjust; the judges were the personal and political enemies of the prisoners, and Sloughter for some time hesitated to sign the death warrants. Leisler’s son secured from the English Parliament the reversal of the bill of attainder in 1695; and the confiscated estates were also returned to the heirs.

From the American Cyclopædia

An American adventurer, born in Frankfort, Germany, executed in New York, May 16, 1691. He came to America in 1660 as a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India company. Leaving the army soon after his arrival, he engaged in the Indian trade, and became a comparatively wealthy man. In 1674 he was appointed a commissioner of the forced loan imposed by Colve. While on a voyage to Europe in 1678 he was captured by Moorish pirates, and was compelled to pay a ransom of 2,050 pieces of eight to obtain his freedom. Previous to this voyage he was a resident of Albany, and had been involved in the ecclesiastical difficulties of that city in 1676, in which he suffered both in character and purse, having been mulcted in the entire cost of the litigation which was instituted by him and Jacob Milborne, who afterward became his son-in-law as well as his secretary and fellow sufferer. Under Dongan’s administration in 1683 he was appointed one of the judges, or “commissioners” as they were styled, of the court of admiralty in New York. In 1688 Gov. Dongan was succeeded by Lieut. Gov. Francis Nicholson, who was in command of the colony when Jacob Leisler, supported by the mass of the lower orders of the inhabitants, seized the fort and the public funds on the last of May, 1689, for “the preservation of the Protestant religion.” On June 2 Leisler with his own train band of 49 men took possession of the fort, and resolved, as he expressed it himself, not to leave until he had brought all the train bands fully to join with him. On the next day he declared for the prince of Orange. A committee of safety was then formed, who on June 8 commissioned Leisler as “captain of the fort.” In this capacity he at once began to repair the fort, and strengthened it with a “battery” of six guns beyond its walls, which was the origin of that public park still known as the Battery. Nicholson and the council of the province, with the authorities of the city, headed by Stephanus van Cortlandt the mayor, attempted by pacific means to prevent the uprising, but without effect. Becoming finally alarmed for their own safety, the lieutenant governor sailed for England, and the mayor with the other officials retired to Albany. On Aug. 16 the committee of safety appointed Leisler “commander-in-chief of the province,” with the full power of a governor in all matters civil and military. He now attempted to reduce Albany and the northern parts of the colony, which from the first had refused to recognize his authority, although that city, as well as the whole province, had acknowledged William and Mary immediately on the arrival of the news of the great revolution in England. Milborne was sent in November with an armed force to Albany, to assist in its defence against some Indian hostilities which were threatened, but directed by Leisler to withhold it unless his own authority was recognized. This was refused, and Milborne returned unsuccessful. In December arrived a despatch from William and Mary directed “to Francis Nicholson, Esq., 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.” This Leisler construed as an appointment of himself as the king’s lieutenant governor. He therefore dissolved the committee of safety, swore in a council, and assumed the style of a royal lieutenant governor and commander-in-chief. After the massacre at Schenectady in February, 1690, he engaged with great vigor in the expeditions against the French, and equipped and despatched against Quebec the first fleet of men-of-war sent forth from the port of New York. A few months later Major Ingoldesby arrived with the news of Sloughter’s appointment as governor, and demanded possession of the fort, which Leisler refused. On Sloughter’s own demand immediately upon his arrival in March, 1691, he likewise refused to surrender it, until he was convinced of Sloughter’s identity, and the latter had sworn in his council. Leisler was immediately imprisoned, charged with treason and murder, and shortly after tried and condemned to death. His son-in-law and secretary Milborne was also condemned on the same charges. These trials were manifestly unjust; the judges were the personal and political enemies of the prisoners, and so gross were the acts of some of the parties that Sloughter hesitated at signing the death warrants, and it is said that he finally did so when under the influence of wine. By the English law of treason their estates were forfeited to the crown, but the committee of the privy council to whom the matter was referred reported that although the trial was in conformity to the forms of law, they nevertheless recommended the restoration of the estates of the culprits to their heirs. In 1695 Leisler’s son succeeded in procuring the passage of an act of parliament reversing his father’s attainder. In 1698 the earl of Bellamont, who had been one of the most influential supporters of the efforts of Leisler’s son, was appointed governor of New York, and through his influence the assembly voted an indemnity to Leisler’s heirs. The bones of Leisler and Milborne were taken up and honorably interred in the Dutch church.

From the New International Encyclopædia

A character prominent in the history of colonial New York. He was born in Frankfort, Germany, and in 1660 came to New Amsterdam as a soldier in the Dutch West India Company’s service. Leisler’s importance in history is due to the part he played in New York affairs in the three years following the English Revolution in 1688. On May 13, 1689, the New York militia, following the example of Massachusetts, which had imprisoned Andros, rose against Lieutenant-Governor Nicholson, and the three royal councilors resident in New York seized the Government for William and Mary, and chose a committee of safety, at the head of which was Leisler, who was appointed commander of the fort. Leisler at once set vigorously to work putting the town in condition to resist an expected attack from the French. One of his acts was to construct a new half-moon battery on the spot which has since taken the name of the Battery. On December 9th a letter from the new Government in England addressed to Nicholson, or, “in his absence, to such as for the time being take care for preserving the peace and administering the laws in the said Province of New York,” was delivered to Leisler. Taking this letter as his authority, Leisler assumed the title of Lieutenant-Governor, appointed a council, chose Jacob Milbourne as secretary, and proceeded to carry on the government partly in accordance with the old Dongan charter. A number of the most influential inhabitants, especially those who had held office under the Andros régime, opposed Leisler, and some of them fled to Albany, which for a time held out against his authority, but after the destruction of Schenectady, February 19, 1690, by the French and Indians, submitted to him. Thus for a time he was supreme in the Colony; and some of his most violent enemies were imprisoned. In May, 1690, by his invitation, the first intercolonial congress that had ever assembled met in New York, and planned an expedition against Canada, which, however, was unsuccessful. In January, 1691, Captain Ingoldsby, who sailed from England with Sloughter, the new Governor, but had been separated from him at sea, arrived in the Colony, and, although his commission did not give him authority to act as Governor, demanded possession of the fort and of the government. With this demand Leisler refused to comply, and some blood was shed before Sloughter himself arrived in March. As soon as he was convinced of the new Governor’s authority, Leisler surrendered; but, at the instigation of Leisler’s enemies, Sloughter convened a special commission of oyer and terminer, which condemned Leisler, his son-in-law Milbourne, and eight others to death. The prisoners were reprieved for a time, but at length Sloughter was prevailed upon to sign the death-warrants of Leisler and Milbourne, and on May 11, 1691, they were hanged. Four years later, however, the son of Leisler prosecuted an appeal in England, and succeeded in getting the confiscated estates restored and the bill of attainder reversed. Upon no other subject in New York colonial history has there been more difference of opinion than upon that of Leisler’s character and government, and historians have not yet come to an agreement upon the matter.

From the Appletons’ Cyclopædia of American Biography

Soldier, b. in Frankfort on the Main, Germany; d. in New York city, 16 May, 1691. He came to this country in 1660 as a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India company. Leaving the army soon after his arrival, he engaged in the Indian trade, and became a comparatively wealthy man. While on a voyage to Europe in 1678 he was captured by Moorish pirates, and was compelled to pay a ransom of 2,050 pieces of eight to obtain his freedom. Previous to this voyage he was a resident of Albany, where he was a magistrate, and had incurred the displeasure of Sir Edmund Andros, the governor, by the arbitrary and high-handed measures that he and his associates had adopted to prevent the spread of popery, the political bugbear of the day. Leisler had also endeared himself to the common people by befriending a family of French Huguenots that had been landed on Manhattan island so destitute that a public tribunal had decided they should be sold into slavery in order to pay their ship-charges. Leisler prevented the sale by purchasing the freedom of the widowed mother and son before it could be held. Under Dongan’s administration in 1683 he was appointed one of the judges, or “commissioners,” of the court of admiralty in New York. In 1688 Gov. Dongan was succeeded by Lieut-Gov. Francis Nicholson. In 1689 the military force of the city of New York consisted of a regiment of five companies, of one of which Leisler was captain. He was popular with the men, and probably the only wealthy resident in the province that sympathized with the Dutch lower classes. At that time much excitement prevailed among the latter, owing to the attempts of the Jacobite office-holders to retain power in spite of the revolution in England and the accession of William and Mary to the throne. On a report that the adherents of King James were about to seize the fort and massacre their Dutch fellow-citizens, an armed mob gathered on the evening of 2 June, 1689, to overthrow the existing government. The cry of “Leisler” was raised, and the crowd rushed to his house. At first he refused to lead the movement, but when the demand was reiterated by the men of his regiment he acceded, and within an hour received the keys of the fort, which had meanwhile been seized. Fortunately for the revolutionists, the fort contained all the public funds, whose return the lieutenant-governor in vain demanded. Four hundred of the new party signed an agreement to hold the fort “for the present Protestant power that reigns in England,” while a committee of safety of ten of the city freeholders assumed the powers of a provisional government, of which they declared Jacob Leisler to be the head, and commissioned him as “captain of the fort.” In this capacity he at once began to repair that work, and strengthened it with a “battery” of six guns beyond its walls, which was the origin of the public park that is still known as the Battery. Nicholson and the council of the province, with the authorities of the city, headed by Stephanus van Cortlandt, the mayor, attempted by pacific means to prevent the uprising, but without effect. Finally, becoming alarmed for their own safety, the lieutenant-governor sailed for England, and the mayor, with the other officials, retired to Albany. To the latter city, where the Jacobite office-holders still held control, Leisler sent his son-in-law, Milbourne, in November, with an armed force to assist in its defence against the Indians, but he was directed to withhold it unless Leisler’s authority was recognized. This was refused, and Milbourne returned unsuccessful. In December a despatch arrived from William and Mary directed “to Francis Nicholson, Esq., 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.” This Leisler construed as an appointment of himself as the king’s lieutenant-governor. He therefore dissolved the committee of safety, swore in a council, and assumed the style of a royal lieutenant-governor and commander-in-chief. In the spring of 1690, Albany, terrified by an Indian invasion, and rent by domestic factions, yielded to Milbourne. Amid distress and confusion a house of representatives was convened, and the government was constituted by the popular act. After the massacre at Schenectady in February, 1690, Leisler engaged with great vigor in the expeditions against the French, and equipped and despatched against Quebec the first fleet of men-of-war that had been sent from the port of New York. In January, 1691, Maj. Ingoldesby arrived with the news of Henry Sloughter’s appointment as governor, and demanded possession of the fort, which Leisler refused. On Sloughter’s own demand immediately upon his arrival in the following March, he likewise refused to surrender it until he was convinced of Sloughter’s identity and the latter had sworn in his council. As soon as the latter event occurred, he wrote the governor a letter resigning his command. Sloughter replied by arresting him and nine of his friends. The latter were subsequently released after trial, but Leisler was imprisoned, charged with treason and murder, and shortly afterward tried and condemned to death. His son-in-law and secretary, Milbourne, was also condemned on the same charges. These trials were manifestly unjust; the judges were the personal and political enemies of the prisoners, and so gross were the acts of some of the parties that Sloughter hesitated at signing the death-warrants, and it is said that he finally did so when under the influence of wine. By the English law of treason their estates were forfeited to the crown, but the committee of the privy council to whom the matter was referred reported that, although the trial was in conformity to the forms of law, they nevertheless recommended the restoration of the estates of the culprits to their heirs. In 1695 Leisler’s son succeeded in procuring the passage of an act of parliament reversing his father’s attainder. Three years later the Earl of Bellomont, who had been one of the most influential supporters of the efforts of Leisler’s son, was appointed governor of New York, and through his influence the assembly voted an indemnity to Leisler’s heirs. The bones of Leisler and Milbourne were honorably interred in the Dutch church. Among Leisler’s claims to kindly remembrance is the fact that, in 1689, while exercising the functions of governor, he purchased the land that is now occupied by the village of New Rochelle, N. Y., as a place of refuge for the persecuted Huguenots.

Jacob Leisler

Jacob Leisler in the United States

From the Encyclopedia Americana

From the American Cyclopædia

From the New International Encyclopædia

From the Appletons’ Cyclopædia of American Biography

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