Person:John Sanford (5)

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John Sanford (c. 1605 – 1653) was an early settler of Boston, Massachusetts, an original settler of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and a governor of the combined towns of Portsmouth and Newport in the Rhode Island colony, dying in office after serving for less than a full term. He had some military experience in England, and also was an employee of Massachusetts magistrate John Winthrop's household prior to sailing to New England in 1631 with Winthrop's wife and oldest son. He lived in Boston for six years and was the cannoneer there.

A divisive religious controversy arose in Boston, and Sanford was disarmed for supporting his mother-in-law Anne Hutchinson, who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was then compelled to leave Massachusetts as well; he and many others signed an agreement to form a government, then settled on Rhode Island. Here he became a lieutenant, assistant, chief magistrate of Portsmouth, then governor of the two island towns of Portsmouth and Newport in 1653 following the repeal of William Coddington's commission to govern the island. During his administration, the two island towns slowly negotiated a reunion with the two mainland towns of Providence and Warwick.

Legacy

In his will, dated 22 June 1653 and proved 20 November 1653, John Sanford bequeathed to wife Bridget "my new dwelling house in which I live," with adjoining land and one-third of the moveables for life; to his son John certain land and the ferry; to son Samuel forty acres at Black Point with some moveables, including a great Bible; to son Peleg, at age, twenty acres at Black Point, with some moveables; to sons Restcome, William, Esbon and Elisha land at Black Point; to daughter Eliphal £100, of which £60 at her marriage and £40 at her mother's marriage; and to daughter Anne £60 at marriage [NEHGR 103:211, citing Sanford vs. Sanford, Newport County Court Files, 1725-27].

The inventory of the estate of John Sanford, taken 15 November 1653, totalled £824 11s. 1d., with no real estate included [NEHGR 103:211, citing Sanford vs. Sanford, Newport County Court Files, 1725-27; Portsmouth Scrapbook].

On 20 November 1653 John Sanford of Portsmouth gave a receipt to "my mother Brigit Sanford of the same executrix to my father John Sanford deceased" for his share of the estate [PoTR 324]. On the same day Samuel Sanford of Portsmouth also gave a receipt to his mother [PoTR 324-25].

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 John Sanford (governor), in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} John Sanford, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).

   ORIGIN: Unknown
   MIGRATION: 1631 on second voyage of Lyon
   FIRST RESIDENCE: Boston
   REMOVES: Portsmouth 1638
   OCCUPATION: Magistrate.
   BIRTH: By about 1608 based on estimated date of first marriage.
   DEATH: Portsmouth between 22 June 1653 (date of will) and 15 November 1653 (date of inventory).
   MARRIAGE: (1) By 1633 Elizabeth Webb, sister of Henry Webb (in his will of 5 April 1660 Henry Webb made a bequest to "my late sister Elizabeth Sanford's sons John and Samuell Sanford" [SPR 1:357]; (2) By 1637 Bridget Hutchinson, bp. Alford, Lincolnshire, 15 January 1619, daughter of William and Anne (Marbury) Hutchinson. She married (2) by 1656 as his third wife William Phillips (child b. Boston 18 September 1656 [BVR 55]) [TAG 14:157; NEHGR 103:211]. She died in Boston not long before 18 August 1698.

3. ↑ Wikidata.
4.   Arrived Boston on "Lyon" Nov. 3, 1631.

Founders of Portsmouth, Rhode Island

On March 7, 1638, a group of religious dissenters signed the Portsmouth Compact. They had been disarmed by leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. William Coddington, Anne Hutchinson, and John Clarke conferred with Roger Williams in Providence, who suggested that they buy land from the Native Americans on Aquidneck Island. They formed the settlement of Pocasset, later Portsmouth, on Aquidneck, later called Rhode Island. Portsmouth and Newport later united with Providence and Warwick in 1654 as the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Text of the Compact: The 7th Day of the First Month, 1638. We whose names are underwritten do hereby solemnly in the presence of Jehovah incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick and as He shall help, will submit our persons, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of His given in His Holy Word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby. Signers: William Coddington - John Clarke - William Hutchinson, Jr. [husband of Anne Hutchinson]- John Coggeshall - William Aspinwall - Samuel Wilbore - John Porter - John Sanford - Edward Hutchinson, Jr. Esq. - Thomas Savage - William Dyre [husband of Boston martyr Mary Dyer] - William Freeborne - Philip Sherman - John Walker - Richard Carder - William Baulston - Edward Hutchinson, Sr. - Henry Bull - Randall Holden Current Location: Newport County, Rhode Island   Parent Towns: Boston   Daughter Towns: Newport