Background
The date and place of his birth are unknown.
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Jeremiah Basse
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Of his earlier life nothing is known save that he was an Anabaptist minister. In 1692 he was appointed agent of the West Jersey Society, an influential group of non-Quaker English capitalists who had secured a part of the interest in West Jersey formerly held by the Friend, Edward Byllinge. In 1697 he was commissioned governor of both East and West Jersey, it being customary for the proprietors of both provinces to name the same person.
But apparently his appointment had been brought about by an active minority. Basse was coolly received by the Friends of West Jersey and his authority denied by Lewis Morris and other prominent proprietors of East Jersey on the ground that his commission was not signed by the requisite number of proprietors. Thus opposed, Basse adopted a policy favorable to the anti-proprietary elements in East Jersey which desired escape from the hated quitrent.
The party strife became in consequence so keen that a revolt led by Morris against Basse was threatened. By showing activity against the pirates, for whom the Jersey shore was a favorite refuge, Basse endeavored to win favor from the Crown. At the same time he tried to show collusion between the pirates and the powerful group of Scotch proprietors at Perth Amboy. But he came into conflict with the royal authorities at New York over the right of East Jersey to have a port of entry, and was superseded as governor in 1699. But the opposition to the proprietors in East Jersey had gathered such force that the tumultuous "East Jersey Revolution" soon nullified proprietary government.
When royal government was established in New Jersey, Basse secured a royal patent as secretary. Consequently he shared in the ill fame of the corrupt administration of Lord Cornbury. He was violently accused of perversions of power. Continuing to act with the anti-proprietary party, he became the ally of Col. Daniel Coxe who was at variance with the Friends in West Jersey. Secure in his patent, Basse remained as secretary till the death of Queen Anne. After the opponents of the proprietors had been routed by Gov. Robert Hunter, Basse made his peace with that crafty Scot. He served with credit in the assembly, being apparently regarded as an authority in finance.
In 1719 he was named attorney-general by Hunter himself. Meanwhile he had come under the influence of the Rev. John Talbot, and joined the group of militant Anglicans at St. Mary's Church in Burlington. Here he officiated as warden and lay reader. From his pen is an interesting history of St. Mary's. From his activities as a whole one gets the impression of an adroit and rather shifty politician of some ability and literary skill. He was denounced in scathing terms by opponents, but allowance must be made for partisanship.
