Rhode Island: Colonial Governors: 1689-1776 |
| Deputy Governor of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America |
| 1689 - 27 Feb/9 Mar 1690 |
John Coggeshall |
| Governor of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America |
| 27 Feb/9 Mar 1690 - 7/17 May 1690 |
Henry Bull |
| 7/17 May 1690 - c. 1/11 May 1695 |
John Easton |
| c. 1/11 May 1695 - 17/27 Dec 1695 |
Caleb Carr |
| 17/27 Dec 1695 - Jan ? 1696 |
John Greene |
| Jan? 1696 - c. Mar 1698 |
Walter Clarke |
| c. Mar 1698 - 26 Apr/7 May 1727 |
Samuel Cranston [1] |
| Deputy Governor of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America (ex officio) |
| 26 Apr/7 May 1727 - 3/14 May 1727 |
Joseph Jenckes |
| Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England [2] |
| 3/14 May 1727 - 2/13 May 1732 |
Joseph Jenckes |
| 2/13 May 1732 - 1734 |
William Wanton [3] |
| 5/16 May 1734 - 5/16 Jul 1740 |
John Wanton |
| Deputy Governor of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America (ex officio) |
| 5/16 Jul 1740 - 15/26 Jul 1740 |
Richard Ward |
| Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England [2] |
| 15/26 Jul 1740 - 4/15 May 1743 |
Richard Ward |
| 4/15 May 1743 - 1/12 May 1745 |
William Greene |
| 1/12 May 1745 - 7/18 May 1746 |
Gideon Wanton |
| 7/18 May 1746 - 6/17 May 1747 |
William Greene |
| 6/17 May 1747 - 4/15 May 1748 |
Gideon Wanton |
| 4/15 May 1748 - 7 May 1755 |
William Greene |
| 7 May 1755 - 4 May 1757 |
Stephen Hopkins |
| 4 May 1757 - 23 Feb 1758 |
William Greene |
| Deputy Governor of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America (ex officio) |
| 23 Feb 1758 - 14 Mar 1758 |
John Gardner |
| Governor, Captain General, and Commander-in-Chief in/of and over the English Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America [4] |
| 14 Mar 1758 - 5 May 1762 |
Stephen Hopkins |
| 5 May 1762 - 4 May 1763 |
Samuel Ward |
| 4 May 1763 - 1 May 1765 |
Stephen Hopkins |
| 1 May 1765 - 6 May 1767 |
Samuel Ward |
| 6 May 1767 - 4 May 1768 |
Stephen Hopkins |
| 4 May 1768 - 3 May 1769 |
Josias Lyndon |
| 3 May 1769 - 3 May 1775 |
Joseph Wanton [5] |
| Deputy Governor and Lieutenant General of and over the English Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America |
| 3 May 1775 - 9 Nov 1775 |
Nicholas Cooke |
| Governor, Captain General, and Commander-in-Chief in/of and over the English Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America [4] |
| 9 Nov 1775 - 20 Jul 1776 |
Nicholas Cooke |
| |
| [1] |
According to an act passed by the General Assembly on 17/27 Jun 1718 the governor was made "Captain General and Commander-in-Chief of and over all the Military Forces within this Colony", deputy governor was made "Lieutenant General of the same." |
| [2] |
This style was used consistently in the 1740s (attested by gubernatorial proclamations of 1740, 1742, 1746). |
| [3] |
A significant number of secondary sources suggest that Wanton died in December 1733. However, there are, at least, three letters written in Boston by Surveyor General of Customs John Peagrum and addressed to "Wm Wanton Esqr" (dated 7 Jan 1733/34, 21 Jan 1733/34, 22 Mar 1733/34) (Rhode Island Governors Correspondence, 1:42-53). Also, there is a letter signed by William and John Wantons as "Govr." and "D. Govr." respectively dated "Newport, Rhode Island, 27th March, 1734" which was published in New York Gazette, No. 441, 1-8 Apr 1734, p. 4. |
| [4] |
This style was used consistently in the 1750s, 1760s and 1770s (attested by gubernatorial proclamations of 1756, 1759, 1760, 1762, 1763, 1766, 1770, and 1772). |
| [5] |
The sixth one-year term of Wanton as governor ended on 3 May 1775 when his re-election was declared upon the counting of electoral ballots at the session of the General Assembly. Wanton did not attend the session and did not take oath of office. Later in May 1775, the General Assembly passed an act preventing Wanton from taking the oath. The office was declared vacant vacant in accordance with an act passed by the General Assembly (House of Deputies on 7? Nov 1775, concurred in by the House of Magistrates 7 Nov 1775). |
