Coddington was the son of William Coddington who served many terms as governor of the two towns of Portsmouth and Newport in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and later as the governor of all the united towns of the colony.
Young Coddington was the sixth of 13 children of his father. He was the first child of his father"s third wife, Anne Brinley, the daughter of Thomas and Anna (Wase) Brinley. Coddington was born and raised in Newport, and became a freeman there in 1675 at the age of 24.
He began his political career in 1679 when he was chosen as deputy of the colony for a year, and then became assistant the following two years.
In 1683 he was appointed as governor of the colony and served in this capacity for two years. He was buried in the Coddington Cemetery in Newport.
