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Jacob Leisler

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Jacob Leisler

Birth
Germany
Death
16 May 1691 (aged 51)
Manhattan, New York County, New York, USA
Burial
Burial Details Unknown Add to Map
Memorial ID
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German-born American colonist and businessman who became wealthy in the fur trade and tobacco business. He was executed for leading an insurrection against the government of New York City and then appointing himself acting Lieutenant Governor of the entire Province of New York. This became known as the Leisler Rebellion and was related to the English Revolution of 1688. I messaged the Jacob Leisler Papers Project on Facebook to ask where Leisler was buried and received the following response: "Leisler was originally buried on his own land near the present-day Manhattan entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. In November 1698 he was reburied inside the Garden Street Reformed Church (located on what is now Exchange Place). The church was later renamed the South Reformed Church. The church was rebuilt in 1807; that second edifice burned in the Great Fire of 1835. It is believed that remnants of Leisler's grave may be in the possession of the New-York Historical Society according to an old inventory."

The information below was written by Find a Grave contributor Danielle McCullers:

Picture to the right is of the statue of Jacob Leisler in New Rochelle, NY.

Jacob was born in the village of Bockenheim, Germany. Jacob was the son of Calvinist French minister Jacob Victorian Leisler.

Jacob immigrated in 1660 as a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India Company. In 1663 he married Elsie Tymens, the widow of Pieter Cornelisz van der Veen.

Per Wikipedia, Jacob engaged in a theological dispute with Rev. Nicholas van Rensselaer in 1676. Jacob's finances and reputation both suffered from this encounter. While in Europe in 1678 he was captured by Moorish pirates and forced to pay a ransom of 2050 pieces of eight to obtain his freedom. Jacob had run-ins with the famous pirate William Kidd...Captain Kidd, who encouraged the downfall of Jacob Leisler as governor of New York. From 1692 - 1699 New York City was a market for pirates to pilfer their goods, in addition as the home base for many pirates. (pirate's haven).

In the New York tax records for 1676, Jacob is listed as the 3rd. wealthiest man in the city.

Jacob was a colonist in the Province of New York. He appointed himself as acting Lieutenant Governor of New York in 1689. He gained his wealth in New Amsterdam (now New York City) in the fur trade and tobacco business. He supported privateering, if not outright piracy throughout his life.

Jacob led a rebellion to support the Protestant accession against Jacobite officeholders in New York.

He was arrested by the new Governor of New York in March 1691 because Jacob did not surrender Fort James to Governor Sloughter. Jacob and his son-in-law Jacob Milborne were tried, condemned and executed for treason against the English monarchs William and Mary on March 16, 1691. The court had sentenced them to be hanged. His estate was forfeited to the Crown. In 1695, by an act of Parliament Jacob Leisler and his son-in-law Jacob were cleared of the charges and Leisler's estate returned to Jacob's heirs.
German-born American colonist and businessman who became wealthy in the fur trade and tobacco business. He was executed for leading an insurrection against the government of New York City and then appointing himself acting Lieutenant Governor of the entire Province of New York. This became known as the Leisler Rebellion and was related to the English Revolution of 1688. I messaged the Jacob Leisler Papers Project on Facebook to ask where Leisler was buried and received the following response: "Leisler was originally buried on his own land near the present-day Manhattan entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. In November 1698 he was reburied inside the Garden Street Reformed Church (located on what is now Exchange Place). The church was later renamed the South Reformed Church. The church was rebuilt in 1807; that second edifice burned in the Great Fire of 1835. It is believed that remnants of Leisler's grave may be in the possession of the New-York Historical Society according to an old inventory."

The information below was written by Find a Grave contributor Danielle McCullers:

Picture to the right is of the statue of Jacob Leisler in New Rochelle, NY.

Jacob was born in the village of Bockenheim, Germany. Jacob was the son of Calvinist French minister Jacob Victorian Leisler.

Jacob immigrated in 1660 as a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India Company. In 1663 he married Elsie Tymens, the widow of Pieter Cornelisz van der Veen.

Per Wikipedia, Jacob engaged in a theological dispute with Rev. Nicholas van Rensselaer in 1676. Jacob's finances and reputation both suffered from this encounter. While in Europe in 1678 he was captured by Moorish pirates and forced to pay a ransom of 2050 pieces of eight to obtain his freedom. Jacob had run-ins with the famous pirate William Kidd...Captain Kidd, who encouraged the downfall of Jacob Leisler as governor of New York. From 1692 - 1699 New York City was a market for pirates to pilfer their goods, in addition as the home base for many pirates. (pirate's haven).

In the New York tax records for 1676, Jacob is listed as the 3rd. wealthiest man in the city.

Jacob was a colonist in the Province of New York. He appointed himself as acting Lieutenant Governor of New York in 1689. He gained his wealth in New Amsterdam (now New York City) in the fur trade and tobacco business. He supported privateering, if not outright piracy throughout his life.

Jacob led a rebellion to support the Protestant accession against Jacobite officeholders in New York.

He was arrested by the new Governor of New York in March 1691 because Jacob did not surrender Fort James to Governor Sloughter. Jacob and his son-in-law Jacob Milborne were tried, condemned and executed for treason against the English monarchs William and Mary on March 16, 1691. The court had sentenced them to be hanged. His estate was forfeited to the Crown. In 1695, by an act of Parliament Jacob Leisler and his son-in-law Jacob were cleared of the charges and Leisler's estate returned to Jacob's heirs.

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