Johannes De Decker

Johannes De Decker (born 1626 in Dordrecht, Holland) was one of the six signers of the articles of capitulation of New Amsterdam to the British September 6, 1664. De Decker was sent to work as a lawyer for Peter Stuyvesant in New Amsterdam by the Dutch West India Company in 1654. He held various top political positions and in 1657 was appointed Comptroller. On September 10 Johannes sailed to Albany (Fort Orange) to warn them the British were coming and to rally the troops. Fort Orange officially surrendered September 24, 1664.

Here is the full text of the articles of surrender signed by De Decker on a British ship in the harbor. Articles of surrender New Amsterdam to British. De Decker (lawyer for New Amsterdam) led the Commission that negotiated the articles of surrender which included many legal rights and freedoms for residents of the city that became New York. Many of these legal rights were later included in the Declaration of Independence and the American constitution.

There were 12 signers, six were English from New England, 6 were Dutch, three represented the Provincial government and the West India Company and three represented the Citizens interests. De Decker was the Councilor (lawyer), member of the council of the government that ruled New Amsterdam. He reported directly to Peter Stuyvesant.

Ten days after the English took over De Decker expelled from New York for inspiring rebellion in Fort Orange (New Netherland) Albany against the British rule. Six years later, in 1670, De Decker was allowed back into New York on condition that he stayed only on his 60-acre farm on Staten Island.