Samuel Ward King

Samuel Ward King ( * May 23, 1786 in Johnston, Rhode Iceland, † January 20, 1851 in Providence, Rhode Iceland ) was an American politician and 1839-1843 Governor of the State of Rhode Iceland.

Early years and political rise

Samuel King studied at Brown University. However, this study he broke off without a degree. Instead, he studied medicine. During the British -American War of 1812 he served as a ship's doctor in the U.S. Navy. He got the meantime a prisoner of war when his ship, the "Providence", was captured by the British. Among his other activities was king from 1820 to 1843 town clerk in the town of Johnston.

Samuel King was a member of the Whig party. In 1838 he was elected to the Senate of Rhode Iceland. In the gubernatorial election of 1839, none of the three candidates, including the incumbent, William Sprague was able to win an absolute majority. Because the legislature could not agree on one of the three candidates, they finally agreed on Samuel King as the new governor.

Governor of Rhode Iceland

King therefore took up his new post on May 2, 1839 only as acting ( acting ) governor. After he was elected but regularly in the following years, he could remain in office until May 1, 1843. During his tenure, the so-called Dorr Rebellion falls. Thomas Dorr and his followers campaigned for an extension of the suffrage on propertyless classes. The movement chose its own governor and declared King deposed. The federal government under President John Tyler but supported King. This imposed in Rhode Iceland martial law. With the help of the National Guard, he was able to quash the uprising. However, some of the claims of the Dorr- motion were included in the 1843 adopted reform of the constitution.

Further CV

In 1843, King gave up for reelection and retired from politics. He died in 1851. 1841 With his late wife Catherine Latham Angell he had fourteen children.