John Wentworth (Lieutenant-Governor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Wentworth (1671-1730) was a grandson of "Elder" William Wentworth, an early settler in New England. He served as Lieutenant Governor for the Province of New Hampshire from 1717 to 1730.

Before New Hampshire got its own Royal Governor in 1741, it was administered under the guidance of the Governor of Massachusetts, and John was the Lieutenant Governor for New Hampshire from 1717 to 1730.

On October 12, 1693 he married Sara Hunking. The couple had thirteen children, three of whom (Samuel, Benning, and Mark Hunking Wentworth) would become prominent themselves. Benning Wentworth was later the first directly appointed royal governor of New Hampshire. Mark's son in his turn would also become the last royal governor, John Wentworth.

During this period New Hampshire was viewed and treated as an administrative district of Massachusetts. It did have its own Lt. Governor and Assembly, but this was a requirement of communications and geography instead of the result of a political decision. John Wentworth was first appointed Lt. Governor late in 1717, but for several years had little function in the government. Then in 1722, governor Samuel Shute returned to England, a Lt. Governor took over as chief magistrate in Massachusetts, and Wentworth's role in New Hampshire was greatly expanded. He continued as Lt. Governor until his death in 1730.