William Nicoll

William Nicoll (1657 – November 20, 1723) was an English-born colonial American merchant and politician who served as the Speaker of the New York General Assembly.

Early life 1664 painting of New Amsterdam, by Johannes Vingboons, painted in the year Nicolls came to America. Nicoll was born in the village of Islip, Northamptonshire, in 1657.

Nicoll came to America in 1664 with his father and Richard Nicolls, the 1st Colonial governor of the Province of New York. His father, Richard's secretary and reportedly also his nephew, was present for the Peter Stuyvesant's surrender of Dutch New Amsterdam to the English.

Career After returning to America, Nicoll was admitted to the bar and was appointed Clerk of Queens County and in 1683, he became Register of the Court of Admiralty.

On April 11, 1687, he was appointed Attorney General of the Province of New York. He held this office for only a year due to James II annexation of New York to the Dominion of New England on May 7, 1688. From October 20, 1702, until May 27, 1718, when he resigned due to ill health, he also served as the Speaker of the Assembly.

Personal life On November 29, 1683, Governor Thomas Dongan granted Nicoll a royal patent of 50,000 acres on the Long Island.

Nicoll was married to Anna van Rensselaer (1665-1723). She was the widow of the patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer, and the daughter of Jeremias van Rensselaer and Maria (née Van Cortlandt) Van Rensselaer. Among her large family were uncles Stephanus Van Cortlandt and Jacobus Van Cortlandt, both of whom served as mayor of New York City. Together, William and Anna were the parents of:

Mary Nicoll (b. 1689), who married Scottish immigrant Robert Watts (1678–1750). Catherine Nicoll (1700–1779), who married Jonathan Havens. Frances Nicoll (1704–1787), who married Edward Holland, the 40th mayor of New York City.

Nicoll died at his home, the manor of Islip Grange, on November 20, 1723.

Descendants As William Nicoll Jr. died unmarried and without issue, the Nicoll estate was inherited by William's grandson, William Nicoll III (d. 1778), the eldest son of Benjamin, who became the third family member to be elected to the General Assembly where he served from 1768 until 1769.

Through his daughter Mary, he was the grandfather of John Watts, himself the father of U.S. Representative John Watts. Through his daughter Catherine, he was the grandfather of Nicoll Havens (1733–1783), who married Sarah Fosdick (1730–1767), parents of Yale graduate and U.S. Representative Jonathan Nicoll Havens.