19 Facts About Joseph Wanton

Joseph Wanton is depicted in the satirical 1750s painting by John Greenwood, Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam, with other prominent merchants and seamen from the colony.

Joseph Wanton became a founder and trustee of the new college in the Rhode Island colony, eventually named Brown University.

Joseph Wanton retired to his home in Newport where he was undisturbed during the war, and died before its conclusion, in 1780.

Joseph Wanton's father had been a governor of the colony, as had his uncle John Wanton and his older first cousin, Gideon Wanton.

Joseph Wanton's grandfather, Edward Wanton, was a ship builder, who became a Quaker after witnessing the persecution of these people, and became a speaker of that religion.

Joseph Wanton's grandfather had lived in York, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; and Scituate, Massachusetts, and though he likely never lived in Rhode Island, many of his children settled in Newport or other parts of the colony.

In 1758 Joseph Wanton declared that he had sailed the Snow King of Prussia with a cargo of 124 hogsheads of rum and 54 slaves.

In 1765 Joseph Wanton became one of the founders of the new college in Rhode Island, called the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and later named Brown University.

Joseph Wanton is named as an original "corporator," and as an original trustee of the college.

Joseph Wanton issued a proclamation for the arrest of the guilty parties, but no arrests were ever made.

Joseph Wanton violated the charter of the colony by acting without showing his commission.

The next day, Dudingston sent an arrogant reply, to which Joseph Wanton replied directly, repeating his demand, and assuring Dudingston of safety in coming to shore.

Joseph Wanton wrote Lord Hillsborough, complaining of Montagu's insolence, and detailing the conduct of the Gaspee.

Shots were fired in both directions, and a musket ball fired by Joseph Wanton Bucklin hit Dudingston in the groin, and as he fell, the attackers boarded the schooner, and took over the vessel.

Joseph Wanton then issued his proclamation, offering 100 pounds reward for evidence sufficient for conviction of the guilty parties.

An escaped slave who was with the expedition gave names of some of the men involved to Admiral Montagu, who then forwarded this deposition to Joseph Wanton, requesting that the instigators be questioned.

Joseph Wanton sent a calm reply to this resolution, but continued his opposition to the army and the commissions.

Joseph Wanton was a resident of Newport, the wealthiest community of its size in the colonies.

Joseph Wanton married Mary, the daughter of John Still Winthrop of New London in the Connecticut Colony, the great granddaughter of Connecticut colonial Governor, John Winthrop Jr.