Marinus Willett (July 31, 1740 – August 22, 1830) was an American soldier and political leader from New York. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 1740 ( MDCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The City of New York He was characterized by historian Mark M. Boatner as "one of the truly outstanding American leaders of the Revolution. "
Willett was born in Jamaica, New York, on Long Island, the son of Edward Willett a school teacher and tavern operator. Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches Marinus was the great-grandson of Thomas Willett, who had immigrated to New York and also served as mayor of the city. Thomas Willett (1611-1674 was a British Merchant, Plymouth Colony trader and sea-captain Commissioner of New Netherland, a magistrate of Plymouth
Marinus Willett served in the militia during the French and Indian War. The French and Indian War (1754&ndash1763 was the North American chapter of the Seven Years' War. He received a commission as 2nd lieutenant in a New York regiment under the command of Oliver DeLancey Sr. which took part in General James Abercrombie's expedition to Fort Ticonderoga in 1758. Major-General Oliver De Lancey Sr (1718-1785 also known as Oliver DeLancey and Oliver de Lancey, was a merchant a Loyalist Politician and James Abercrombie or Abercromby (1706 &ndash April 23, 1781) was a British Army general and commander-in-chief of forces in North America Fort Ticonderoga is a large Eighteenth-century Fort built at a strategically important narrows in Lake Champlain where a short traverse gives access Year 1758 ( MDCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common His regiment was part of John Bradstreet's army in the Battle of Fort Frontenac. Major General John Bradstreet ( December 21 1714 – September 25, 1774) was a British Army officer during the French and Indian War The Battle of Fort Frontenac took place from August 25 to August 27 1758 during the Seven Years' War (referred to as the French He became ill and stayed at Fort Stanwix until he recovered. Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26[[ 758]] by British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day
Tradition is between the wars he worked as a cabinetmaker.
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Sons of Liberty
During the early stages of the American Revolution, Willett became an informal leader of the Sons of Liberty in New York City. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Sons of Liberty was a Secret organization of American Patriots which originated in the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution. His main participation was as a rabble-rouser and street brawler. [1] When news arrived on April 23, 1775 of the battles at Lexington and Concord he and others broke into the New York City arsenal and seized the weapons. On June 6, 1775 the British soldiers in New York decided to evacuate New York, Willett stopped the soldiers from taking spare arms with them. On July 20, 1775 he and other members of the Sons of Liberty procured a sloop and surprised the guard and captured a British storehouse at Turtle Bay.
American Revolutionary War
On June 28, 1775, he joined the Continental Army with a commission of captain in the 1st New York Regiment, commanded by Alexander McDougall. The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America The 1st New York Regiment was authorized on May 25, 1775 and organized at New York City from June 28 to August 4 for service with the Continental Army Alexander McDougall (about 1731&ndash1786 was an American seaman merchant a Sons of Liberty leader from New York City before and during the American Revolution Six weeks later the regiment took part in Richard Montgomery's Invasion of Canada (1775) and in December the Battle of Quebec (1775). Richard Montgomery ( December 2, 1738 – December 31, 1775) was an Irish -born Soldier who first served in the Background In the spring of 1775 the American Revolutionary War began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The Battle of Quebec was an attempt on December 31, 1775, by American colonial rebels to capture the Canadian city of Quebec and enlist French Canadian In January, 1776 the enlistments in the regiment expired and the men started home. Willett arrived in New York City in March. In the defence of New York City later that year Willett lost a captain's commission in the 4th New York Regiment and participated as a militiaman. The 4th New York Regiment was authorized on May 25, 1775 and organized from June 28 to August 4 from Westchester Dutchess Kings Queens and Richmond counties for
In November, 1776 to has made Lieutenant Colonel of the 3rd New York Regiment which was commanded by Peter Gansevoort. Footnotes Peter Gansevoort ( July 17, 1749 – July 2, 1812) was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War He spent the winter recruiting. In March, 1777 he was given command of Fort Constitution in the New York Highlands. Fort William and Mary was a colonial defensive post at New Castle, New Hampshire. From this fort he engaged in a success attack on one hundred British soldiers burning a house. The fort was abandoned when other nearby forts fell. In May, he was transferred to Fort Stanwix to join the rest of his regiment, where he was second in command. Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26[[ 758]] by British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day
On August 6, 1777, during the Battle of Oriskany he led a sortie for the fort which plundered the nearly Indian and Sir John Johnson's Tories camp. Background See also [[Battle of Saratoga]] [[Battle of Bennington]] A two-pronged attack known as the Saratoga Campaign of 1777, was launched by the His force suffered no casualties. He was presented with a sword from the Continental Congress for this exploit. After the American defeat at Oriskany, he and another officer slipped through British lines down the Mohawk to Fort Dayton for help. Fort Dayton is located North side of Mohawk River at West Canada Creek in what is now Herkimer New York. They only took spontoons as weapons and whiskey, cheese, and crackers for food. A Spontoon is type of European Lance that came into being after the pike, becoming widely used by the middle of the 17th century At Fort Dayton he learned that Major General Schuyler had already dispatched a second relief force under the command of Benedict Arnold. Willett proceeded to Albany where he meet with Arnold and then returned to Fort Dayton with Arnold's army.
On August 20, Willett presided as a judge of Walter Butler who had been captured and was being tried as a spy. Walter Butler (1752&ndash October 30, 1781) was a British Loyalist officer during the American Revolution. Butler was found guilty and sentenced to death. Butler was sent to Albany to await execution. In September, he left to visit his wife. While the 3rd New York Regiment was idle spending the winter at Fort Stanwix, virtually all the officers petitioned to be transferred to the main army. Gansevoort gave Willett leave to visit George Washington in Philadelphia and the forts in Connecticut. In June, 1778 he was given leave to join Washington's' Main Army. He served as an aide to General George Scott where he took part in the Battle of Monmouth. Charles Scott (1739 October 22 1813 was an American Soldier and Politician who served as Governor of Kentucky from 1808 to 1812 Prelude In May of 1778 The British commander General Clinton in Philadelphia faced with a war with France decided it was prudent to protect New York City and Florida On March 15, 1779, he was given commander of a new militia regiment, a position he never accepted nor declined. He was second in command of the attack on Onondaga in April, 1779. Onondaga is a Town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States.
In the summer of 1779, he was with the 3rd New York Regiment as it took part in the Sullivan Campaign. Background When the American Revolutionary War began British officials as well as the colonial Continental Congress sought the allegiance (or at least the neutrality Afterwards it was for a short time stationed in the New York Highlands before joining the main army at Morristown. In January, he took part in a raid on Staten Island. This raid appears to be a separate raid from that conducted by Lord Stirling. William Alexander may refer to William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling (c
In early 1780, he was given command of the 5th New York Regiment a regiment that was severely understrength because of battles in the New York Highlands. The 5th New York Regiment was authorized on November 30, 1776 as part of the New York Line for service with the Continental Army. In September, he was one of three officers of the New York Line who presented their grievances to the New York legislator. The New York Line was an Administrative division within the Continental Army. The men had not been paid since January and they asked for compensation in the form of land. He was made a full colonel of the regiment on December 22, 1779. On January 1, 1781 the number of New York regiments was reduced to two and Willett lost his command. He went home to his wife in Danbury.
In April, 1781, he was made a colonel of the militia and given responsibility for the defence of the Mohawk Valley. Although the Tryon County militia was nominally 1,100 men, he did not believe that more than five hundred would turn out. Militia Regiments On March 8 1772 The Province of New York passed a bill for the establishment of organized militia in each county His headquarters were at Fort Plain. Fort Plain is a Village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. He had about four hundred men which he split between Saratoga, Ballston, German Flatts, Canajoharie, Fort Hunter, Catskill, Johnstown, and Schoharie. By this time Fort Stanwix had been abandoned. Willett wrote of the militia that "I don't think I shall give a very wild account if I say, that one third have been killed, or carried captive by the enemy; one third removed to the interior places of the country; and one third deserted to the enemy"[2]
In July of 1781, he led the militia in the Battle of Sharon Springs where he ambushed a force of Indians and Loyalists under the command of John Doxtader. In October, he led the militia against a mixed force under the command of Major John Ross at the Battle of Johnstown. John Ross was the name of John Ross (admiral (18th C admiral of the British Royal Navy John Ross (American patriot, figure in the American Afterwards, the Americans went to German Flatts to try and cut them off. Dispute their best efforts they could not overtake them, but Captain Walter Butler was killed in the pursuit. Walter Butler (1752&ndash October 30, 1781) was a British Loyalist officer during the American Revolution.
In late 1781, several companies of New Hampshire troops were added to his command. In February, 1783, he led a party which tried to capture Fort Ontario, but they gave up the attempt when the possibility of surprise was lost. Fort Ontario is an historic fort situated by the City of Oswego, in Oswego County, New York in the United States of America.
George Washington visited the Mohawk valley in 1783 and he instructed Willett to improve the roads and waterway to Lake Oneida. In October, Willett's troops went home with being disbanded and without ceremony.
Post-war Years
After the war he aligned himself with George Clinton and the anti-federalist party. He had several other members of the Sons of Liberty were elected to the State Assembly for the terms 1780-1784. The Sons of Liberty was a Secret organization of American Patriots which originated in the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution. The New York State Assembly is the Lower house of the New York Legislature, the state legislature of the U Year 1780 ( MDCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1784 ( MDCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year He was appointed as sheriff of New York City for 1784-1787 and 1791-1795. SHERIFF is a telecom fraud detection and management system originally developed by BT and MCI. [3] He was now in charge of repressing the riotous behaviour he formerly committed. In 1787, he took part in the putting down of the Shay's Rebellion. Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in Central and Western Massachusetts from 1786 to 1787 In 1788, he helped George Clinton in his fight against the United States Constitution. Willett was a delegate from New York City to the state convention where he and other anti-federalist were defeated. As late as 1790, he was still trying to repeal or amend the United States Constitution.
In 1790 he was sent by President Washington to the Creek Indians to persuade their leader Alexander McGillivray to continue treaty efforts. Alexander McGillivray ( December 15, 1750 &ndash February 17, 1793) was a leader of the Creek (Muscogee Indians during Willett was successful and a delegation of Creeks under McGillvray visited New York City, then capital of the United States, resulting in the Treaty of New York. The Treaty of New York is one of several treaties signed between the United States and Native American tribes, conducted in the city of New York.
In 1791, he was appointed by Clinton to another term as the sheriff of New York City. Willett acquired considerable land and part of the former DeLancey estate.
In April 1792, he was appointed a brigadier-general to serve in the Northwest Indian War, but he declined. The Northwest Indian War (1785&ndash1795 also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names was a war fought between the United States and He wrote to George Washington that he thought the United States should not engage in a war with these Indians. He was also offered the position of peace emissary to the Indians which he also declined.
In 1801, he was appointed superintendent of construction of the fortifications of New York.
He was Mayor of New York during 1807-1808, after De Witt Clinton was removed from office. The Mayor of New York City is the head of the executive branch of the Government of New York City. Year 1807 ( MDCCCVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1808 ( MDCCCVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year DeWitt Clinton ( March 2, 1769 Little Britain New York February 11, 1828 Albany New York) was an early American politician The state's lieutenant governor, John Broome, died in office in August 1810. John Broome may refer to John Broome (politician (1738-1810 New York politician John Broome (philosopher, British philosopher and Willett ran unsuccessfully for that office in 1811, losing to De Witt Clinton. Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year DeWitt Clinton ( March 2, 1769 Little Britain New York February 11, 1828 Albany New York) was an early American politician
He died August 22, 1830 and was buried in the churchyard of Trinity Church, corner of Broadway and Wall Street, in New York City. Broadway, as the name implies is a wide avenue in New York City. Wall Street is a street in lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The City of New York His funeral had 10,000 mourners.
Legacy
A street in Albany, New York, bordering Washington Park is named for Willett. Albany is the Capital of the State of New York and the County seat of Albany County. A memorial plaque commemorating Willett was fixed to a boulder in 1907 in the park. The boulder and its plaque was moved from the interior of the park to the corner of State and Willett Streets in 2006 to give the memorial a more prominent place in anticipation of the park's 200th anniversary.
Novels
His role in the French and Indian war receives brief mention in the Newbury Award winning children's book The Matchlock Gun. The Matchlock Gun is a novel by Walter D Edmonds that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American Children's literature in
Footnotes
References
- Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. New York: McKay, 1966; revised 1974. ISBN 0-8117-0578-1.
- Lowenthal, Larry, Marinus Willett, Defender of the Northern Frontier, New York, 2000