William Coddington - Sources

Colonist, born in Boston, Lincolnshire, EC England, UK. He went to Massachusetts in 1630. He protested against the trial of Anne Hutchinson in 1637 and moved to Aquidneck, RI, where he later became governor. In 1639 he founded Newport, RI.

William Coddington (1601 – November 1, 1678) was the first governor of Rhode Island.

Coddington was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.

In 1637 Coddington left Boston with some others due to religious differences. Coddington, Hutchinson, and John Clarke conferred with Roger Williams in Providence. Coddington's name leads the list of signatories of the Portsmouth Compact of 1638.

In 1639 Coddington was deposed as leader of the settlement by Anne Hutchinson and Samuel Gorton. Aquidneck was later named the Isle of Rhodes or Rhode Island.

There were four main towns in what is now the state of Rhode Island.

Coddington was the Judge of Portsmouth from 1638-1639. He was the Governor of Rhode Island (united Portsmouth and Newport) from 1640-1647.

From 1643-1651 the towns of Providence Plantations were united with the towns of Rhode Island.

Coddington married Mary Mosely in 1626. In January 1649 Coddington married Anne Brinley.

From 1651-1653 William Coddington served as Governor and President of Portsmouth and Newport.

The four towns were reunited in 1654. In 1663 they became a Royal Colony, called Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Sometime in the early 1660's Coddington became a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

From 1674-1676 Coddington was the Governor of the Royal Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

The only known portrait of William Coddington hangs in the Rhode Island capitol building.

One of Coddington's sons, William Coddington, Jr., was Governor from 1683-1685.

Sources

William Coddington in Rhode Island Colonial Affairs: An Historical Inquiry by H.