Gideon Wanton: Difference between revisions
add section break |
|||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
'''Gideon Wanton''' (20 October 1693 - 12 September 1767) was a governor of the [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]]. 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''' (20 October 1693 - 12 September 1767) was a governor of the [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]]. 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> |
||
==Life and career== |
|||
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">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> |
||
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 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> |
||
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 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 12 September 1767, and was buried in the Friends' Burial Ground in Newport.<ref name="Bicknell, 1073">Bicknell, 1073</ref> |
||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
Revision as of 20:11, 31 March 2011
Gideon Wanton | |
|---|---|
| 24th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1745–1746 | |
| Preceded by | William Greene |
| Succeeded by | William Greene |
| 26th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1747–1748 | |
| Preceded by | William Greene |
| Succeeded by | William Greene |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 October 1693 Tiverton, Rhode Island |
| Died | 12 September 1767 Newport, Rhode Island |
| Resting place | Friends' Burial Ground, Newport |
| Occupation | Treasurer, governor |
Gideon Wanton (20 October 1693 - 12 September 1767) was a governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. His father was Joseph Wanton, a shipbuilder in 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.[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 12 September 1767, and was buried in the Friends' Burial Ground in Newport.[3]
See also
References
Bibliography
- Austin, John Osborne (1887). Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island. p. 215. ISBN 9780806300061.
- 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 2011-3-30.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)
External links