Jacob Milborne facts for kids

Jacob Milborne (born around 1648 – died May 16, 1691) was an important person in the early history of New York. He was a clerk who lived in the Province of New York, which was a British colony at the time. Milborne was a close friend and helper to Jacob Leisler, who led a big uprising called Leisler's Rebellion. Milborne even became Leisler's son-in-law. For a short time, he served as the top lawyer for the province, known as the Attorney General. Sadly, he lost his life because of his role in the rebellion.

Early Life and Family

Jacob Milborne came from a family in England that had strong religious beliefs. His father, Rev. Luke Milborne, was part of a group known for their different views. Jacob's brother, William Milborne, was also a well-known member of a strict religious group called the "Fifth Monarchists" in Bermuda.

In 1686, Jacob Milborne received a piece of land near the Hudson River. This land was given to him by his father-in-law at the time, Samuel Edsall.

Career and Beliefs

From 1686 to 1689, Milborne worked as a clerk and bookkeeper. He helped manage the business dealings of a major New York merchant from a city in the Netherlands called Rotterdam. While there, he met other people from New York who would later join the rebellion, like Benjamin Blagge and Jacob Mauritz.

Milborne was a very religious person, following the Puritan faith. His strong beliefs often put him at odds with the governor of the Province of New York, Edmund Andros. Governor Andros even fined Milborne and put him in jail. Milborne then went back to England and successfully sued the governor for wrongly imprisoning him.

Working with Jacob Leisler

Jacob Milborne became very close with Jacob Leisler. Leisler was a wealthy businessman from Germany who had strong anti-Catholic views. He led a group of people called the Leislerians, who were popular among many ordinary citizens.

In 1689, Governor Andros, who was not well-liked, was arrested in Boston. This gave the Leislerians a chance to take control of Fort Amsterdam in southern Manhattan. The lieutenant governor left for England, and some members of the provincial council fled to Albany. With Leisler now in charge of the province, Milborne was given many important jobs. He became the council's clerk, the attorney general, and Leisler's personal secretary. In 1691, he also married Leisler's daughter, Mary.

Leisler and Milborne set up a very strict government. They made rules that allowed them to take people's property, open their mail, and search homes without permission. People were sometimes jailed without a proper trial. Anyone who spoke against them was accused of being secretly Catholic. They even tried to invade Canada to fight against Catholic France, but this attempt was not successful.

Their government was a bit confusing. They said they wanted to stop a Catholic takeover, but there were very few Catholics in New York at the time. They also claimed to be holding power for the new Protestant king and queen of England, William of Orange and his wife Mary. However, when the new king and queen sent troops and a new governor, Leisler and Milborne were slow to accept them.

The End of the Rebellion

Eventually, a new governor named Henry Sloughter arrived with soldiers to end the rebellion. Leisler and Milborne gave themselves up, but not before some fighting happened at the fort, and lives were lost. They were arrested and put on trial for serious charges against the government.

Jacob Milborne and Jacob Leisler were found guilty. They were put to death in front of a large crowd.

Personal Life

Jacob Milborne was first married to a daughter of Samuel Edsall. After his first wife passed away, he married Mary Leisler (born 1669 – died 1747) on February 3, 1691. Mary was the daughter of Jacob Leisler.

After Milborne's death, his widow Mary married Abraham Gouverneur. He later became a judge and a leader in the New York government. In 1698, thanks to the efforts of the governor at the time, Earl of Bellomont, the bodies of Jacob Milborne and Jacob Leisler were moved and reburied at the Dutch church. Their families also got their properties back.