Benjamin Fletcher

Benjamin Fletcher (* 1640 ; † 1703 ) was the English governor of the province of New York from 1692 to 1697 .

Life

Nothing is known about Benjamin Fletcher's childhood and youth. He apparently entered service in the English, attained the rank of colonel and managed to be appointed the new colonial governor of the province of New York in 1692 . He was the successor of Henry Sloughter, who died in July 1691 . The time between Sloughter's death and Fletcher's inauguration was bridged by acting governor Richard Ingoldesby , who tried unsuccessfully for the post of governor. At the time of Fletcher's inauguration, the New York colony was still deeply divided between supporters of the Leisler Rebellion and the new administration. Fletcher took office in August 1692. This split was not overcome even during Fletcher's tenure. At the same time, his colony was threatened by French and American Indians from Canada. Negotiations by Mayor Schuyler of Albany averted this danger. Fletcher declared Anglicanism the official religion in his colony in 1693 . In 1697 he had the Trinity Church built in New York City (Manhattan).

During his time as governor, he openly promoted piracy. The port of New York City became a safe place for pirates. These in turn acted openly with their goods and circumvented the official tax laws. This brought the city of New York and parts of the rest of the colony to a certain degree of wealth. The administration, starting with the governor, let the pirates and smugglers have their way. Fletcher himself was bribed by the pirates and therefore left them unmolested. When English agents finally transmitted the events in New York to the government in London, Fletcher was dismissed from his post in 1697. It is not known whether he was ever called to account. He died in 1703.

Web links

• http://colonialwarsct.org/1693.htm Fletcher in the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut