Randall Holden
Encyclopedia
Randall Holden was an early inhabitant of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
, was one of the original founders of Portsmouth
, and one of the co-founders of the town of Warwick
. Coming from Salisbury in England, he is first recorded in New England
as one of the signers of the compact
establishing the settlement of Portsmouth
by followers of the banished dissident minister, Anne Hutchinson
. Following a few years on Aquidneck Island
(called Rhode Island), he joined Samuel Gorton
and others in establishing the town of Warwick in early 1643, on land purchased of the Indian sachem
s.
The first few years of the Warwick settlement were fraught with difficulty, and the settler's lands were claimed by Massachusetts
, who sent soldiers to apprehend the Warwick settlers for supposed infractions against the local Indian sachems. The Warwick settlers were hauled off to face trial in Boston
, but their charges had nothing to do with the sachems; instead they were charged with heresy and sedition based on their religious views. Being sent to various jails in the Boston area, they were eventually released, but were banished not only from the Massachusetts colony, but also from their own Warwick lands. Holden soon thereafter joined Gorton and John Greene
on a trip to England to seek redress for the wrongs committed against them. Being successful in their mission, Holden and Greene returned to New England in 1646 with a new charter for their settlement, and protection from the crown.
Upon returning to the Rhode Island colony, Holden became heavily involved in the affairs of his town of Warwick, and of the entire colony. During the next 40 years he frequently served in a variety of roles as councilman and treasurer at the town level, and in the colony he was often Assistant to the President (or Governor), Commissioner, or Deputy. Holden was so highly respected within the colony that in 1676 during the dire events of King Philip's War
he was one of 16 of the colony's most esteemed citizens to be called to the General Assembly for their counsel. Holden continued to serve the colony into his mid 70s, only a few years before his death in 1692 at the age of 80.
, England. He sailed to New England
as a young man, and the first record of his name occurred when he and Roger Williams
witnessed the deed whereby the Indian sachem
s Canonicus
and Miantonomo sold Aquidneck Island
to William Coddington
for the settlement of Portsmouth
by the followers of Anne Hutchinson
. He had apparently lived in Boston, because this is where the signing of the Portsmouth Compact
took place, and his signature is 19th on the list of the 23 names on that document. In this compact, the followers of Hutchinson established a non-sectarian civil government upon the universal consent of the inhabitants, with a Christian focus. Planning initially to settle in New Netherland
, the group was persuaded by Roger Williams
to purchase some land of the Indians on the Narragansett Bay. This they did, settling on the north east end of Aquidneck Island
, and establishing a settlement they called Pocasset, but in 1639 changing the name to Portsmouth
. William Coddington
was elected the first chief magistrate of the settlement, not being called Governor, but instead using the Biblical title of Judge.
Holden became part of this initial settlement of Portsmouth and in his first year there in 1638 he was made Marshall, was elected as Corporal, and was given a grant of five acres. He soon became part of the new establishment of Newport
, but in March 1641 he was disenfranchised from the government there with three others, and their names were cancelled from the Roll of Freeman of Newport. Some time the following year he and others desired to reunite with the island government (Portsmouth and Newport), and were "readily embraced" by the colony.
Holden became a follower of Samuel Gorton
, and in January 1643 Gorton, Holden and nine others bought a large tract of land from the Narragansett tribal chief Miantonomo for 144 fathoms (864 feet or 263 meters) of wampum
, and they called the place Shawomet, using the native name, which would later be changed to Warwick
. Later that year he and others of Shawomet were summoned to appear in court in Boston
to answer a complaint from two Indian sachems concerning some "unjust and injurious dealing" towards them. The Shawomet men refused the summons, claiming that they were loyal subjects of the King of England and beyond the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Soldiers were soon sent after them, their writings were confiscated, and the men were taken to Boston for trial. Once tried, the charges against Holden and the others had nothing to do with the original charges, but instead were about their writings and beliefs. The men were charged with heresy and sedition, and sentenced to confinement, and threatened with death should they "break jail, or preach their heresies or speak against church or state." The men were imprisoned in different towns in the Boston area, and Holden was sent to Salem
.
The sentencing took place in November 1643, but a few months later, in March 1644, Holden was released from prison, being banished from both Massachusetts and from Shawomet (which was claimed by Massachusetts). Seeking redress for the wrongs committed against them, later that year Gorton, Holden and John Greene
boarded a ship in New Amsterdam
and sailed back to England, where Holden and Greene spent two years, and Gorton would spend four years. In 1646 Gorton, while in England, published one of his many writings, entitled Simplicity's Defence Against Seven Headed Policy, detailing the wrongs that were put upon the Shawomet settlers. The same year he was given what he had come for: the Commissioner of Plantations, responsible for overseeing the activities of the colonies, issued an order to Massachusetts to allow the residents of Shawomet and other lands included in the patent to "freely and quietly live and plant" without being disquieted by external pressures. In September 1646 Holden and Greene returned to Boston with a pass from the Commissioners of Plantations allowing them safe passage through the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Two years later, in 1648, Gorton returned to New England
, landing in Boston that May. His arrest was ordered, but he also had a letter of protection from Robert Rich, 5th Earl of Warwick
, which saw him safely back to his family. In honor of the Earl's intercession in this colonial difficulty, Gorton changed the name of Shawomet to Warwick.
Upon his return from England, Holden immediately became involved in the affairs of the town and colony. In 1647 he was on the Town Council, was Town Treasurer, and was frequently made the Moderator of town meetings. In the same year he was also selected as Warwick's Assistant to the President of the colony, a position he would hold seven more times during the next 30 years. He was also elected as Commissioner for six one-year terms from 1652 to 1663, and as a Deputy for eight terms between 1666 and 1686. Holden was made a freeman
of Warwick in 1655, and at some point he earned the title of Captain.
Holden was named in the Royal Charter of 1663
, which was delivered to the colony in November of that year, and which outlined a government with broad freedoms for the colony. In 1671, he and others were authorized to make assessments on towns for back taxes. Holden was very highly esteemed within the Rhode Island colony, so much so that in April 1676, during the chaos of King Philip's War
, it was voted by the General Assembly that "in these troublesome times and straits in this colony, the Assembly, desiring to have the advice and concurrence of the most judicious inhabitants, if it may be had for the good of the whole, do desire at their sitting the company and counsel of...Randall Holden" and 15 others. Among the others were former governors and deputy governors, including Benedict Arnold
and James Barker
.
In 1679 Holden was once again in England, this time with John Greene, Jr.
, and wrote a letter to the Commissioners of Trade about Mount Hope, being a property disputed with the Plymouth Colony
. Two years later he sold 750 acres of land to Stephen Arnold (son of William Arnold), obtaining 119 pounds for the transaction, and in 1683 he was appointed to a committee to draft a letter to the King
. Holden continued to be active in civic affairs into his mid 70s, and in 1687 was appointed as Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. He died on 23 August 1692, at a fairly advanced age.
, and grandson of fellow Warwick co-founder John Greene
. Their daughter Susannah Holden married Benjamin Greene, another grandson of Warwick co-founder John Greene.
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...
, was one of the original founders of Portsmouth
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...
, and one of the co-founders of the town of Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
. Coming from Salisbury in England, he is first recorded in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
as one of the signers of the compact
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
establishing the settlement of Portsmouth
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...
by followers of the banished dissident minister, Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
. Following a few years on Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
(called Rhode Island), he joined Samuel Gorton
Samuel Gorton
Samuel Gorton , was an early settler and civic leader of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and President of the towns of Providence and Warwick for one term...
and others in establishing the town of Warwick in early 1643, on land purchased of the Indian sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
s.
The first few years of the Warwick settlement were fraught with difficulty, and the settler's lands were claimed by Massachusetts
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
, who sent soldiers to apprehend the Warwick settlers for supposed infractions against the local Indian sachems. The Warwick settlers were hauled off to face trial in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, but their charges had nothing to do with the sachems; instead they were charged with heresy and sedition based on their religious views. Being sent to various jails in the Boston area, they were eventually released, but were banished not only from the Massachusetts colony, but also from their own Warwick lands. Holden soon thereafter joined Gorton and John Greene
John Greene (settler)
John Greene was an early settler of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and a co-founder of the town of Warwick in the colony...
on a trip to England to seek redress for the wrongs committed against them. Being successful in their mission, Holden and Greene returned to New England in 1646 with a new charter for their settlement, and protection from the crown.
Upon returning to the Rhode Island colony, Holden became heavily involved in the affairs of his town of Warwick, and of the entire colony. During the next 40 years he frequently served in a variety of roles as councilman and treasurer at the town level, and in the colony he was often Assistant to the President (or Governor), Commissioner, or Deputy. Holden was so highly respected within the colony that in 1676 during the dire events of King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
he was one of 16 of the colony's most esteemed citizens to be called to the General Assembly for their counsel. Holden continued to serve the colony into his mid 70s, only a few years before his death in 1692 at the age of 80.
Life
Randall Holden was born about 1612, and originated in Salisbury, WiltshireWiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England. He sailed to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
as a young man, and the first record of his name occurred when he and Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
witnessed the deed whereby the Indian sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
s Canonicus
Canonicus
Canonicus was a Native American chief of the Narragansett. He was a firm friend of English settlers.-Biography:...
and Miantonomo sold Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
to William Coddington
William Coddington
William Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
for the settlement of Portsmouth
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...
by the followers of Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
. He had apparently lived in Boston, because this is where the signing of the Portsmouth Compact
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
took place, and his signature is 19th on the list of the 23 names on that document. In this compact, the followers of Hutchinson established a non-sectarian civil government upon the universal consent of the inhabitants, with a Christian focus. Planning initially to settle in New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
, the group was persuaded by Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
to purchase some land of the Indians on the Narragansett Bay. This they did, settling on the north east end of Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
, and establishing a settlement they called Pocasset, but in 1639 changing the name to Portsmouth
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...
. William Coddington
William Coddington
William Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
was elected the first chief magistrate of the settlement, not being called Governor, but instead using the Biblical title of Judge.
Holden became part of this initial settlement of Portsmouth and in his first year there in 1638 he was made Marshall, was elected as Corporal, and was given a grant of five acres. He soon became part of the new establishment 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...
, but in March 1641 he was disenfranchised from the government there with three others, and their names were cancelled from the Roll of Freeman of Newport. Some time the following year he and others desired to reunite with the island government (Portsmouth and Newport), and were "readily embraced" by the colony.
Holden became a follower of Samuel Gorton
Samuel Gorton
Samuel Gorton , was an early settler and civic leader of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and President of the towns of Providence and Warwick for one term...
, and in January 1643 Gorton, Holden and nine others bought a large tract of land from the Narragansett tribal chief Miantonomo for 144 fathoms (864 feet or 263 meters) of wampum
Wampum
Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of the indigenous people of North America. Wampum include the white shell beads fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell; and the white and purple beads made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic...
, and they called the place Shawomet, using the native name, which would later be changed to Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
. Later that year he and others of Shawomet were summoned to appear in court in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to answer a complaint from two Indian sachems concerning some "unjust and injurious dealing" towards them. The Shawomet men refused the summons, claiming that they were loyal subjects of the King of England and beyond the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Soldiers were soon sent after them, their writings were confiscated, and the men were taken to Boston for trial. Once tried, the charges against Holden and the others had nothing to do with the original charges, but instead were about their writings and beliefs. The men were charged with heresy and sedition, and sentenced to confinement, and threatened with death should they "break jail, or preach their heresies or speak against church or state." The men were imprisoned in different towns in the Boston area, and Holden was sent to Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
.
The sentencing took place in November 1643, but a few months later, in March 1644, Holden was released from prison, being banished from both Massachusetts and from Shawomet (which was claimed by Massachusetts). Seeking redress for the wrongs committed against them, later that year Gorton, Holden and John Greene
John Greene (settler)
John Greene was an early settler of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and a co-founder of the town of Warwick in the colony...
boarded a ship in New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
and sailed back to England, where Holden and Greene spent two years, and Gorton would spend four years. In 1646 Gorton, while in England, published one of his many writings, entitled Simplicity's Defence Against Seven Headed Policy, detailing the wrongs that were put upon the Shawomet settlers. The same year he was given what he had come for: the Commissioner of Plantations, responsible for overseeing the activities of the colonies, issued an order to Massachusetts to allow the residents of Shawomet and other lands included in the patent to "freely and quietly live and plant" without being disquieted by external pressures. In September 1646 Holden and Greene returned to Boston with a pass from the Commissioners of Plantations allowing them safe passage through the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Two years later, in 1648, Gorton returned to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, landing in Boston that May. His arrest was ordered, but he also had a letter of protection from Robert Rich, 5th Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
, which saw him safely back to his family. In honor of the Earl's intercession in this colonial difficulty, Gorton changed the name of Shawomet to Warwick.
Upon his return from England, Holden immediately became involved in the affairs of the town and colony. In 1647 he was on the Town Council, was Town Treasurer, and was frequently made the Moderator of town meetings. In the same year he was also selected as Warwick's Assistant to the President of the colony, a position he would hold seven more times during the next 30 years. He was also elected as Commissioner for six one-year terms from 1652 to 1663, and as a Deputy for eight terms between 1666 and 1686. Holden 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 Warwick in 1655, and at some point he earned the title of Captain.
Holden was named in 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...
, which was delivered to the colony in November of that year, and which outlined a government with broad freedoms for the colony. In 1671, he and others were authorized to make assessments on towns for back taxes. Holden was very highly esteemed within the Rhode Island colony, so much so that in April 1676, during the chaos of King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
, it was voted by the General Assembly that "in these troublesome times and straits in this colony, the Assembly, desiring to have the advice and concurrence of the most judicious inhabitants, if it may be had for the good of the whole, do desire at their sitting the company and counsel of...Randall Holden" and 15 others. Among the others were former governors and deputy governors, including 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...
and James Barker
James Barker (Rhode Island)
James Barker was a deputy governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He sailed from England with his father, also named James Barker, who died during the voyage. Also on the same ship was future Rhode Island Governor Nicholas Easton...
.
In 1679 Holden was once again in England, this time with John Greene, Jr.
John Greene, Jr.
John Greene Jr. was a deputy governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations who spent almost his entire adult life in the public service of the colony. Born in England, he was the son of John Greene and Joan Tattersall, and sailed to New England with his parents in 1635 aboard...
, and wrote a letter to the Commissioners of Trade about Mount Hope, being a property disputed with the Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
. Two years later he sold 750 acres of land to Stephen Arnold (son of William Arnold), obtaining 119 pounds for the transaction, and in 1683 he was appointed to a committee to draft a letter to the King
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. Holden continued to be active in civic affairs into his mid 70s, and in 1687 was appointed as Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. He died on 23 August 1692, at a fairly advanced age.
Family
Holden married Frances Dungan, the daughter of William and Frances (Latham) Dungan. With wife Frances, Holden had 11 children, one of whom was Randall Holden, Jr., who was very active in colonial affairs, serving for many years as Deputy, Assistant, Major, and Speaker of the House of Deputies. Their son Charles Holden married Catharine Greene, the son of Deputy Governor John Greene, Jr.John Greene, Jr.
John Greene Jr. was a deputy governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations who spent almost his entire adult life in the public service of the colony. Born in England, he was the son of John Greene and Joan Tattersall, and sailed to New England with his parents in 1635 aboard...
, and grandson of fellow Warwick co-founder John Greene
John Greene (settler)
John Greene was an early settler of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and a co-founder of the town of Warwick in the colony...
. Their daughter Susannah Holden married Benjamin Greene, another grandson of Warwick co-founder John Greene.
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...