The Resume

(1612-February 1672)
Born probably in Peperga (Friesland), Netherlands
Birth name was Petrus Stuyvesant
Employed by Dutch West India Company (C. 1632)
Director-general of all Dutch possessions in North America and the Caribbean (1645)
Lost part of his leg in the Battle of St Maarten island against the Spanish
Director of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire (1644)
Governor of New Netherlands (July 28, 1646-September 9, 1664)
New Netherlands became New Amsterdam (February 2, 1653)

Why he might be annoying:

Although he took the oath of office as Governor of New Netherlands in 1646, he did not arrive there until a year later.
He turned New Amsterdam (New York City) over to the British (September 9, 1664).
He instituted restriction of all commerce on Sundays and full religious observance. Even to this day there are business restrictions on Sundays (known as the blue laws).
He said 'We derive our authority from God and the company, not from a few ignorant subjects.'
He tried to restrict freedom of worship, believing that everyone should belong to the same religion; Calvinism.
His father was a Calvinist minister
Colonists, especially Jews, Lutherans and Quakers, petitioned the West India Company of Amsterdam against his religious restraints.
He was especially intolerant to Lutherans, fining and imprisoning them.
West India Company of Amsterdam not only overruled Stuyvesant's religious restrictions, but strongly admonished him.
He used the slave trade to increase the treasury of New Netherlands.
He owned 50 slaves.
He gave up a tremendous amount of land to Connecticut to settle boundary disputes which upset the Dutch (1650).
He heavily taxed imports.
In 1648, he, along with his military garrison, attempted to destroy homes to enlarge Fort Orange. The people of the area refused to accept his authority. He was commanded to return to Netherlands and he refused declaring 'I shall do as I please.'
He adorned his wooden peg leg with silver.

Why he might not be annoying:

He strongly advocated education.
He designed many of the streets that are still part of Manhattan.
Wall Street is named for the wall he had built around it.
He oversaw the canal in lower Manhattan that is now known as Canal Street.
He designed Broadway.
A Dutch cigarette, a high school and neighborhood in Manhattan bear his name.
He introduced tea to the United States.
He commanded seven vessels to Delaware, where he took possession of New Sweden, renaming it New Amstel (1665).
He retired to a sixty-two acre farm in the Netherlands.

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Amputees
• Colonial America
• I am on a U.S. Postage Stamp [R-T]
• I Attended Stuyvesant [New York City]
• I'm Dutch
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Profiles 14251-14500 (Ranked: 14485)
• Slave Owners

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 18 Votes: 61.11% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 31 Votes: 51.61% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 23 Votes: 52.17% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 34 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 65 Votes: 66.15% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 105 Votes: 61.90% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 129 Votes: 58.14% Annoying