William Coddington (1601-November 1, 1678) was the first governor of Rhode Island.
Coddington was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.
He migrated to the American colonies in 1630 with the original Massachusetts Bay Company. He served as its treasurer from 1634-1636. He was a leading merchant in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1637 Coddington left Boston with some others due to religious differences. He supported Anne Hutchinson who had been exiled by the Puritans. Coddington, Hutchinson, and John Clarke conferred with Roger Williams in Providence. Williams suggested that they buy land from the Native Americans on Aquidneck Island. This group founded the town of Pocasset, which is now called Portsmouth.
In 1639 Coddington was deposed as leader of the settlemnt by Anne Hutchinson and Samuel Gorton. He set out with a small group of people, including John Clarke to found another town, Newport. 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. Providence and Warwick were in an area called Providence Plantations. Portsmouth and Newport were on Rhode Island.
Coddington was the Judge of Portsmouth from 1638-1639. He was the Judge of Newport from 1630-40. 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 opposed this union. In 1651 the area was divided in two again.
Coddington married Anne Brinley in January 1649 in Newport.
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.
From 1674-1676 Coddington was the Governor of the Royal Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He was elected again in 1678 but died in office on November 1.
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. E. Turner, 1878
