John Sanford (governor)
Encyclopedia
John Sanford was an early settler of Boston, Massachusetts, an original settler of Portsmouth
, Rhode Island
, and a governor of the combined towns of Portsmouth and Newport
, in the Rhode Island colony, dying in office after serving for less than a full term. He had some military experience in England, and also was a servant of Massachusetts magistrate
John Winthrop
, sailing to New England
in 1631 with Winthrop's wife and oldest son. After living in Boston for six years, and being the cannoneer
there, a divisive religious controversy arose, and Sanford was disarmed for supporting his mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson
, who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony
. Compelled to leave Massachusetts as well, he and many others signed an agreement
to form a government, then settled in Portsmouth
in the Rhode Island colony. Here he became a lieutenant, assistant, chief magistrate of Portsmouth, then governor of the two island towns of Portsmouth and Newport in 1653 following the repeal of William Coddington
's commission to govern the island. During his administration, the two island towns slowly negotiated a reunion with the two mainland towns of Providence
and Warwick
.
, England, Sanford probably served in the English Army before emigrating from England. He was a trained surveyor, familiar with military matters, and in his inventory were listed some pieces of armour. He was mentioned in a letter dated 2 March 1629/30, just prior to the sailing of the Winthrop Fleet
, written by Massachusetts
magistrate
John Winthrop
to his wife, stating "our 2 boyes and Ja Downinge, Jo Samford and Mary M. and most of my servants are gone this daye towards S Hampton: the good Lord be with them and us all." However, earlier references by Winthrop, back to 1624, concerning "my man-servant John" very likely refer to Sanford. There was a period of time when "servant John" was not mentioned in Winthrop's correspondence, and this is probably when Sanford was pressed into military service with John Winthrop, Jr. in a disastrous campaign to relieve the Huguenots at the Isle of Rhe
. Sanford became experienced in the use of artillery during this campaign, when nearly 60 percent of the English force became casualties.
. The Lyon returned to England about May 1631, and was loaded in July and early August for its next voyage to New England. In mid-August the ship once again set sail, with about 60 passengers, including Mrs. Margaret Winthrop (the wife of John Sr.), John Winthrop Jr. and his wife, John Sanford, Elizabeth Webb (the future wife of Sanford), and Rev. John Eliot
. Upon arriving in New England, Sanford was made a member of the church in Boston within a month, and became a freeman
the following year. In 1633 he and others were chosen to oversee the building of cart bridges over Muddy River and Stony River. With his military background, he was appointed the following year to assess the status of ordnance
, powder, and shot, and to report his findings to the court. Later the same year he was chosen as cannoneer
for the fort at Boston, and was paid 20 pounds for the previous two years, and the following year. In 1636 he was once again chosen cannoneer for the fort, and overseer of the arms and ammunition, being paid 30 pounds for himself and his assistant.
In 1636 an issue erupted in Boston that would consume the attention of the magistrates for nearly two years. Sanford's mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson
, and her brother-in-law, John Wheelwright
, were attracting many converts to their religious views which were at odds with the rigid Puritan
dogma. Both of them were ultimately accused of blasphemy for their religious opinions, and banished from the colony. In November 1637 Sanford and other supporters were disarmed when their guns, pistols, swords, powder, and shot were to be delivered to the authorities because the "opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England." Many of these supporters fled to other colonies, and on 7 March 1638, while still in Massachusetts, Sanford and 18 other supporters of Mrs. Hutchinson signed a document
to establish a Christian-based government. With the encouragement of Roger Williams
, they bought land of the Indians and settled on the island of Aquidneck in the Narragansett Bay
, naming the settlement Pocasset, but later changed the name to Portsmouth
.
were ordered to lay out a meeting house on a neck of land. The same month he had six acres allotted to him on the north side of the "Great Cove." In 1640 he was one of the Portsmouth men selected to effect the reunion of his town with Newport
, and at the same time was chosen as Constable
, then the following year was made a freeman
of the colony. In 1644 he was called Lieutenant for the island, and from 1647 to 1649 he served as Assistant to the President of the colony. The President at the time presided over the two island towns of Portsmouth and Newport, as well as the two mainland towns of Providence
and Warwick
. William Coddington
, who had previously served as governor of the two island towns from 1640 to 1647, did not care for the combined government with the mainland towns. In 1651 he went to England, and was able to obtain a commission to remove the island towns from the government with Providence and Warwick. Coddington then became Governor of the island towns in 1651, and in June of that year Sanford was chosen as the head magistrate of Portsmouth. In 1653 Sanford succeeded Coddington as the governor of the island towns after the repeal of Coddington's commission. Negotiations for the reunion of the four towns of the colony took place during Sanford's administration, and the statute books and town records from the period of separation were demanded from Coddington. Also, commissions were issued to several prominent members of the colony to prepare for military actions against the Dutch, if warranted. Sanford's term was short-lived as he died in office sometime after the signing of his will on 22 June 1653, but before his inventory was taken on 15 November of that year. His widow, Bridget, later married William Phillips, and died in 1698 in Boston, leaving a will.
in England; this marriage produced two children. Following Elizabeth's death, Sanford married Bridget, the daughter of William Hutchinson and his famous wife, Anne (Marbury) Hutchinson
. William Hutchinson served for one year as the Judge (Governor) of Portsmouth. Sanford's oldest son with Bridget, Peleg Sanford
, was the colonial Rhode Island governor from 1680 to 1683. Sanford's oldest son with his first wife, John Jr., married, as his second wife, Mary (Gorton) Greene, the daughter of Rhode Island President Samuel Gorton
.
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
, Rhode Island
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...
, and a governor of the combined towns of Portsmouth and Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, in the Rhode Island colony, dying in office after serving for less than a full term. He had some military experience in England, and also was a servant of Massachusetts magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
, sailing to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in 1631 with Winthrop's wife and oldest son. After living in Boston for six years, and being the cannoneer
Cannoneer
"Cannoneer" is a word for an artillery gunner, first recorded in the 16th century. Current titles for a Soldier in the 13B career field within the US Army is "Cannon Crewmember", but more commonly referred to by the shorter "Cannoneer"...
there, a divisive religious controversy arose, and Sanford was disarmed for supporting his mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
, who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. Compelled to leave Massachusetts as well, he and many others signed an agreement
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
to form a government, then settled in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
in the Rhode Island colony. Here he became a lieutenant, assistant, chief magistrate of Portsmouth, then governor of the two island towns of Portsmouth and Newport in 1653 following the repeal of William Coddington
William Coddington
William Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
's commission to govern the island. During his administration, the two island towns slowly negotiated a reunion with the two mainland towns of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
.
Early life
Likely from EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England, Sanford probably served in the English Army before emigrating from England. He was a trained surveyor, familiar with military matters, and in his inventory were listed some pieces of armour. He was mentioned in a letter dated 2 March 1629/30, just prior to the sailing of the Winthrop Fleet
Winthrop Fleet
The Winthrop Fleet was a group of eleven sailing ships under the leadership of John Winthrop that carried approximately 700 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from England to New England over the summer of 1630.-Motivation:...
, written by Massachusetts
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
to his wife, stating "our 2 boyes and Ja Downinge, Jo Samford and Mary M. and most of my servants are gone this daye towards S Hampton: the good Lord be with them and us all." However, earlier references by Winthrop, back to 1624, concerning "my man-servant John" very likely refer to Sanford. There was a period of time when "servant John" was not mentioned in Winthrop's correspondence, and this is probably when Sanford was pressed into military service with John Winthrop, Jr. in a disastrous campaign to relieve the Huguenots at the Isle of Rhe
Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré (1627)
The Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, also Siege of St. Martin's , occurred in the French isle of Ile de Ré around the fortress of the city of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, when Duke of Buckingham tried to occupy the island in 1627...
. Sanford became experienced in the use of artillery during this campaign, when nearly 60 percent of the English force became casualties.
Boston
After the Winthrop Fleet sailed in 1630, Sanford remained in England and was in almost constant contact with John Winthrop, Jr., serving as his business agent. He made many purchases for the New England colony, and presented his bills to Winthrop for payment. In October 1630, the younger Winthrop met Captain Pierce of the ship Lyon, and made arrangements for loading provisions destined for the colonies. The following month, Captain Pierce reported that the ship was fully laden with supplies, and it set sail in December with mostly cargo, but also 20 or more passengers, including Roger WilliamsRoger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
. The Lyon returned to England about May 1631, and was loaded in July and early August for its next voyage to New England. In mid-August the ship once again set sail, with about 60 passengers, including Mrs. Margaret Winthrop (the wife of John Sr.), John Winthrop Jr. and his wife, John Sanford, Elizabeth Webb (the future wife of Sanford), and Rev. John Eliot
John Eliot (missionary)
John Eliot was a Puritan missionary to the American Indians. His efforts earned him the designation “the Indian apostle.”-English education and Massachusetts ministry:...
. Upon arriving in New England, Sanford was made a member of the church in Boston within a month, and became a freeman
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
the following year. In 1633 he and others were chosen to oversee the building of cart bridges over Muddy River and Stony River. With his military background, he was appointed the following year to assess the status of ordnance
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
, powder, and shot, and to report his findings to the court. Later the same year he was chosen as cannoneer
Cannoneer
"Cannoneer" is a word for an artillery gunner, first recorded in the 16th century. Current titles for a Soldier in the 13B career field within the US Army is "Cannon Crewmember", but more commonly referred to by the shorter "Cannoneer"...
for the fort at Boston, and was paid 20 pounds for the previous two years, and the following year. In 1636 he was once again chosen cannoneer for the fort, and overseer of the arms and ammunition, being paid 30 pounds for himself and his assistant.
In 1636 an issue erupted in Boston that would consume the attention of the magistrates for nearly two years. Sanford's mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
, and her brother-in-law, John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright
John Wheelwright was a clergyman in England and America.-Early life:...
, were attracting many converts to their religious views which were at odds with the rigid Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
dogma. Both of them were ultimately accused of blasphemy for their religious opinions, and banished from the colony. In November 1637 Sanford and other supporters were disarmed when their guns, pistols, swords, powder, and shot were to be delivered to the authorities because the "opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England." Many of these supporters fled to other colonies, and on 7 March 1638, while still in Massachusetts, Sanford and 18 other supporters of Mrs. Hutchinson signed a document
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
to establish a Christian-based government. With the encouragement of Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
, they bought land of the Indians and settled on the island of Aquidneck in the Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
, naming the settlement Pocasset, but later changed the name to Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
.
Portsmouth
Sanford was in Portsmouth by May 1638 when he was present at a general meeting of inhabitants, and when he and John CoggeshallJohn Coggeshall
John Coggeshall was one of the founders of Rhode Island and the first President of all four towns in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Coming from Essex, England as a successful merchant in the silk trade, Coggeshall arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1632 and quickly...
were ordered to lay out a meeting house on a neck of land. The same month he had six acres allotted to him on the north side of the "Great Cove." In 1640 he was one of the Portsmouth men selected to effect the reunion of his town with Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, and at the same time was chosen as Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
, then the following year was made a freeman
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
of the colony. In 1644 he was called Lieutenant for the island, and from 1647 to 1649 he served as Assistant to the President of the colony. The President at the time presided over the two island towns of Portsmouth and Newport, as well as the two mainland towns of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
. William Coddington
William Coddington
William Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
, who had previously served as governor of the two island towns from 1640 to 1647, did not care for the combined government with the mainland towns. In 1651 he went to England, and was able to obtain a commission to remove the island towns from the government with Providence and Warwick. Coddington then became Governor of the island towns in 1651, and in June of that year Sanford was chosen as the head magistrate of Portsmouth. In 1653 Sanford succeeded Coddington as the governor of the island towns after the repeal of Coddington's commission. Negotiations for the reunion of the four towns of the colony took place during Sanford's administration, and the statute books and town records from the period of separation were demanded from Coddington. Also, commissions were issued to several prominent members of the colony to prepare for military actions against the Dutch, if warranted. Sanford's term was short-lived as he died in office sometime after the signing of his will on 22 June 1653, but before his inventory was taken on 15 November of that year. His widow, Bridget, later married William Phillips, and died in 1698 in Boston, leaving a will.
Family
Sanford married twice, first to Elizabeth Webb, who at one time lived at Groton Manor, the home of John WinthropJohn Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
in England; this marriage produced two children. Following Elizabeth's death, Sanford married Bridget, the daughter of William Hutchinson and his famous wife, Anne (Marbury) Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
. William Hutchinson served for one year as the Judge (Governor) of Portsmouth. Sanford's oldest son with Bridget, Peleg Sanford
Peleg Sanford
Peleg Sanford was an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving three consecutive terms from 1680 to 1683. He was the son of John Sanford by his second wife, Bridget Hutchinson...
, was the colonial Rhode Island governor from 1680 to 1683. Sanford's oldest son with his first wife, John Jr., married, as his second wife, Mary (Gorton) Greene, the daughter of Rhode Island President Samuel Gorton
Samuel Gorton
Samuel Gorton , was an early settler and civic leader of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and President of the towns of Providence and Warwick for one term...
.
See also
- List of colonial governors of Rhode Island
- List of early settlers of Rhode Island
- Colony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsColony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsThe Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...