William Coddington, Jr.

William Coddington Jr. (18 Jan 1651 - 5 Feb 1689) ^[1] was an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving two consecutive terms from 1683 to 1685.

Biography

Coddington was the son of William Coddington who served many terms as governor of the two towns of Portsmouth and Newport in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and later as the governor of all the united towns of the colony. Young Coddington was the sixth of 13 children of his father. He was the first child of his father's third wife, Anne Brinley, the daughter of Thomas and Anna (Wase) Brinley.^[1]

Coddington was born and raised in Newport, and became a freeman there in 1675 at the age of 24. He began his political career in 1679 when he was chosen as deputy of the colony for a year, and then became assistant the following two years. In 1683 he was appointed as governor of the colony and served in this capacity for two years. He never married, and died at the age of 48. He was buried in the Coddington Cemetery in Newport.^[1]

See also

• List of colonial governors of Rhode Island

References

External links

• Chronological list of Rhode Island leaders

Colonial Governors of Rhode Island Judges of Portsmouth (1638–1640) Coddington Hutchinson Judge of Newport (1639–1640) Coddington Governor of Newport and Portsmouth (1640–1647) Coddington Chief Officer (Providence and Warwick) (1644–1647) Williams Presidents of Rhode Island (Patent of 1644) (1647–1663) Coggeshall J. Clarke Smith N. Easton Gorton Smith Dexter N. Easton Williams Arnold Brenton Arnold Governors of Newport and Portsmouth (Coddington Commission) (1651–1654) Coddington J. Sanford Governors of Rhode Island (Royal Charter of 1663) (1663–1686) Arnold Brenton Arnold N. Easton Coddington W. Clarke Arnold Coddington J. Cranston P. Sanford Coddington Jr. Bull W. Clarke Governors under Dominion of New England (1686–1689) Dudley Andros Governors of Rhode Island (Royal Charter of 1663) (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.