John Wanton

John Wanton
21st Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
In office
1734–1740
Preceded by William Wanton
Succeeded by Richard Ward
18th and 22nd Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
In office
1721–1722
Governor Samuel Cranston
Preceded by Joseph Jenckes
Succeeded by Joseph Jenckes
In office
1729–1734
Governor Joseph Jenckes
William Wanton
Preceded by Thomas Frye
Succeeded by George Hazard
Personal details
Born 24 December 1672
Scituate, Massachusetts
Died 5 July 1740
Newport, Rhode Island
Resting place Coddington Cemetery, Newport
Spouse(s) Mary Stover
Occupation Assistant, Deputy, Speaker of House of Deputies, Deputy Governor, Governor
Religion Quaker

John Wanton (24 December 1672 - 5 July 1740) [1] was a governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving for six consecutive terms from 1734 to 1740. He was the son of Edward Wanton who was a ship builder, and who became a Quaker after witnessing the persecution of these people, also becoming a preacher of that religion.[2] His father had lived in York, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; and Scituate, Massachusetts before coming to Rhode Island.[2]

Wanton was a merchant, and like his father was a Quaker, and the Friends' records state that "for many years he was a valuable public friend."[1] He first entered public service in 1706 as a deputy from Newport serving for several years in that capacity, and also as the Speaker of the House of Deputies. He was called Colonel John Wanton in 1706 when he went after French privateers with John Dublin, who was wounded in the action.[1] Between 1721 and 1734 Wanton was the Deputy Governor for the colony, and following the death of his brother, William Wanton, he became governor in 1734, serving continuously until his own death in 1740. He was buried in the Coddington Cemetery in Newport.

Wanton was married to Mary Stover, the daughter of Sylvester and Elizabeth (Norton) Stover of Cape Neddick, York County, Maine, and had five children.[1][3] Wanton's brother, William Wanton, preceded him as governor, and his nephews Gideon Wanton and Joseph Wanton were later governors of the colony.[4]

Contents

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Austin, 216
  2. ^ a b Austin, 215
  3. ^ Noyes, et al, 667, 718
  4. ^ Austin, 215-16

Bibliography

External links

 
Judges of Portsmouth
(1638–1640)
Judge of Newport
(1639–1640)
Governor of Newport and Portsmouth
(1640–1647)
Chief Officer (Providence
and Warwick) (1644–1647)
Presidents of Rhode Island
(Patent of 1643) (1647–1663)
Governors of Newport and Portsmouth
(Coddington Commission) (1651–1654)
Governors of Rhode Island
(Charter of 1663) (1663–1686)
Governors under Dominion
of New England (1686–1689)
Governors of Rhode Island
(1690–1776)
Bull · J. Easton · Carr · W. Clarke · S. Cranston · Jenckes · W. Wanton · John Wanton · R. Ward · Greene · G. Wanton · Greene · G. Wanton · Greene · Hopkins · Greene · Hopkins · S. Ward · Hopkins · S. Ward · Hopkins · Lyndon · Joseph Wanton  · Cooke
Italics Gorton, Smith and Dexter were presidents of Providence and Warwick only, since Coddington had received a commission to remove Newport and Portsmouth from their jurisdiction, valid from 1651 to 1654; before and after these dates the President presided over all four towns of the colony. Dudley presided over the "Narragansett Country" only, later to become Washington County, Rhode Island; Andros subsequently presided over the entire colony.