Peter Stuyvesant

Peter Stuyvesant (also Pieter or Petrus) (c. 1612 – August 1672) was a Dutch colonial officer who served as the last Dutch director-general of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was split into New York and New Jersey with lesser territory becoming parts of other colonies, and later, states. He was a major figure in the early history of New York City and his name has been given to various landmarks and points of interest throughout the city.

Quotes

 * Nothing is of greater importance than the right early instruction of youth.
 * History of the State of New York By John Romeyn Brodhead, pg 508 : 1660 on the education of Youth.


 * I shall govern you as a father his children.
 * Liberty Magazine : What he told to colonists when he arrived.


 * We derive our authority from God and the West India Company, not from the pleasure of a few ignorant subjects.
 * Liberty Magazine : On complaints by frontier folks on his reforms.


 * The Jews who have arrived would nearly all like to remain here, but learning that they (with their customary usury and deceitful trading with the Christians) were very repugnant to the inferior magistrates, as also to the people having the most affection for you; the Deaconry also fearing that owing to their present indigence they might become a charge in the coming winter, we have, for the benefit of this weak newly developing place and land in general, deemed it useful to require them in a friendly way to depart; praying also most seriously in this connection, for ourselves also for the general community of your worships, that the deceitful race — such hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ — not be allowed further to infect and trouble this new colony.
 * Letter to the directors of the West India Company, 1654. See Shapers of the Great Debate on the Freedom of Religion: A Biographical Dictionary by Jonathan Wright, 2005.