who where the leaders of the 13 colonies?

Answer 1

Most of them had royal governors.

The colony of New Jersey was interesting for the fact that its governor was none other than Benjamin Franklin's illegitimate son--needless to say, he and his father didn't see eye to eye on the issue of independence (come to that, New Jersey's governors were sometimes pretty eccentric--check out the story of Lord Cornbury, a cousin of Queen Anne's, who was also a cross dresser)!

One might argue that the 'real' colonial leaders, however, were those men who pledged their 'lives . . . fortunes . . . sacred honor' to the cause of independence. They were certainly leaders of their several colonies, men such as Jefferson, Hancock, and Charles Carroll (of Maryland, and the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence--known for identifying himself plainly in his signature as 'Charles Carroll of Carrollton,' just so he wouldn't be confused with any of the other Carrolls in Maryland) were likely well known by the other people in their colonies, and Franklin was something of an international celebrity.

I'm not sure if this was the thrust of your question, but I've given you as thorough an answer as I could come up with :-) !

Answer 2

I,m pretty sure the original colonies were controlled by the british monarchy as they were set up by them