William Nicoll Jr.
William Nicoll Jr. was an English-American colonial merchant and politician who served as the Speaker of the [New York General Assembly].
Early life
He was a son of English-born politician William Nicoll and Anna Nicoll, widow of the patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer, and daughter of Jeremias van Rensselaer and Maria Van Rensselaer. Among his siblings was Mary Nicoll, wife of Robert Watts; Benjamin Nicoll, husband of Charity Floyd; Catherine Nicoll, wife of Jonathan Havens; and Frances Nicoll, wife of Edward Holland, the 40th mayor of New York City.His paternal grandparents were Abigail Nicoll and Matthias Nicoll, one of the two leaders of the expedition that led to the surrender of the Dutch New Amsterdam to the English, who served as the 6th Mayor of New York City from 1672 to 1673 and Speaker in the first and second sessions of the New York Assembly under Thomas Dongan in 1683. His grand-uncle was Richard Nicolls, the 1st Colonial governor of the Province of New York. His paternal aunt, Margaret Nicoll, was married to Col. Richard Floyd Jr., the colonel of provincial troops of Suffolk County and judge of the Court of Common Pleas and grandfather of William Floyd.
Career
His father was granted a royal patent of 50,000 acres on the Long Island by Governor Thomas Dongan in November 1683, later receiving further land grants making Plandome Manor the largest on Long Island totaling.Nicoll was elected a member of the New York General Assembly, representing Suffolk County, in 1739 and, like his father, served until his death in 1768. From January 31, 1759 until February 6, 1768, he also served as the Speaker of the Assembly. During his service as Speaker, the 18th Assembly was dissolved for a short period of time upon the death of George II which occurred on October 25, 1760.