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|name = Gideon Wanton
|name = Gideon Wanton
|image = Wanton.Gideon.GraveMedalion.110722.jpg
|image = Wanton.Gideon.GraveMedalion.110722.jpg
⚫
|caption = Gideon Wanton grave medallion
|image width = 200px
⚫
|caption = Gideon Wanton grave medalion
|order1 = 24th and 26th
|order1 = 24th and 26th
|office1 = Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
|office1 = Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Line 14: Line 13:
|predecessor2 = [[William Greene (colonial governor)|William Greene]]
|predecessor2 = [[William Greene (colonial governor)|William Greene]]
|successor2 = [[William Greene (colonial governor)|William Greene]]
|successor2 = [[William Greene (colonial governor)|William Greene]]
|birth_date = 20 October 1693
|birth_date = October 20, 1693
|birth_place = [[Tiverton, Rhode Island|Tiverton]], [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations|Rhode Island]]
|birth_place = [[Tiverton, Rhode Island|Tiverton]], [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations|Rhode Island]]
|death_date = 12 September 1767
|death_date = {{D-da|September 12, 1767|October 20, 1693}}
|death_place = [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]], [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations|Rhode Island]]
|death_place = [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]], [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations|Rhode Island]]
|resting_place = Friends' Burial Ground, Newport
|resting_place = Friends' Burial Ground, Newport
|occupation = Treasurer, [[governor]]
|occupation = Treasurer, [[governor]]
|religion = [[Quaker]]
|spouse =
|spouse =
}}
}}


'''Gideon Wanton''' (20 October 1693 - 12 September 1767) was a governor of the [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]] who served for two separate one-year terms. His father was Joseph Wanton, a shipbuilder in [[Tiverton, Rhode Island|Tiverton]], and his mother was Sarah Freeborn, the daughter of Gideon and Sarah (Brownell) Freeborn. Both of his parents were [[Quakers]], and both were public speakers within the denomination.<ref name="Austin, 215">Austin, 215</ref>
'''Gideon Wanton''' (October 20, 1693 – September 12, 1767) was a governor of the [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]] who served for two separate one-year terms. His father was Joseph Wanton, a shipbuilder in [[Tiverton, Rhode Island|Tiverton]], and his mother was Sarah Freeborn, the daughter of Gideon and Sarah (Brownell) Freeborn. One of his great grandfathers was [[William Freeborn (settler)|William Freeborn]], who signed the [[Portsmouth Compact]], becoming a founder of [[Portsmouth, Rhode Island|Portsmouth]] in the Rhode Island colony. Both of Wanton's parents were [[Quakers]], and both were public speakers within the denomination.<ref name="Austin, 215">{{harvnb|Austin|1887|p=215}}</ref>


Wanton was admitted as a freeman to Newport in 1718, and had an active business life. Being fiscally minded, he was elected to the office of general treasurer in 1733, to which office he continued until 1744. While he was treasurer, his uncle [[William Wanton]] was the governor of the colony and his uncle [[John Wanton]] was the deputy governor.<ref name="Bicknell, 1072">Bicknell, 1072</ref> A big controversy existed in the colony at the time on whether to use paper currency or hard currency (coin). Wanton was an advocate of paper currency, and as treasurer he issued 264,000 pounds in bills of credit.<ref name="Bicknell, 1072">Bicknell, 1072</ref>
Wanton was admitted as a freeman to Newport in 1718, and had an active business life. Being fiscally minded, he was elected to the office of general treasurer in 1733, to which office he continued until 1744. While he was treasurer, his uncle [[William Wanton]] was the governor of the colony and his uncle [[John Wanton]] was the deputy governor.<ref name="Bicknell, 1072">{{harvnb|Bicknell|1920|p=1072}}</ref> A big controversy existed in the colony at the time on whether to use paper currency or hard currency (coin). Wanton was an advocate of paper currency, and as treasurer he issued 264,000 pounds in bills of credit.<ref name="Bicknell, 1072"/>


In 1745 and again in 1747, Wanton was elected as the governor of the colony, each time for a one-year term. During his two short terms the British were fighting the French, and a good part of the war was being carried out in the American colonies. The Wantons were Quakers, who generally abrogated war, but John Bartlett, the editor of the Rhode Island Colonial Records wrote, "although Mr. Wanton was a Quaker, he was a belligerent one, and fully equal to the emergency..."<ref name="Bicknell, 1072">Bicknell, 1072</ref> Most of the dealings of his two administrations concerned military and naval affairs such as raising troops, equipping [[privateers]], and supplying war materiel.<ref name="Bicknell, 1073">Bicknell, 1073</ref>
In 1745 and again in 1747, Wanton was elected as the governor of the colony, each time for a one-year term. During his two short terms the British were [[War of the Austrian Succession|fighting the French]], and a good part of the war was being carried out [[King George's War|in the American colonies]]. The Wantons were [[Quaker]]s, who generally abrogated war, but John Bartlett, the editor of the Rhode Island Colonial Records wrote, "although Mr. Wanton was a Quaker, he was a belligerent one, and fully equal to the emergency..."<ref name="Bicknell, 1072"/> Most of the dealings of his two administrations concerned military and naval affairs such as raising troops, equipping [[privateers]], and supplying war materiel.<ref name="Bicknell, 1073">{{harvnb|Bicknell|1920|p=1073}}</ref>


Following his terms in office, Wanton kept active mostly in his dealings within the Friends (Quaker) society. He died on 12 September 1767, and was buried in the Friends' Burial Ground, sometimes called Governor's Cemetery, on Tilden Street in Newport.<ref name="Bicknell, 1073">Bicknell, 1073</ref>
Following his terms in office, Wanton kept active mostly in his dealings within the Friends (Quaker) society. He died on September 12, 1767, and was buried in the Friends' Burial Ground, sometimes called Governor's Cemetery, on Tilden Street in [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]].<ref name="Bicknell, 1073"/>


==See also==
==See also==

{{Portal|Rhode Island}}
* [[List of colonial governors of Rhode Island]]
* [[List of colonial governors of Rhode Island]]
* [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]]
* [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]]
Line 41: Line 39:


=== Bibliography ===
=== Bibliography ===

*{{Cite book|title=Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island |last=Austin |first=John Osborne |isbn=9780806300061 |year=1887 |page=215|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=LA7ntaS11ocC&dq=governor+%22samuel+cranston%22+rhode+island&q=abbott%2C+daniel+235#v=onepage&q=abbott%2C%20daniel%20235&f=false}}
*{{cite book|last=Bicknell |first=Thomas Williams |title=The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |year=1920 |volume=3 |publisher=The American Historical Society |place=New York |pages=1068-1071 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TF0EAAAAYAAJ&q=Greene&source=gbs_word_cloud_r&cad=5#v=snippet&q=Greene&f=false |accessdate=2011-3-30}}
*{{Cite book|last=Austin |first=John Osborne | authorlink = John Osborne Austin | title=Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island|place=Albany, New York |publisher=J. Munsell's Sons|isbn=978-0-8063-0006-1 |year=1887 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LA7ntaS11ocC&q=abbott%2C+daniel+235 }}
*{{cite book|last=Bicknell |first=Thomas Williams |title=The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |year=1920 |volume=3 |publisher=The American Historical Society |place=New York |pages=1068–1071 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TF0EAAAAYAAJ&q=Greene |accessdate=March 30, 2011}}


==External links==
==External links==
⚫
*[http://www.quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?id=40 Chronological list of Rhode Island leaders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402010637/http://www.quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?id=40 |date=April 2, 2021 }}
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9424673 Find-a-grave for Gideon Wanton]
*[https://archive.org/details/annalsredwoodli00athegoog/page/n48 <!-- pg=34 quote=Gideon Cornell Redwood Library. --> Annals of the Redwood Library]
⚫
*[http://www.quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?id=40 Chronological list of Rhode Island leaders]


{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}}


{{Colonial Governors of Rhode Island}}
{{Colonial Governors of Rhode Island}}


{{Portal bar|United States|New England|Rhode Island|biography}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
{{Authority control}}
| NAME =Wanton, Gideon

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 29 October 1693
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Tiverton, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
| DATE OF DEATH = 12 September 1767
| PLACE OF DEATH = Newport, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanton, Gideon}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanton, Gideon}}
[[Category:1693 births]]
[[Category:1693 births]]
[[Category:1767 deaths]]
[[Category:1767 deaths]]
[[Category:American colonial people]]
[[Category:18th-century Quakers]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:Colonial governors of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Colonial governors of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Governors of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Politicians from Newport, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:People from Newport, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:People from colonial Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Rhode Island colonial people]]
[[Category:Burials in Rhode Island]]

Latest revision as of 22:43, 30 December 2023

Gideon Wanton
Gideon Wanton grave medallion
24th and 26th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
In office
1745–1746
Preceded byWilliam Greene
Succeeded byWilliam Greene
In office
1747–1748
Preceded byWilliam Greene
Succeeded byWilliam Greene
Personal details
BornOctober 20, 1693
Tiverton, Rhode Island
DiedSeptember 12, 1767 (1767-09-13) (aged 73)
Newport, Rhode Island
Resting placeFriends' Burial Ground, Newport
OccupationTreasurer, governor

Gideon Wanton (October 20, 1693 – September 12, 1767) was a governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations who served for two separate one-year terms. His father was Joseph Wanton, a shipbuilder in Tiverton, and his mother was Sarah Freeborn, the daughter of Gideon and Sarah (Brownell) Freeborn. One of his great grandfathers was William Freeborn, who signed the Portsmouth Compact, becoming a founder of Portsmouth in the Rhode Island colony. Both of Wanton's parents were Quakers, and both were public speakers within the denomination.[1]

Wanton was admitted as a freeman to Newport in 1718, and had an active business life. Being fiscally minded, he was elected to the office of general treasurer in 1733, to which office he continued until 1744. While he was treasurer, his uncle William Wanton was the governor of the colony and his uncle John Wanton was the deputy governor.[2] A big controversy existed in the colony at the time on whether to use paper currency or hard currency (coin). Wanton was an advocate of paper currency, and as treasurer he issued 264,000 pounds in bills of credit.[2]

In 1745 and again in 1747, Wanton was elected as the governor of the colony, each time for a one-year term. During his two short terms the British were fighting the French, and a good part of the war was being carried out in the American colonies. The Wantons were Quakers, who generally abrogated war, but John Bartlett, the editor of the Rhode Island Colonial Records wrote, "although Mr. Wanton was a Quaker, he was a belligerent one, and fully equal to the emergency..."[2] Most of the dealings of his two administrations concerned military and naval affairs such as raising troops, equipping privateers, and supplying war materiel.[3]

Following his terms in office, Wanton kept active mostly in his dealings within the Friends (Quaker) society. He died on September 12, 1767, and was buried in the Friends' Burial Ground, sometimes called Governor's Cemetery, on Tilden Street in Newport.[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Austin 1887, p. 215
  2. ^ a b c Bicknell 1920, p. 1072
  3. ^ a b Bicknell 1920, p. 1073

Bibliography[edit]

  • Austin, John Osborne (1887). Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island. Albany, New York: J. Munsell's Sons. ISBN 978-0-8063-0006-1.
  • Bicknell, Thomas Williams (1920). The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol. 3. New York: The American Historical Society. pp. 1068–1071. Retrieved March 30, 2011.

External links[edit]

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