William Nicolls

Background

William Nicolls was born in 1657 in Islip, Northamptonshire, England. He was the son of Matthias Nicolls, the first secretary of the province of New York, and of Abigail (Johns) Nicolls.

Career

Nicolls probably accompanied his father to America in 1664, but went back to England in 1677 and spent two years in the army, seeing service in Flanders.

Following his return to New York, he began the practice of law. He was appointed clerk of Queen's County in 1683 and became attorney general of the province in 1687.

When the Leislerian revolt took place in 1689, he ranged himself at once on the side of the conservatives. In a private letter he forcefully though indiscreetly described the de facto lieutenant-governor as "that incorrigeable brutish coxcomb Leisler, " and with reference to the party in control declared that "out of hell certainly never was such a pack of ignorant, scandalous, false (malitious), impudent, impertinent rascalls herded together". The interception of this letter in January 1690 gave Leisler an excuse for the arrest and imprisonment of Nicolls. The latter remained in custody until the collapse of Leisler's administration in March 1691, with the arrival of Governor Sloughter, in whose instructions Nicolls was named a councillor. For the next seven years his star was in the ascendent. He was one of the prosecutors who brought about the conviction of Leisler and his associate Milborne. Governor Sloughter's successor, Fletcher, added to Nicolls' already large holdings in Suffolk County until his estate at Islip contained more than one hundred square miles. At various periods he also acquired large tracts of land on Shelter Island.

In 1695 he was one of two agents sent to England to discuss measures for the colony's defense. On the voyage he and his colleagues were captured by the French, but ultimately were exchanged and reached London, where they made a strong plea for the total reduction of the French in Canada. In 1698 Fletcher was replaced as governor by Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont, who was soon identified with the Leislerian party in colonial politics. Nicolls was one of the first to suffer, being suspended from the council on charges of having participated in Fletcher's profitable negotiations with pirates. The Board of Trade thought the evidence sufficiently conclusive to justify Nicolls' definite removal as councilor. Bellomont also accused him of bribery in the passage of an act injurious to the interests of New York City. Nicolls' political ambitions had now to be satisfied through the assembly rather than through the council. At first he contented himself merely with electioncering. Bellomont, who later admitted that he was "the most sensible man of the [anti-Leislerian] party, and the hottest, " declared that in the election of 1698 Nicholls "rode night and day about the country with indefatigable pains''.

In 1701 he was chosen to represent Suffolk County in the assembly and came within one vote of election as speaker, but the Leislerian majority brought about his disqualification as a deputy on the ground that he was not a resident of Suffolk County although he was one of its most important freeholders. Thereupon he built a house upon his Islip estate and made it his permanent residence.

In 1702 he was again chosen deputy and this time was the successful candidate for speaker. He held this office continuously until 1718 when he resigned because of ill health, though he retained his seat as deputy during the remaining five years of his life.

In his capacity as speaker he took an active part in the assembly's successful efforts to gain control of finance at the expense of the governor.

Achievements

• Nicolls participated in many important cases. Among these, besides the prosecution of Leisler and Milborne, were the trials of Nicholas Bayard for treason in 1702 and of the Reverend Francis Makemie in 1706 for preaching without the governor's license. In both cases Nicolls represented the defense and in both cases the accused were ultimately freed.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Words to Live By: Seleted and Interpreted by Nintey-six Eminent Men and Women

    (Book is in good condition, printed in 1949. Slight damage...)

  • a new treasury of words to live by

    (Oxford bound in leather and fibre. Burgandy cover is over...)

Connections

In 1693 Nicolls married Anne, daughter of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer and widow of her cousin Kiliaen Van Rensselaer. His will, drawn up in 1719, mentions six sons and three daughters.

Father:

Matthias Nicolls

Mother:

Abigail (Johns) Nicolls

Spouse:

Ann Rensselaer