Arthur Fenner (December 10, 1745October 15, 1805) was an American politician who served as the fourth Governor of

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

from 1790 until his death in 1805. He has the seventh longest gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history at days, and the longest uninterrupted one. Fenner was a prominent Country Party (

Anti-Federalist The Anti-Federalists were a late-18th-century political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and which later opposed the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. The previous constitution, called the Articles ...

) leader. Around 1764, Fenner joined several others as a petitioner for the chartering of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (the original name for

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

Early life

Fenner was born in 1745 to a prominent family in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

, in the

Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was an English colony on the eastern coast of America, founded in 1636 by Puritan minister Roger Williams after his exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It became a haven for religious d ...

, the eleventh of twelve children. His parents were Arthur Fenner, Jr. (October 17, 1699 – January 21, 1788) and Mary Olney (September 30, 1704 – March 18, 1756). The Fenner family owned a wharf known as Fenner's Wharf, where the Gaspee Affair occurred in 1772. The wharf was located near what is now 155 South Main Street in Providence. His ancestor Captain Arthur Fenner (1622–1703) had been a member of the Town Council, an associate of

Roger Williams Roger Williams (March 1683) was an English-born New England minister, theologian, author, and founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Pl ...

, and fought in

King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1678 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodland ...

. During the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

he served as a lieutenant in Hitchcock's Regiment in 1775 during the

Siege of Boston The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, Patriot (American Revolution), American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Wash ...

. He then served as a captain in Babcock's/Lippitt's Regiment of Rhode Island state troops in 1776. For many years before becoming governor, Fenner served as the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas.

Governorship

He served as governor of

from 1790 to 1805 and died in office. Fenner was governor of Rhode Island when it became the last of the thirteen states to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790. The following quote is from the ''Dictionary of American Biography'': :In March 1790, the contest between Federalists and

Anti-Federalists The Anti-Federalists were a late-18th-century political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and which later opposed History of the United States Constitution#1788 ratification, the ratification of the 1787 Uni ...

in Rhode Island reached its height, (and) the long-delayed convention to decide upon the adoption of the Constitution (had) been called, (with) Governor Collins having become unpopular in consequence. (With the elections approaching,) Deputy-Governor Owen was offered the governor-ship by the Anti-Federalists, but declined to serve. 'A movement,' says Arnold, 'was made in Providence to form a coalition party. The Newport committee united with them in proposing (to put on the ballot) Arthur Fenner, an Anti-Federalist. The Anti-Federalists triumphed, and on May 5, 1790, the general assembly declared Fenner governor and Samuel J. Potter deputy-governor. :Opposition to entering the Union was so strong, … (that a vote to adopt the Constitution) was delayed until the last week in May, and when on the 29th, a decision was reached, the vote stood thirty-four to thirty-two in favor of adopting the Constitution. :Governor Fenner was very popular, and continued in office, serving at the time of his death. Significant events during Fenner's time in office: *

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

visited Rhode Island (August 1790) * The Providence Bank was established (1791) * The Weybosset Bridge was rebuilt (1792) * The

Blackstone Canal The Blackstone Canal was a manmade waterway, linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island, and Narragansett Bay, through the Blackstone Valley, via a series of locks and canals in the early 19th century. Construction started in ...

was begun (February 1796) * President

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...

visited Providence (1797) * The Great Fire on the west side of South Main Street, opposite the foot of Planet Street, did $300,000 worth of damage (January 21, 1801)

Personal life

Fenner married Amey Comstock ( – September 5, 1828, in her 80th yr.), daughter of Gideon Comstock of

Smithfield, Rhode Island Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,118 at the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1731, it includes the historic villages of Esmond, Georgiaville, Mountaindale, Spragueville, Stillwater, an ...

. His son, James Fenner, gave up his position as a US senator to be elected governor two years after his father's death. James served from 1807 to 1811, from 1824 to 1831, and from 1843 to 1845. Arthur and Amey Fenner were members of the First Baptist Church in America, at Providence. They had five children: # Arthur Fenner Jr. (November 9, 1766 – September 27, 1837);

fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...

r in various companies; lived at

Fairfield, New York Fairfield is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,627 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Fairfield, Connecticut. The town is north of the village of Herkime ...

, in 1827; married Lydia Sabin (born 1766), daughter of Thomas Sabin, on December 8, 1787; they had Harriet Elizabeth (February 7, 1805 – May 2, 1829) #Amy (February 16, 1769 – May 7, 1772, age 3) # James Fenner (January 22, 1771 – April 17, 1846); Governor of Rhode Island, married Sarah Jenckes #Joseph ( – July 18, 1797, in Providence, age 24) #Sally (1778 – August 21, 1794, at Newport, age 16)

References

External links

Gov. Arthur in the Fenner Family Tree

Brown University Charter

Official Site of the Governor of Rhode Island

Genealogy of the Fenner Family
*
George Washington correspondence
from the Rhode Island State Archives {{DEFAULTSORT:Fenner, Arthur 1745 births 1805 deaths Brown University people University and college founders Governors of Rhode Island Country Party (Rhode Island) state governors of the United States Baptists from Rhode Island History of Christianity in the United States History of the Thirteen Colonies Burials at North Burying Ground (Providence) Politicians from Providence, Rhode Island