John Sanford (governor)

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 an employee of Massachusetts magistrate John Winthrop's household prior to sailing to New England in 1631 with Winthrop's wife and oldest son. He lived in Boston for six years and was the cannoneer

Providence and Warwick

Isle of Rhe.^[3] Sanford became experienced in the use of artillery during this campaign in which nearly 60 per cent of the English force became casualties.^[3]

freeman the following year.^[6] In 1633 he and others were chosen to oversee the building of cart bridges over Muddy River and Stony River.^[6] 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.^[6] 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.^[6] 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.^[6]

Aquidneck in the Narragansett Bay, naming the settlement Pocasset, but later changed the name to Portsmouth

freeman of the colony.^[6] In 1644 he was called Lieutenant for the island, and from 1647 to 1649 he served as Assistant to the President of the colony.^[6] 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.^[7] In 1653 Sanford succeeded Coddington as the governor of the island towns after the repeal of Coddington's commission.^[8] 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.^[8] Also, commissions were issued to several prominent members of the colony to prepare for military actions against the Dutch, if warranted.^[8] 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.^[9] His widow, Bridget, later married William Phillips, and died in 1698 in Boston, leaving a will.^[9]