Marinus Willett (
July 31, 1740 –
August 22, 1830) was an
American soldier and political leader from
New York. He was characterized by historian Mark M. Boatner as "one of the truly outstanding American leaders of the Revolution."
Willet was born in
Jamaica, New York, on
Long Island, the great-grandson of
Thomas Willett, who had immigrated to New York and also served as mayor of the city.
Marinus Willett served in the militia during the
French and Indian War. He received a commission as 2nd lieutenant in a New York regiment under the command of
Oliver DeLancey which took part in General
James Abercrombie's expedition to
Fort Ticonderoga in
1758. He also took part in the
Battle of Fort Frontenac.
Tradition is that between the wars he worked as a cabinetmaker.
During the early stages of the
American Revolution, Willett became a leader of the
Sons of Liberty in New York City. On
June 6, 1775 Willett stopped British soldiers evacuating from New York City from taking spare arms with them. On July 20, 1775 he and other members of the Sons of Liberty surprised a guard and captured a British storehouse at Turtle Bay.
* When the
Revolutionary War started, he entered the
Continental Army with a commission of Captain on June 28, 1775 in the
1st New York Regiment.
* He accompanied General
Richard Montgomery's force in the attempt to
capture Canada.
* In November, 1776 to has made Lieutenant Colonel of the
3rd New York Regiment.
* On March, 1777 he was given command of
Fort Constitution.
* On May 29, 1777 he was made second in command during the siege of
Fort Stanwix.
* During the siege of
Fort Stanwix he lead a sortie on August 6, 1777 from the fort which plundered the British camps.
* He was a member of
General Washington's army in
New Jersey (
1778) and General
John Sullivan's in (
1779).
* In early 1780 he was given command of the
5th New York Regiment and was made a full colonel on December 22, 1779.
* On January 1, 1781 the number of New York regiments was reduced to two and Willett lost his command.
* April, 1781 he was given responsibility for the defense of the Mohawk Valley. His headquarters were at
Fort PlainElected to the
State Assembly for the terms
1780-1784, and as
sheriff of New York for
1784-1792. In 1790 he was sent by President Washington to the
Creek Indians to persuade their leader
Alexander McGillivray to continue treaty efforts. 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. In PAril, 1792 he was appointed a brigadier-general, but declined.
He became
Mayor of New York for the period
1807-1808 after
De Witt Clinton was removed from office.
He is buried in the
New York City Marble Cemetery.A street in
Albany, New York, bordering Washington Park is named for Willett. 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.
His role in the French and Indian war receives brief mention in the Newbury Award winning children's book
The Matchlock Gun.
*Lowenthal, Larry, Marinus Willett, Defender of the Northern Frontier, New York, 2000
*Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. New York: McKay, 1966; revised 1974. ISBN 0-8117-0578-1.
