De Bickers were part of the staatsgezinde partij (the republican party) and opponents of the stadtholders, who belonged to the House of Orange-Nassau.

Jan Bickers son-in-law, the influential Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt practically controlled the Republic during the First Stadtholderless Period in 1650–1672.

From 1628 Jan Bicker lived at Keizersgracht 221 and invested specifically at Bickerseiland which he bought from the city in January 1631.

[2] Jan Bicker was given the position of burgemeester in February 1653, but did not keep it for long due his death on 9 May; he was buried in Westerkerk.

[14] He owned various country estates outside Amsterdam: Akerendam near Beverwijk, as well as De Eult[15] and Hooge Vuursche in Baarn.