<P> The incident began with the death of Stephen Van Rensselaer III in 1839 . Van Rensselaer, who was described as having "...proved a lenient and benevolent landowner" was the patroon of the region at the time, and was a descendant of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, the first patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck . During his life, he preferred to allow rents to accumulate or to accept partial payment when tenants were in financial constraints . The patroons owned all the land on which the tenants in the Hudson Valley lived, and used feudal leases to maintain control of the region . When he died, Van Rensselaer's will directed his heirs to collect outstanding rents to apply to the estate debts . When his heirs attempted to collect the rents which he had long deferred, tenant farmers resisted . The tenants could not pay the amounts demanded, could not secure favorable terms, and could not obtain relief in the courts, so they revolted . </P> <P> The first mass meeting of tenant farmers leading to the Anti-Rent War was held in Berne, New York on July 4, 1839 . In January 1845, one hundred and fifty delegates from eleven counties assembled in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Berne to call for political action to redress their grievances . </P> <P> The Anti-Rent War led to the creation of the Antirenter Party, which had a strong influence on New York State politics from 1846--51 . </P> <P> Trials of leaders of the revolt, charged with riot, conspiracy and robbery, were held in 1845 . Participants as counsel in the trials included Ambrose L. Jordan, as leading counsel for the defense, and John Van Buren, the state attorney general, who personally conducted the prosecution . At the first trial, the jury came to no conclusion . </P>

Who was the prominent anti-rent leader and what was his secret name