Samuel Cranston

Background

Samuel Cranston was born on August 07, 1659 in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. His father was John Cranston, and his mother, Mary Clarke, was the daughter of Governor Jeremiah Clarke, and sister of Governor Walter Clarke.

Career

Cranston was chosen as governor in 1698 and rechosen thirty years in succession. At no time during the colony’s stormy history was the stress greater than during his administration. Under his immediate predecessors (Walter Clarke, his uncle, and John Easton, both Quakers and little active officially), the deputy-governor, John Greene, had been gracious to pirates, —“privateers” they were called, —granting, it was said, commissions to “applicants and their assigns” and exacting no bonds.

Selected by England in 1697 to bring about reform, Richard Coote, the Earl of Bellomont, was appointed governor of New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, with powers of captain-general over Rhode Island; while in Rhode Island a royal judge of admiralty was named. In all this, the danger was that Rhode Island might lose its charter and therewith its liberties. When, therefore, the colony was charged by the Lords of Trade with “disorders and irregularities, ” and when sight was demanded of the commissions and bonds (mostly nonexistent) which John Greene had issued, Governor Cranston, realizing this danger, tactfully abased himself, praying a “favorable construction of what weakness may appear in us, we being a plain and mean sort of people . .. yea, an ignorant and contemptible people. ” Bellomont died in 1701, but was replaced as inquisitor for Rhode Island by Joseph Dudley, governor of Massachusetts, who revived the Bellomont charges and contrived others.

Queen Anne’s War had now broken out, however, and privateering, wherein Rhode Island excelled, was better thought of. Besides, the Colony had as representative at Court the astute William Penn. Accordingly Governor Cranston challenged Dudley’s charges with noteworthy diligence. Even so, loss of charter rights by Rhode Island was but narrowly escaped, for a bill regulative of chartered governments actually passed the Commons, failing in the Lords. Following the disposal of the Dudley charges, Governor Cranston was confronted with ancient disputes with Massachusetts and Connecticut over boundaries. In both cases Rhode Island was successful, that with Connecticut, ended in 1726, being of major consequence, since it involved the whole of the present county of Washington, the famed Narragansett country.

A never-ending problem was that of the currency. With both the parties created by the reckless experiment (beginning 1710) in bills of credit not redeemable through taxation but based on mortgages upon land, Cranston seems to have been in favor. In 1714 the hard-money element won the Colony elections, retaining Cranston; but in 1715 the paper-money element reversed the vote, still, however, retaining Cranston.

Achievements

• Samuel Cranston had the longest term as Governor in Rhode Island's history. During his tenure as a governor, the population in Rhode Island had trebled; trade had grown; society had improved, and a printing-press had been set up at Newport. In 1719 the first edition of the laws of Rhode Island was printed in Boston and in 1723 the first almshouse was erected in Rhode Island.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• Samuel G. Arnold: "The administration of Governor Cranston is remarkable for many reasons. He held his position probably longer than any other man who has ever been subjected to the test of an annual popular election. He was thirty times successively chosen governor, holding office till his death, in 1726 [1727]. His great firmness in seasons of unexampled trial, that occurred in the early part of his public life, is, perhaps, the key to his wonderful popularity. .. "

Connections

Samuel Cranston took as his first wife Mary Williams Hart, grand-daughter of Roger Williams, by whom he had seven children. A second wife was Judith Parrott Cranston, widow of his brother Caleb.

Father:

John Cranston

Mother:

Mary Clarke

Spouse:

Mary Williams Hart

Spouse:

Judith Parrott Cranston

References

• History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: (V. 1 ) (1859-1860)
• The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Volume 3