Joseph Jenckes (governor)
Joseph Jenckes | |
|---|---|
Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1715–1721 | |
| Governor | Samuel Cranston |
| Preceded by | Henry Tew |
| Succeeded by | John Wanton |
| In office 1722–1727 | |
| Governor | Samuel Cranston |
| Preceded by | John Wanton |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Nichols |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1656 |
| Died | 15 June 1740 (aged 83–84) Providence, Rhode Island |
| Spouse(s) | (1) Martha Brown (2) Alice (Smith) Dexter |
| Parents |
|
| Occupation | Deputy, Speaker of House of Deputies, Major for the Mainland, Deputy Governor, Governor |
Joseph Jenckes (1656 – 15 June 1740)[1] was a deputy governor and governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Biography
Jenckes was the son of Joseph and Esther (Ballard) Jenckes who lived in Lynn, Massachusetts before coming to Rhode Island. His father, the son of an earlier Joseph Jenckes, operated a sawmill in Warwick, but shortly thereafter settled in Providence.[1] The subject Joseph Jenckes became a freeman in Providence in 1681, and ten years later began an extensive career of civil service to the colony.[1] For 12 years from 1691 to 1708 he was a Deputy from Providence, and for four of those years he was the Speaker of the House of Deputies.[1] From 1707 to 1712 he was assigned as Major for the towns of Providence and Warwick, and was also the Assistant from Providence during those years.[1] In 1715 he was elected as the deputy governor of the colony, and held this position every year but one until 1727 when he was elected as governor, which position he held for five consecutive one-year terms.[1]
One of the major issues concerning Rhode Island during Jenckes' terms of leadership was the boundary-line controversy with the neighboring
Jenckes' first wife was Martha, the daughter of John and Mary (Holmes) Brown, with whom he had nine children and at least 68 grandchildren.[2] Following her death, Jenckes married in 1727 Alice Dexter, the widow of John Dexter who was the son of Gregory Dexter, an early President of Providence and Warwick.[3] Alice was the daughter of John and Sarah (Whipple) Smith.[3] Jenckes died in 1740, "deemed to die intestate by reason of his insanity of mind," and his son Nathaniel was appointed as administrator.[4] Austin wrote that he is buried in the North Burial Ground in Providence,[4] but this is incorrect.
See also
- Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
- List of colonial governors of Rhode Island
- List of lieutenant governors of Rhode Island
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Austin 1887, p. 112.
- ^ a b Austin 1887, pp. 112–3.
- ^ a b Austin 1887, p. 288.
- ^ a b Austin 1887, p. 113.
Bibliography
- Austin, John Osborne (1887). Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island. pp. 112–113. ISBN 978-0-8063-0006-1.
Further reading
- Bicknell, Thomas Williams (1920). The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol. 3. New York: The American Historical Society. pp. 1054–1060.
External links
- Gov. Joseph Jenckes short bio with picture
- Jenks family from NEHGR v. 9 (1855)
- Chronological list of Rhode Island leaders Archived 2 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine
- State list of lieutenant governors of Rhode Island
| 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 1644) (1647–1663) | ||
| Governors of Newport and Portsmouth (Coddington Commission) (1651–1654) | ||
| Governors of Royal Charter of 1663 ) (1663–1686) | ||
| Governors under Dominion of New England (1686–1689) | ||
| Governors of Royal Charter of 1663 ) (1690–1776) | ||
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. | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
