John Cranston (governor) facts for kids

John Cranston (1625–1680) was an important leader in the early Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He was a doctor, a military commander, and held many government jobs. He even served as the colony's governor in the late 1670s.

John Cranston's Life Story

John Cranston came to New England as a young boy. He was cared for by Jeremiah Clarke, who later became a leader in the colony. John Cranston eventually married Jeremiah's daughter, Mary.

Even as a teenager, John was involved in the military. He became a drummer in the Portsmouth militia. A militia is a group of citizens who train to protect their community.

He held many important military roles throughout his life. During a big conflict called King Philip's War, he was in charge of Rhode Island's militia.

John Cranston also became the first person in the colony to be officially allowed to practice medicine and surgery. This happened in March 1663.

Later in his life, he was elected to several government positions. These included attorney general (a lawyer for the government), deputy, assistant, and commissioner.

In 1672, he was first elected as deputy governor for one year. He was elected again in 1676 during King Philip's War.

In 1678, after two governors died quickly, John Cranston was chosen as governor. He led the colony for almost two years until he passed away in March 1680.

His Family Background

John Cranston was born in either Scotland or England. His father, Reverend James Cranston, was a church leader in London. He was also a chaplain (a religious advisor) to King Charles I.

We know some details about how John came to New England from a letter written by his son, Governor Samuel Cranston. His son wrote that John was a "sprightly youth of a roving fancy."

His grandfather asked Captain Jeremiah Clarke, a merchant from London, to look after him. John came to America with Captain Clarke and settled on Aquidneck Island, which is now part of Rhode Island.

Jeremy Clarke arrived in New England in 1637. He became a resident of Aquidneck Island in 1638. John's family history goes back to Scotland.

His Early Career in Government

John Cranston first appears in public records in March 1644. He was elected as a drummer in the military group in Portsmouth.

Ten years later, he was on the mainland. He served as the attorney general for the towns of Providence and Warwick. At that time, these towns were separate from Portsmouth and Newport.

In 1654, all four towns reunited under one government. John Cranston then became the attorney general for the entire colony from 1654 to 1656.

In 1655, he became a freeman. This meant he had the right to vote and hold office. That same year, he joined a committee to build a prison. He also joined another committee to stop selling weapons to Native Americans.

From 1655 to 1663, he was often a Commissioner from Newport. In 1658, he married Mary Clarke, the daughter of Jeremy Clarke, who had brought him to New England.

Doctor, Lawmaker, and Military Leader

John Cranston became very skilled as a doctor early in his life. The General Assembly, which was the colony's main government body, recognized his talents.

On March 1, 1664, the Assembly praised his work. They said he had a "great blessing of God" on his efforts in both medicine and surgery. People who used his skills found great comfort.

Because of this, in March 1663/4, the Assembly officially allowed him to "administer physic, and practice chirurgery" (medicine and surgery) throughout the colony. He was given the title "Doctor of Physic and Chirurgery."

John Cranston served as a deputy (a representative) in the General Assembly every year from 1664 to 1668. He was a governor's assistant from 1668 to 1672. Then, in 1672, he was elected as deputy governor for a year.

During this time, he stayed very active in the colony's military. In July 1667, he became the captain in charge of the "Train Band upon the Island" (the military group on Aquidneck Island).

That same year, he and two others were told to quickly prepare large cannons. They needed to be mounted on carriages so they could be moved easily.

In 1671, he received payment for trips he made to New York and Seekonk. These trips were likely for military matters. In May 1673, he was made the "Captain in Chief of the Colony Military Force."

In May 1675, he was promoted to the rank of major. He held this position until May 1679.

In 1675, the New England colonies faced a big war with several Native American tribes. This was King Philip's War, named after the Wampanoag chief, Metacomet, also known as King Philip.

This war was the most damaging event for the Rhode Island colony before the American Revolutionary War. In April 1676, the General Assembly planned for the naval defense of Aquidneck Island.

They then elected Captain Cranston to command all of the colony's militia groups. He was promoted to the rank of major for this role. He also served as deputy governor for the next two years.

Becoming Governor

John Cranston was deputy governor under his brother-in-law, Walter Clarke, starting in May 1676. The next year, Benedict Arnold was elected governor.

In May 1678, Arnold was elected governor again, and Cranston was again chosen as deputy governor. However, Arnold died a few weeks later.

William Coddington was then elected governor, with Cranston continuing as his deputy. Around this time, a tax law was changed. It now required the governor to tell every town before collecting a tax.

The colony had about 1000 to 1200 freemen who could fight. In early November 1678, Coddington also died while in office. On November 4, Conanicut Island became a town called Jamestown. It was named after the Duke of York, who later became King James II.

During a special meeting of the General Assembly from November 8 to 15, John Cranston was elected governor. James Barker was chosen as his deputy.

The colony's official papers and the Charter were given to the new governor. Many of the important topics during his time as governor were about money. Several laws about taxes were passed or changed.

One of his first actions was to create the first tax since the recent war. A tax of 300 pounds was collected. The amount each town paid showed how much they had suffered during the war.

In 1679, the King of England confirmed that Rhode Island had control over the Narragansett area. This area included the towns of Westerly, Kings Town, and Greenwich.

A thank-you letter was sent to King Charles II. They also asked for the area around Mount Hope to be added to the colony.

However, disagreements with the Connecticut Colony continued. In his last official act, Cranston sent a letter to the King on January 6, 1680. It was about disputed lands in the Narragansett county that Connecticut still claimed.

His Death

John Cranston died while still in office on March 12, 1680. Peleg Sanford became the next governor. John Cranston was buried in Newport's Common Burying Ground. His white marble gravestone is still there and is one of the oldest grave markers in the United States.

His Legacy

Rhode Island historian Samuel G. Arnold wrote about John Cranston. He said that Governor John Cranston played a very important role in the colony's history. He held the highest military and government jobs.

Arnold noted that Cranston was the first person to hold the position of major-general. This meant he was chosen to lead all the colony's military during King Philip's War. He was also the father of a future governor, Samuel Cranston, who served for a very long time.

His Family Life

John Cranston's wife, Mary, was the daughter of former Rhode Island President Jeremy Clarke. Her mother was Frances. Mary was also the sister of Rhode Island Governor Walter Clarke.

The Clarke family is related to King Edward I of England. This means that all of John Cranston's children and their descendants are related to English royalty through the Clarkes.

John and Mary Cranston had ten children. Their oldest son, Samuel Cranston, became the longest-serving governor in the history of both the colony and the state of Rhode Island.

After John Cranston died, his widow Mary married Captain John Stanton. They had one more child together.