Joseph Jenckes (governor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Jenckes
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| 19th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1727–1732 |
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| Preceded by | Samuel Cranston |
| Succeeded by | William Wanton |
| 17th and 19th Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1715–1721 |
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| Governor | Samuel Cranston |
| Preceded by | Henry Tew |
| Succeeded by | John Wanton |
| In office 1722–1727 |
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| Governor | Samuel Cranston |
| Preceded by | John Wanton |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Nichols |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1656 |
| Died | 15 June 1740 Providence, Rhode Island |
| Spouses | (1) Martha Brown (2) Alice (Smith) Dexter |
| Parents |
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| Occupation | Deputy, Speaker of House of Deputies, Major for the Mainland, Deputy Governor, Governor |
Joseph Jenckes (born 1656 – died June 15, 1740) was an important leader in the early Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He served as both a deputy governor and later as the governor of the colony.
Contents
Early Life and Public Service
Joseph Jenckes was born in 1656. His parents, Joseph and Esther Jenckes, moved from Lynn, Massachusetts to Rhode Island. His father first ran a sawmill in Warwick before settling in Providence.
Joseph Jenckes became a "freeman" in Providence in 1681. This meant he had the right to vote and hold public office. Ten years later, he began a long career serving the colony.
Roles in Government
- From 1691 to 1708, he was a Deputy for Providence for 12 years. A Deputy was like a representative in the colony's assembly.
- For four of those years, he was the Speaker of the House of Deputies. This meant he led the meetings of the representatives.
- From 1707 to 1712, he was a Major for the towns of Providence and Warwick. He also served as an Assistant from Providence during this time.
In 1715, Jenckes was elected as the Deputy Governor of the colony. He held this position for many years until 1727.
Governor of Rhode Island
In 1727, Joseph Jenckes was elected as the Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He served five one-year terms in a row.
Solving Boundary Disputes
One of the biggest challenges during Jenckes' time as a leader was solving arguments over land boundaries. Rhode Island had disagreements with its neighbors, the Colony of Connecticut and Massachusetts.
- Connecticut refused to accept the border line that had been agreed upon in 1703.
- To help fix this, Jenckes traveled to England with Richard Partridge. They asked the King to help settle the disputes.
- They were successful! The King helped Rhode Island so the colony would not be bothered by these border issues anymore.
Later, in 1726, Jenckes was part of a group of four leaders from Rhode Island. They met with leaders from Connecticut to finally set the border between the two colonies. The next year, he wrote a letter to King George II. In the letter, he thanked the King for protecting Rhode Island's special rights as a colony.
Family and Later Life
Joseph Jenckes was married twice. His first wife was Martha Brown. They had nine children and many grandchildren.
After Martha passed away, Jenckes married Alice Dexter in 1727. Alice was the widow of John Dexter.
Joseph Jenckes died on June 15, 1740. His son, Nathaniel, took care of his estate after his death. He was buried in a family cemetery in Pawtucket, which no longer exists today.
