Preceded by 7th Governor James Fenner |
William Jones 8th Governor of Rhode Island1811—1817 |
Succeeded by 9th Governor Nehemiah R. Knight |
William Jones born in 1753, the son of William and Elizabeth (Pearce) Jones. Among his many achievements, he was a captain in the Revolutionary War and the 8th governor of Rhode Island. He married Anne Dunne in 1787, and together they had one child, Harriet. He is buried at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island.
William was elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1807. He was Speaker of the Rhode Island State House of Representatives two terms, in 1809-10 and 1810-11. Jones was a Federalist and won the gubernatorial election against incumbent James Fenner in 1811 by just a few hundred votes. He was re-elected five times, but having been defeated when seeking a seventh term, he retired from the public life. He was the only Federalist ever to serve as Governor in Rhode Island.
Some records report incorrectly that he died April 22, 1822. Some of his death notices include:
Connecticut Courant, April 16, 1822, p. 3 and Boston Semi-Weekly Advertiser (MA), April 17, 1822: In Providence, Hon. William Jones, aged 67, who was Governor of the State from 1811 to 1817.
Weekly Messenger (MA), April 18, 1822, p. 3: DIED, In Providence, on Tuesday, the 9th inst. the Hon. William Jones, aged 67. The deceased was a patriot of the Revolution, and for six years Governor of the State.
He does not seem to appear in the 1774 Census of Rhode Island. Perhaps he was out of the state at that time, or perhaps he was listed in a family with a different head-of-household.
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Categories: Miller-93757 William Burke Project RhodeIsland | Miller-93757 William Burke Project | Newport, Rhode Island | Providence, Rhode Island | Babcock's Regiment, Rhode Island Militia, American Revolution | Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, Rhode Island | Rhode Island Governors | Rhode Island, Notables | Notables | NSDAR Patriot Ancestors
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