Peleg Sanford

Peleg Sanford
10th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
In office
1680–1683
Preceded by John Cranston
Succeeded by William Coddington, Jr.
Personal details
Born 10 May 1639
Newport, Rhode Island
Died 1701
Spouse(s) Mary Brenton
Mary Coddington
Occupation Captain, Assistant, Deputy, Governor

Peleg Sanford (10 May 1639 - 1701)[1] was an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving three consecutive terms from 1680 to 1683. He was the son of John Sanford by his second wife, Bridget Hutchinson. His father had been the cannoneer at the fort in Boston in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, but was forced to leave Boston in 1637 when Peleg's grandmother, the famed Anne Hutchinson, was evicted for her religious views, having, in the words of John Winthrop, "seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people...in New England.".[1] With Anne Hutchinson and her followers, the Sanfords established themselves in Portsmouth in the Rhode Island colony, and Peleg's father, John, was briefly the governor of the two towns of Newport and Portsmouth, which were separated from Providence and Warwick for a short time.[1]

Sanford grew up in Newport, and as a young man was appointed as a captain of a troop of horse there.[1] Following the events of King Phillips War, he and Captain Goulding informed Captain Church of the hiding location of the Indian warrior King Phillip, and the following day the Indian was found and killed.[2] In 1677 he and Richard Bailey were chosen as agents to go to England to deal with incursions made by the neighboring colony of Connecticut.[2] In 1679 he became a major, and in 1687 he was given the rank of lieutenant colonel.[2]

In 1667, at the age of 28, Sanford began his political life and became an assistant, serving for three years, then was deputy for seven years, after which he once again served as assistant for another two years, ending in 1679. In 1680 he was elected governor of the colony, and served three consecutive terms, ending in 1683.[2] During the period from 1686 to 1689 when the New England colonies had their charters revoked, and their governments fell under the Dominion of New England, Sanford served as a member on the council of Sir Edmund Andros, the governor of the dominion.[2] Sanford wrote his will in 1701, and it was proved on 1 September of that year.[2]

With his first wife, Mary Brenton, Sanford had one child that died in infancy. In 1674, Sanford married Mary Coddington (1654-1693),with whom he had six children. Mary was the daughter of governor William Coddington.[1] His granddaughter, Margaret Sanford, married Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson, a great great grandson of William and Anne Hutchinson.[3] Sanford was succeeded as governor by his brother-in-law, William Coddington, Jr..

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Austin, 171
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Austin, 172
  3. ↑ "Sanford ancestry". Retrieved 24 April 2012.

Bibliography

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