This list includes all of the judges, presidents, and governors of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations . The colony originally consisted of four towns : Providence (founded 1636), Portsmouth (founded 1638), Newport (founded 1639) and Warwick (founded 1642). The executive leaders of Portsmouth and Newport were called judges until 1640. After the unification of the two towns, the office of chief officer was renamed to governor. The two towns of Providence and Warwick had no executive control until 1647 when they were united with Newport and Portsmouth under the royal statute given to Roger Williams in 1643. The office of Chief Officer was then renamed President. In 1651 the towns of Newport and Portsmouth split off and were ruled by the Coddington Commission until 1654. The office of chief officer was renamed to governor. The towns of Providence and Warwick, meanwhile, continued to be ruled under the royal statutes of 1643. In 1654 there was a reunification of the four towns. With the royal statute of 1663 , the office of chief officer was renamed to governor. It was exposed between 1686 and 1689. During this time Sir Edmund Andros acted as governor of the Dominion of New England , which included Rhode Island.
