Joseph Sheffield
Encyclopedia
Joseph Sheffield was an inhabitant of Portsmouth
in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
during the last half of the 17th century. He held a number of important offices within the colony, including Deputy, Assistant and Attorney General. He is most noted for being selected as Rhode Island's agent to England on two occasions, but never appears to have served in that role due to the indecision of the General Assembly. He played a prominent role in the affairs of the colony during an extremely turbulent time, when Rhode Island was threatened with losing its charter
due to "irregularities" perceived by the English Board of Trade. Sheffield died at the age of 44, leaving a widow and several minor children.
, England, the son of Edmund and Thomazin Sheffield. After living in Portsmouth, his father moved to Dover, New Hampshire
, but returned to Newport, Rhode Island
, and was buried in the Clifton Burying Ground
there.
Joseph Sheffield is first found in the public record in 1684 when he was made a freeman
of the colony, at the age of 23. He first began his public service 12 years later when he was selected as both a Deputy and an Assistant under Governor Samuel Cranston
, serving in the latter role for seven years between 1696 and 1705. Sheffield was active during a critical time in Rhode Island's history, when the colony was being accused of numerous irregularities, and when it came the closest to losing its broad freedoms under the Royal Charter of 1663
. The colony's irregularities were being feverishly documented by Lord Bellomont
, who had collected volumes of documentary evidence. The feeling of the home government was expressed in a letter of August 1699 written by the Board of Trade in reply to a letter written by Governor Cranston in May. The language was very severe, blaming the colony, among other things, for sending only an abstract of the laws when a full copy was required. To address this deficiency, in October 1699 Sheffield and six others were appointed to make returns of the laws to satisfy the Earl of Bellomont's requests. In December 1699 a fair copy of the laws and acts of the colony was finally sent to the Earl, with a letter explaining the delay. Joseph Sheffield, as one of the Assistants, carried the letter with the purpose of being an envoy to soothe Bellomont's anger.
In February 1700, Rhode Island's agent in England, Jaleel Brenton, was likely becoming overwhelmed with his responsibilities, and Sheffield was appointed as a second colonial agent. Three months later, however, the General Assembly decided that one agent in England was sufficient, so Sheffield remained in Rhode Island. Again in February 1703, with Brenton no longer in England, Sheffield was appointed as the colony's sole agent to England, and again, two months later, the Assembly saw no need for an agent there, and the appointment was delayed until the May meeting, at which time it was dropped from consideration.
Another irregularity that concerned The Board of Trade in London was the extraordinary militia power of the Rhode Island colony, though this power had been conferred by the colony's charter
In 1702 Governor Joseph Dudley
of Massachusetts visited Newport, claiming to act under the authority of the King and Queen as "Captain-General of all forces, forts, and places of strength." He demanded a review of the colonial militia, which was denied by Governor Cranston. In September 1702, Sheffield was appointed to a committee to draw up an address to the queen
related to the colony's military forces.
Using his experience of transcribing the laws of the colony, Sheffield and two others were appointed to draw up the methods and proceedings of the Court of Common Pleas in June 1703, and two years later he was on a committee to transcribe and print the laws of the colony. In 1704 he was chosen as the Attorney General for the colony, and held this position for two years, until his untimely death in February 1706. His will, written on 3 February and proved 15 days later, named his wife Mary as executrix, and named his children, who were all minors at the time.
, one of the founding settlers of Newport
. Of Sheffield's children, his oldest daughter, Mary, married Samuel Arnold, a physician, the son of Caleb Arnold, also a physician, and the grandson of the first Governor of the Rhode Island colony, Benedict Arnold
.
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...
during the last half of the 17th century. He held a number of important offices within the colony, including Deputy, Assistant and Attorney General. He is most noted for being selected as Rhode Island's agent to England on two occasions, but never appears to have served in that role due to the indecision of the General Assembly. He played a prominent role in the affairs of the colony during an extremely turbulent time, when Rhode Island was threatened with losing its charter
Royal Charter of 1663
The Royal Charter of 1663 was a colonial charter giving English royal recognition to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, providing a foundation for the government, and outlining broad freedoms for the inhabitants of that colony...
due to "irregularities" perceived by the English Board of Trade. Sheffield died at the age of 44, leaving a widow and several minor children.
Life
Born in Portsmouth, Rhode Island on 22 August 1661, Joseph Sheffield was the son of Ichabod Sheffield and Mary Parker. His father had been baptized 23 December 1630 in St. Peter's in Sudbury, SuffolkSudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury is a small, ancient market town in the county of Suffolk, England, on the River Stour, from Colchester and from London.-Early history:...
, England, the son of Edmund and Thomazin Sheffield. After living in Portsmouth, his father moved to Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
, but returned to Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, and was buried in the Clifton Burying Ground
Clifton Burying Ground
The Clifton Burying Ground is an early colonial cemetery located in Newport, Rhode Island. It is a Quaker cemetery, and has the graves of four Rhode Island colonial governors.- Description :...
there.
Joseph Sheffield is first found in the public record in 1684 when he was made a freeman
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
of the colony, at the age of 23. He first began his public service 12 years later when he was selected as both a Deputy and an Assistant under Governor Samuel Cranston
Samuel Cranston
Samuel Cranston was a governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations during the first quarter of the 18th century. He held office from 1698 to 1727, being elected to office 30 times , and served as governor longer than any other individual in the history of both the colony and...
, serving in the latter role for seven years between 1696 and 1705. Sheffield was active during a critical time in Rhode Island's history, when the colony was being accused of numerous irregularities, and when it came the closest to losing its broad freedoms under the Royal Charter of 1663
Royal Charter of 1663
The Royal Charter of 1663 was a colonial charter giving English royal recognition to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, providing a foundation for the government, and outlining broad freedoms for the inhabitants of that colony...
. The colony's irregularities were being feverishly documented by Lord Bellomont
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont , known as The Lord Coote between 1683 and 1689, was a member of the English Parliament and a colonial governor...
, who had collected volumes of documentary evidence. The feeling of the home government was expressed in a letter of August 1699 written by the Board of Trade in reply to a letter written by Governor Cranston in May. The language was very severe, blaming the colony, among other things, for sending only an abstract of the laws when a full copy was required. To address this deficiency, in October 1699 Sheffield and six others were appointed to make returns of the laws to satisfy the Earl of Bellomont's requests. In December 1699 a fair copy of the laws and acts of the colony was finally sent to the Earl, with a letter explaining the delay. Joseph Sheffield, as one of the Assistants, carried the letter with the purpose of being an envoy to soothe Bellomont's anger.
In February 1700, Rhode Island's agent in England, Jaleel Brenton, was likely becoming overwhelmed with his responsibilities, and Sheffield was appointed as a second colonial agent. Three months later, however, the General Assembly decided that one agent in England was sufficient, so Sheffield remained in Rhode Island. Again in February 1703, with Brenton no longer in England, Sheffield was appointed as the colony's sole agent to England, and again, two months later, the Assembly saw no need for an agent there, and the appointment was delayed until the May meeting, at which time it was dropped from consideration.
Another irregularity that concerned The Board of Trade in London was the extraordinary militia power of the Rhode Island colony, though this power had been conferred by the colony's charter
Royal Charter of 1663
The Royal Charter of 1663 was a colonial charter giving English royal recognition to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, providing a foundation for the government, and outlining broad freedoms for the inhabitants of that colony...
In 1702 Governor Joseph Dudley
Joseph Dudley
Joseph Dudley was an English colonial administrator. A native of Roxbury, Massachusetts and son of one of its founders, he had a leading role in the administration of the unpopular Dominion of New England , and served briefly on the council of the Province of New York, where he oversaw the trial...
of Massachusetts visited Newport, claiming to act under the authority of the King and Queen as "Captain-General of all forces, forts, and places of strength." He demanded a review of the colonial militia, which was denied by Governor Cranston. In September 1702, Sheffield was appointed to a committee to draw up an address to the queen
Queen Anne
"Queen Anne" generally refers to Anne, Queen of Great Britain , Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702, and of Great Britain from 1707.Queen Anne may also refer to:-Uses relating to Queen Anne of Great Britain:...
related to the colony's military forces.
Using his experience of transcribing the laws of the colony, Sheffield and two others were appointed to draw up the methods and proceedings of the Court of Common Pleas in June 1703, and two years later he was on a committee to transcribe and print the laws of the colony. In 1704 he was chosen as the Attorney General for the colony, and held this position for two years, until his untimely death in February 1706. His will, written on 3 February and proved 15 days later, named his wife Mary as executrix, and named his children, who were all minors at the time.
Family
Joseph Sheffield's wife was Mary Sheriff, the daughter of Thomas and Martha Sheriff of Portsmouth. Following the death of Mary's father, her mother married Thomas HazardThomas Hazard
Thomas Hazard was one of the nine founding settlers of Newport on Aquidneck Island in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He settled in Boston and Portsmouth before settling Newport, but later returned to Portsmouth. His descendants include Commodores Oliver Hazard Perry and...
, one of the founding settlers of Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. Of Sheffield's children, his oldest daughter, Mary, married Samuel Arnold, a physician, the son of Caleb Arnold, also a physician, and the grandson of the first Governor of the Rhode Island colony, Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold (governor)
Benedict Arnold was president and then governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving for a total of 11 years in these roles. Coming from Somerset, England, he was born and raised in the town of Ilchester, likely attending school in Limington, nearby...
.
See also
- List of early settlers of Rhode Island
- Colony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsColony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsThe Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...
External links
- Rhode Island History from the State of Rhode Island General Assembly website. See Chapter 2, Colonial Era.