Wouter Van Twiller

Wouter van Twiller (May 22, 1606 – buried August 29, 1654) was an employee of the Dutch West India Company and the Director-General of New Netherland from 1633 until 1638. Wouter van Twiller succeeded Peter Minuit, who was recalled by the Dutch West India authorities in Amsterdam for unknown reasons.

Van Twiller, who was born in Nijkerk, was chosen for the position because he had made two voyages to the colony of New Netherland prior to his appointment. He was a clerk in the warehouse of the Dutch West India company and he was a cousin of Kiliaen van Rensselaer who was married to a sister of Wouters father. He was employed by the latter to ship cattle to Rensselaerswyck, his colonial estate on the Hudson River. Van Twiller was somewhat acquainted with the geography of New Netherlands and the condition of its affairs. Largely through Van Rensselaer's influence he was chosen by the Dutch West India company Director-General of New Netherlands, sailing for New Amsterdam in the ship De Soutberg.

Among a considerable amount of land and properties, Van Twiller purchased 'Noten Eylant', later called Governors Island from a tribe of Canarsee Indians for two axe heads, a string of beads and some iron nails. During his time in office, settlers from New England wrested away the Connecticut Valley from New Netherland, but he was able to defend the Dutch territory in the Delaware Valley, where his soldiers captured a shipload of intending settlers from Virginia and expelled soldiers who had taken Fort Nassau.

Van Twiller was able to increase in the prosperity of the colony and to accumulate a private fortune. This was despite his conflicts with Everhardus Bogardus, Dutch Reformed dominie of the New Netherland colony and financial controller Lubbert van Dincklagen, who did not think much of his ability to manage the affairs of New Netherland properly. To succeed Van Twiller as Director-General, the Dutch West India Company sent William Kieft in September, 1637. Van Twiller subsequently returned to the Netherlands and became a guardian to Johannes, the eldest son of the Killian Van Rensselaer, following the death of the Patroon in 1644. He died in Amsterdam.