Jacob Leisler
| Jacob Leisler | |
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| 8th Colonial Governor of New York | |
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In office 1689 – 1691 in rebellion |
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| Preceded by | Francis Nicholson |
| Succeeded by | Henry Sloughter |
| Personal details | |
| Born | ca. 1640 Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany |
| Died | May 16, 1691 New York |
| Profession | Merchant, Lieutenant governor of New York |
| Religion | Calvinist |
Jacob Leisler (ca. 1640 – May 16, 1691) was a German-born colonist in the Province of New York. He gained wealth in New Amsterdam (later New York City) in the fur trade and tobacco business. In what became known as Leisler's Rebellion following the English Revolution of 1688, he took control of the city, and ultimately the entire province, from appointees of deposed King James, in the name of the Protestant accession of William and Mary.
Beginning in 1689, Leisler led an insurrection and seized control of the city by taking over Fort James at the lower end of Manhattan. He took over control of the entire province, appointing himself as acting Lieutenant Governor of the Province of New York, which he retained until March 1691, refusing to yield power until the newly appointed governor himself finally arrived. While Leisler claimed to have acted to support the Protestant accession against Jacobite officeholders in New York, he was arrested by the newly appointed governor of New York in March 1691. With opponents active against him, he was condemned and executed in New York City for treason against the English monarchs William and Mary. His estate was forfeited to the Crown.
During his period of control, Leisler completed a major purchase of property from John Pell, lord of Pelham Manor, to set up a French Huguenot settlement north of Manhattan. This developed as the city of New Rochelle, New York.
Leisler's son and supporters found the trial and conviction most unjust; it was mounted by his enemies. They worked to gain clearing of the names of Leisler and Milborne and restoration of their estates to their heirs, which was achieved in 1695 by an act of Parliament. Remains of the two men were reinterred with honors at the Dutch Reformed Church in Manhattan.
Leisler was born in the village of Bockenheim, now a central part of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in March 1640, the son of Calvinist French Reformed minister Jacob Victorian Leisler. After his father's death in 1651, Leisler was sent to military school.
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