George Clarke (1676 – 12 January 1760) was a colonial governor of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Biography

He was also known as George Clarke of Hyde, after he purchased Hyde Hall in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

, the ancestral home of his wife, Anne Hyde, in the 1740s. He became Secretary of the

Province of New York The Province of New York (1664–1776) was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony on the northeast coast of North America. As one of the Middle Colonies, New York achieved independence and worked with the others to found the Uni ...

in 1703. Along with his wife he purchased land in 1715 in Hempstead,

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

, New York, and built an estate called

Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...

. He became acting colonial governor of New York in 1736 following the death of

William Cosby Brigadier-General William Cosby (1690–1736) was an Irish soldier who served as the British colonial governor of New York from 1732 to 1736. During his short term, Cosby was portrayed as one of the most oppressive governors in the Thirteen Co ...

, serving until George Clinton arrived in 1743 to replace Cosby. Clarke then held the post of Lieutenant Governor until 1747. In 1741, Clarke was marginally involved in the suppression of the New York Conspiracy of 1741, a plot much-disputed by historians on the part of African slaves and poor white settlers to overthrow the colonial government by setting fires in New York City in March 1741. On his return journey to England, with the fortune he had amassed in America, he was captured by a French Navy cruiser ship. After a short time he was released. He died in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

, England, on 12 January 1760, aged 84. He is buried in

Chester Cathedral Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Sain ...

, where there is a monument to him. Clarke was the nephew of British administrator

William Blathwayt William Blathwayt (or Blathwayte) (1649 – 16 August 1717) was an English diplomat, public official and Whig politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1685 and 1710. He established the War Office as a department of ...

. The British athlete and politician

Sebastian Coe Sebastian Newbold Coe, Baron Coe, (born 29 September 1956), often referred to as Seb Coe, is a British politician and former track and field athlete. As a middle-distance runner, Coe won four Olympic medals, including 1500 metres gold medal ...

is descended from George Clarke, who was his seven-times-great-grandfather, via a son who lived in Jamaica.

External links

Chester Cathedral and its Historic Links with New York

References

1676 births 1760 deaths Governors of the Province of New York Burials at Chester Cathedral People from Cheshire (before 1974) Members of the New York Executive Council {{NewYork-politician-stub