List of colonial governors of Rhode Island

This is a list of the judges, presidents, and governors of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from 1638 to 1776.

Governor of Providence

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Judges of Portsmouth

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Judge of Newport

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Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island colony

Governor of Rhode Island (Portsmouth and Newport)

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Chief Officer under the Patent of 1643 (Providence and Warwick)

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Presidents under the Patent of 1643

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  • 1st John Coggeshall of Newport; 21 May 1647 - 27 November 1647 (died in office)
  • 2nd Jeremy Clarke of Newport; 16 May 1648 - 22 May 1649
  • 3rd John Smith of Providence; 22 May 1649 - 23 May 1650
  • 4th Nicholas Easton of Newport; 23 May 1650 - August 1651 (resigned)
  • 5th Samuel Gorton of Warwick; October 1651 - 18 May 1652 (Providence and Warwick only)
  • 6th John Smith of Providence; 18 May 1652 - 17 May 1653 (Providence and Warwick only)
  • 7th Gregory Dexter of Providence; 17 May 1653 - 16 May 1654 (Providence and Warwick only)
  • 8th Nicholas Easton of Newport; 16 May 1654 - 12 September 1654
  • 9th Roger Williams of Providence; 12 September 1654 - 19 May 1657
  • 10th Benedict Arnold of Newport; 19 May 1657 - 22 May 1660
  • 11th William Brenton of Newport; 22 May 1660 - 22 May 1662
  • 12th Benedict Arnold of Newport; 22 May 1662 - November 1663

Governors of Newport and Portsmouth under the Coddington Commission

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  • William Coddington of Newport; 20 May 1651 - 17 May 1653
  • John Sanford of Portsmouth; 17 May 1653 - 1653 (died in office between June and November 1653)

Governors under the Royal Charter of 1663

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Governor of the Dominion of New England

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The Rhode Island Charter was suspended from 1686-1689. During this time, Sir Edmund Andros served as Governor of the Dominion of New England, which included Rhode Island. Andros was deposed on April 18, 1689.

Colonial Governors under the Royal Charter of 1663

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Vacant 20 December 1686 - 27 February 1690

Note - the Rhode Island Royal Charter of 1663 remained in effect until the Constitution of Rhode Island was ratified in 1842. For a list of governors of Rhode Island from 1775 to the present see List of governors of Rhode Island.

See also

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