Statue Of Jacob Leisler
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The Jacob Leisler Monument is a bronze sculpture created by American artist Solon Borglum and located in the city of New Rochelle, in
Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...
, New York. The monument was erected by the
Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...
, and the Huguenot Association of New Rochelle to the memory of
Jacob Leisler Jacob Leisler ( – May 16, 1691) was a German-born politician and colonial administrator in the Province of New York. He gained wealth in New Amsterdam (later New York City) in the North American fur trade and tobacco business. In what became k ...
, 17th-century advocate of the Huguenot settlers and said to be the first chief executive of the province of New York to draw his power directly from the people. The unveiling of the statue on June 24, 1913, was the principal event in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of New Rochelle. The monument, cast by the Roman Bronze Works, is the only existing statue of Leisler. Jacob Leisler was German-born and came to North America in 1660 as a soldier in the
Dutch West India Company The Dutch West India Company () was a Dutch chartered company that was founded in 1621 and went defunct in 1792. Among its founders were Reynier Pauw, Willem Usselincx (1567–1647), and Jessé de Forest (1576–1624). On 3 June 1621, it was gra ...
's service. Settling in New Amsterdam (New York), he left the company and prospered in the tobacco and
fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal ecosystem, boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals h ...
s, becoming a wealthy merchant and being appointed to several public offices in the city, such as justice of the peace and judge."JACOB LEISLER; New Rochelle's Founder Taken as Hero in Drama"
''NY Times'', 29 June 1913, accessed 13 November 2015
Beginning in 1689, following the
English Revolution The English Revolution is a term that has been used to describe two separate events in English history. Prior to the 20th century, it was generally applied to the 1688 Glorious Revolution, when James II was deposed and a constitutional monarc ...
in 1688 and accession of the Protestant rulers William III and
Mary II Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England, List of Scottish monarchs, Scotland, and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. Sh ...
, he led an insurrection dubbed
Leisler's Rebellion Leisler's Rebellion was an uprising in late-17th century colonial New York in which German American merchant and militia captain Jacob Leisler seized control of the southern portion of the colony and ruled it from 1689 to 1691. The uprising too ...
, with popular support among the common people, ultimately seizing control of the city and colony from Jacobite officials previously appointed under the deposed King James. He appointed himself as acting Lieutenant Governor of the Province until the governor appointed by William and Mary finally reached New York in March 1691. During this period, he had purchased land from Pelham Manor, reserving a portion to help create the Huguenot settlement of New Rochelle in 1689. He refused to turn over power to a newly appointed lieutenant governor in 1690. Leisler in 1691 was arrested and tried by his personal and political enemies on charges of felony and treason to William III and
Mary II Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England, List of Scottish monarchs, Scotland, and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. Sh ...
, for refusing to give up power to their appointed Lieutenant Governor before the full governor arrived several months later. He and his son-in-law were both executed. Many thought the trial was unjust. Four years later, Parliament reversed the conviction, clearing Leisler's name and restoring his estate to his heirs. They exonerated the late friend of the Huguenots.


Detail

Due to the fact that no portrait is known to exist of Jacob Leisler, the sculpture depicts a generic male figure of his "type" dressed in period clothing. This includes a long cape, knee breeches, boots, and a hat. In his right hand the figure holds a walking stick and his left arm rests along the top of the stick. The sculpture is installed on a square stone base resting on a circular concrete foundation."Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture". Jacob Leisler (sculpture). Smithsonian American Art Museum
/ref> The sculpture measures approximately 9 x 5 x 3 feet, with a base of 4 feet 30 inches x 4 feet 30 inches. The foundation is approximately 1 foot in height by 10 feet in diameter. The inscription reads: The same month that the monument was dedicated, a play by William O. Bates was published: ''Jacob Leisler: A Play of Old New York,'' portraying the leader in his heroic mode.


References


Sources

* ''Index of American Sculpture,'' University of Delaware, 1985 * National Park Service, ''American Monuments and Outdoor Sculpture Database,'' NY0126, 1989. * ''Monumental News,'' May 1913, p. 340. * ''Save Outdoor Sculpture,'' New York survey, 1994.


External links

* The Jacob Leisler Papers Project - New York University {{New Rochelle, New York 1913 sculptures Daughters of the American Revolution monuments and memorials Outdoor sculptures in New York (state) Bronze sculptures in New York (state) History of New Rochelle, New York Statues in New York (state) Sculptures of men in New York (state)