William Brenton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Brenton
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Governor William Brenton grave medallion
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| 11th President of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1660–1662 |
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| Preceded by | Benedict Arnold |
| Succeeded by | Benedict Arnold |
| 2nd Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1666–1669 |
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| Preceded by | Benedict Arnold |
| Succeeded by | Benedict Arnold |
| 1st Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1663–1666 |
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| Governor | Benedict Arnold |
| Preceded by | position created |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Easton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1610 |
| Died | autumn, 1674 Newport, Rhode Island |
| Spouses | (1) Dorothy ________ (2) Mary Burton |
| Children | Barnabas, Martha, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mehitable, Jahleel, William, Abigail, Ebenezer |
| Occupation | Builder, selectman, assistant, president, commissioner, deputy governor, governor |
William Brenton (born around 1610, died 1674) was an important leader in the early Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He served as President, Deputy Governor, and Governor. He was also one of the first people to settle in Portsmouth and Newport. Historians believe he might have come from Hammersmith, England, which is now part of London. However, some experts say his exact birthplace is unknown. He even named one of his properties in Newport "Hammersmith."
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William Brenton's Early Homes
William Brenton arrived in Boston by October 1633. He joined the church there and became a freeman in May 1634. Being a freeman meant he could vote and hold public office. Later that year, he was put in charge of building a jail.
From 1634 to 1637, Brenton was a selectman in Boston. A selectman was a local official who helped manage the town. In 1635, he was part of a group that looked into an incident. A Massachusetts official named John Endecott had damaged the English flag. The group had to decide how much Endecott should be criticized.
Brenton was a representative in Boston from 1635 to 1637. He then moved to Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island (also called Rhode Island). This area was settled by people who followed Anne Hutchinson. In August 1638, he was asked to oversee work on the prison there. It seems Brenton did not fully agree with Hutchinson's ideas. He was not forced to give up his weapons, unlike some of her followers. He even moved back to Boston later.
In April 1639, Brenton was one of nine men who agreed to help start the town of Newport. He seemed to move there, as he was at a meeting in Newport a year later. However, by 1643, he was living in Portsmouth again. From 1640 to 1647, William Coddington was the governor of Portsmouth and Newport. During this time, Brenton served as the deputy governor, which meant he was second-in-command. By February 1649, Brenton was back in Boston. He was given permission to build a porch on his house there.
Leading the Colony
From 1652 to 1657, Brenton was a selectman again. In 1655, he became a freeman of Newport. In 1660, he took over from Benedict Arnold as President of all four towns in the Rhode Island colony. He served for two one-year terms. During this time, he also worked as a commissioner.
One challenge during his time as president was about land. A man named Humphrey Atherton was buying and selling large amounts of land. This was happening in the Narragansett area, which later became Washington County, Rhode Island. A committee was formed to talk with Atherton about his land purchases. They wanted to set rules for him to enter the colony. If Atherton's group refused to talk, they would not be allowed to use their lands. The committee made some progress, but the issue continued.
One of the first things Brenton did as president was to announce that King Charles II of England was the main ruler of the colony. October 21st was set aside as a day to publicly recognize the new king. During his time, a special request was sent to Dr. John Clarke. Dr. Clarke was Rhode Island's representative in London. The goal was to get a new official document, called a charter, from the king. A group of three members from each town wrote instructions for Dr. Clarke.
The new charter arrived from England in 1663. This was during the time of Brenton's successor, Benedict Arnold. A historian named Thomas W. Bicknell called this charter "the most fair and modern charter the world had then known." When Arnold was named the first Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island by the charter, Brenton was named the first Deputy Governor. In 1666, Arnold stepped down as governor. Brenton then became governor of the colony for three years in a row.
Brenton's Last Years and Legacy
In 1658, William Brenton was given 8,000 acres of land near the Merrimack River. This land was called Brenton Farm and later became the town of Litchfield, New Hampshire. By 1670, he was living in Taunton in the Plymouth Colony. Even though he lived in Taunton, he was elected governor of Rhode Island again in 1672. He was not there at the time, and he refused to serve.
He passed away sometime after September 25, 1674, when he was involved in a land deal. His will was proven on November 13, 1674, in Newport, where he died. One source says he became a member of the Quaker church. However, another expert, Anderson, only mentions his connection to the Boston (Puritan) church.
William Brenton was a very helpful member of the colony. He served as an office holder or lawmaker for almost 40 years. Brenton's Point and Brenton's Reef in Newport are named after him. Also, Hammersmith Farm, where U.S. President John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier, was named for his property in Newport.
William Brenton's Family
William Brenton first married a woman named Dorothy by 1634. She likely died soon after. They had one son, Barnabas, who was baptized in Boston in January 1635. There are no more records of this son.
About ten years later, around 1644, Brenton married Martha Burton. She was the daughter of Thomas Burton. William and Martha had nine children together. Martha died shortly before William, in 1672 or 1673.
- Their daughter Mary married Peleg Sanford. He later became a colonial Rhode Island Governor. Peleg was the son of John Sanford.
- Their daughter Sarah married Joseph Eliot. Joseph was the son of John Eliot, a Puritan minister and missionary.
William Brenton's son, also named William (who died in 1697), had a son named Jahleel (1691–1767). This Jahleel was the first commander of the Artillery Company of Newport. He married Frances Cranston, the daughter of Governor Samuel Cranston. They had 15 children. Their eighth child was also named Jahleel (1729–1802). This Jahleel was a loyalist during the American Revolution. He lost his property in Newport and became an admiral in the British navy. He, in turn, had a son, Sir Jahleel Brenton (1770–1844). Sir Jahleel also had a great career in the British Navy and became a vice admiral.
