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List of speakers of the Rhode Island House of Representatives

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Speaker of the
Rhode Island House of Representatives
Seal of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Joe Shekarchi
since January 5, 2021
Government of Rhode Island
StatusPresiding Officer
Member ofGeneral Assembly
Constituting instrumentRhode Island Constitution
Inaugural holderJonathan Holmes
FormationOriginal Post:
1696
Current form:
1843

The speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives is the highest official in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

History

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From 1663 until 1842, Rhode Island's governing state constitution was its original colonial charter granted by King Charles II of England, a political anomaly considering that while most states during the War of Independence and afterwards wrote scores of new constitutions with their newly found independence in mind, Rhode Island instead continued with a document stamped by an English king. By the 1840s, Rhode Island was the only state whose official legal document was passed by a foreign monarch and the document essentially restricted voting rights to a very small population of elite, rural, landowning native-born white males.[1]

In September 1842, a Constitutional Convention was held at the Colony House in Newport to confront the issue of expanding suffrage.[1] When the constitution was put to a public vote in November 1842, voters rejected that voting rights should be restricted to whites only by a three to one margin, thus making Rhode Island the first state to grant suffrage to African-Americans.[1] The new constitution was ratified and the constitution became effective in May 1843.[2]

Selection

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The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation.[3]

List of speakers

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Colonial period[a]

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Speaker Took office Left office Party Notes
Jonathan Holmes Oct. 1696 Oct. 1698
Joseph Jenckes Jr. Oct. 1698 Feb. 1699 Founder of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; his son, Joseph, became the Colony's governor
Benjamin Newberry Feb. 1699 Apr. 1700
Jonathan Holmes Apr. 1700 May 1703
Benjamin Barton Oct. 1703 May 1704
John Rogers May 1704 Oct. 1704
John Dexter Oct. 1704 May 1705
William Wanton May 1705 May 1706 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
Benjamin Arnold May 1706 Feb. 1707
John Wanton Feb. 1707 May 1707 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1740; brother to William Wanton
Joseph Jenckes May 6, 1707 May 28, 1707 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1732
James Greene May 1707 Oct. 1707
Richard Arnold Oct. 1707 May 1708
Joseph Jenckes May 1708 Oct. 1708 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1732
William Wanton Oct. 1708 May 1709 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
Simon Smith May 1709 Oct. 1709
Abraham Anthony Oct. 1709 May 1710
John Wanton May 1710 Oct. 1710 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1740; brother to William Wanton
William Wanton Oct. 1710 Nov. 1711 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
James Green Nov. 1711 Feb. 1712
John Spencer Feb. 1712 May 1712
Ebenezer Slocum May 1712 May 1713
John Wanton May 1713 Oct. 1713 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1740; brother to William Wanton
Thomas Frye Oct. 1713 Oct. 1714 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
Randall Holden Jr. Oct. 1714 May 1715 Son of Randall Holden, co-founder of Portsmouth and Warwick
William Wanton May 1715 Oct. 1715 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
William Hopkins Oct. 1715 May 1716 Nephew of Benedict Arnold, 1st Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island
John Cranston Jr. May 1716 Oct. 1716
William Wanton Oct. 1716 Oct. 1717 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
Thomas Frye Oct. 1717 May 1718 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
William Wanton May 1718 Oct. 1718 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
Nathaniel Sheffield Oct. 1718 May 1719
William Wanton May 1719 May 1722 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
Thomas Frye May 1722 Oct. 1722 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
William Coddington III Oct. 1722 Feb. 1723 Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island
William Wanton Feb. 1723 May 1724 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton
William Coddington III May 5, 1724 May 6, 1724 Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island
Thomas Frye May 1724 Oct. 1724 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
William Coddington III Oct. 1724 Oct. 1725 Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island
Thomas Frye Oct. 1725 May 1726 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
William Coddington III May 1726 Oct. 1726 Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island
Jeremiah Gould Oct. 1726 Aug. 1727
Thomas Frye Aug. 1727 Oct. 1727 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
Job Greene Oct. 1727 Apr. 1728
Henry Bull Apr. 1728 May 1729 Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1721 to 1722; was a great-grandson of Governor Henry Bull
Samuel Clarke May 1729 Oct. 1729
Thomas Frye Oct. 1729 May 1730 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729
Samuel Clarke May 1730 Oct. 1732
George Hazard Oct. 1732 May 1733 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1738; father of Carder Hazard and cousin of Robert Hazard
Jeremiah Gould May 1733 Jun. 1733
George Hazard Jun. 1733 Jul. 1733 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1738; father of Carder Hazard and cousin of Robert Hazard
Jeremiah Gould Jul. 1733 Oct. 1733
Samuel Clarke Oct. 1733 May 1734
Henry Bull Apr. 30, 1734 May 5, 1734 Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1721 to 1722; was a great-grandson of Governor Henry Bull
William Greene May 1734 Oct. 1734 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island in 1743, serving four separate terms for a total of 11 years; father of William Greene
Samuel Clarke Oct. 1734 Oct. 1735
William Robinson Oct. 1735 May 1736 Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1745 to 1746 and 1747 to 1748
Francis Willett May 1736 Oct. 1736
Samuel Clarke Oct. 1736 May 1737
Francis Willett May 1737 Oct. 1737
Daniel Abbott Oct. 1737 May 1738 Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1738 to 1740
Thomas Spenser May 1738 Oct. 1738
Stephen Hopkins Oct. 1738 May 1739 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
Francis Willett May 1739 Jul. 1739
William Greene Jul. 1739 Oct. 1739 Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island in 1743, serving four separate terms for a total of 11 years; father of William Greene
Stephen Hopkins Oct. 1739 May 1740 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
Samuel Clarke May 1740 May 1741
Stephen Hopkins May 1741 Jun. 1741 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
Joseph Whipple Jun. 1741 Aug. 1741 Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1743 to 1745 and 1746 to 1747; son of Col. Joseph Whipple
Stephen Hopkins Aug. 1741 Oct. 1741 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
William Robinson Oct. 1741 Oct. 1742 Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1745 to 1746 and 1747 to 1748
Stephen Hopkins Oct. 1742 May 1743 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
John Potter May 1743 Oct. 1743
Joseph Stafford Oct. 1743 May 1744
Stephen Hopkins May 1744 Nov. 1744 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
Peter Bours Nov. 1744 Oct. 1746
Jeremiah Niles Oct. 1746 Feb. 1747
Samuel Wickham Feb. 1747 Oct. 1747
Daniel Jencks Oct. 1747 Oct. 1748
Thomas Cranston Oct. 1748 May 1749 Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1762 to 1764
Stephen Hopkins May 1749 Aug. 1749 Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence[4]
Joshua Babcock Aug. 1749 May 1750 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1763 and from 1749 to 1751
Thomas Cranston May 1750 May 1757 Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1762 to 1764
Benjamin Wickham May 1757 Oct. 1757
Peter Bours Oct. 1757 May 1759
Joshua Babcock May 1759 Oct. 1759 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1763 and from 1749 to 1751
Job Randal Oct. 1759 May 1760
Thomas Cranston May 1760 May 1762 Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1762 to 1764
Daniel Aryault Jr. May 1762 Oct. 1762
Philip Greene Oct. 1762 May 1763
John Dexter May 1763 May 1764
Daniel Aryault May 1764 Oct. 1764
William Bradford Oct. 1764 Oct. 1765 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
Richard Bailey Oct. 1765 May 1766
William Bradford May 1766 May 1767 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
John Cole May 1767 Feb. 1768 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1764 to 1765
Metcalf Bowler Feb. 1768 Nov. 1776 Also served as justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1768 to 1769, 1770 to 1776, and as Chief Justice from 1776 to 1777

Revolutionary War to Present[3][5]

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Speaker Took office Left office Party Notes
William Greene Nov. 1776 May 1778 Also served as 2nd Governor of Rhode Island 1778 to 1786 and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1777 to 1778; son of William Greene
Joshua Babcock May 1778 Sep. 1778 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1763 and from 1749 to 1751
Stephen Potter Sep. 1778 May 1779 Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1764 to 1765, 1767 to 1768, and 1779 to 1780
Othniel Gorton May 1779 May 1780 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1788 to 1791
William Bradford May 1780 Jun. 1780 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
Welcome Arnold Jun. 1780 Jul. 1780
William Bradford Jul. 1780 Oct. 1786 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
Othniel Gorton Oct. 1786 Oct. 1788 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1788 to 1791
Joseph Stanton Jr. Oct. 1788 Oct. 1789 Anti-Administration Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807
William Bradford Oct. 1789 May 1790 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
Joseph Stanton Jr. May 1790 Oct. 1790 Anti-Administration Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807
Welcome Arnold Oct. 1790 May 1791
William Bradford May 1791 May 1793 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
Welcome Arnold May 1793 May 1795
Joseph Stanton Jr. May 1795 Oct. 1795 Anti-Administration Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807
Elisha Reynolds Potter Oct. 1795 Feb. 1797 Federalist Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1796 to 1797 and 1809 to 1815; father of U.S. Representative Elisha R. Potter
Joseph Stanton Jr. Feb. 1797 May 1797 Anti-Administration Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807
George Champlin May 1797 Oct. 1798
William Bradford Oct. 1798 May 1802 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778
Elisha Reynolds Potter May 1802 Oct. 1802 Federalist Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1796 to 1797 and 1809 to 1815; father of U.S. Representative Elisha R. Potter
Constant Taber Oct. 1802 Oct. 1805
Isaac Wilbour Oct. 1805 May 1806 Democratic-Republican Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1806 to 1807, U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1807 to 1809, Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1819 to 1827
Elisha Reynolds Potter May 1806 Feb. 1809 Federalist Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1796 to 1797 and 1809 to 1815; father of U.S. Representative Elisha R. Potter
William Jones May 1809 May 1810 Federalist Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1811 to 1817
Nathaniel Hazard May 1810 Oct. 1810 Democratic-Republican Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1819 to 1820
William Jones Oct. 1810 May 1811 Federalist Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1811 to 1817
William Hunter May 1811 Feb. 1812 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1811 to 1821, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires/Minister to Brazil from 1835 to 1843
James B. Mason Feb. 1812 May 1814 Federalist Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1815 to 1819
James Burrill Jr. May 1814 Oct. 1816 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1817 to 1820, Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1816 to 1817, Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1797 to 1814
Benjamin Hazard Oct. 1816 May 1818
Nathaniel Hazard May 1818 May 1819 Democratic-Republican Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1819 to 1820
James DeWolf May 1819 May 1821 Federalist Also served as U.S. Senator from 1821 to 1825
Elisha Mathewson May 1821 Oct. 1821 Democratic-Republican Also served as U.S. Senator from 1807 to 1811
Albert C. Greene Oct. 1821 May 1822 Whig Also served as U.S. Senator from 1845 to 1851 and Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1825 to 1843
Elisha Mathewson May 1822 Oct. 1822 Democratic-Republican Also served as U.S. Senator from 1807 to 1811
Albert C. Greene Oct. 1822 May 1825 Whig Also served as U.S. Senator from 1845 to 1851 and Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1825 to 1843
Nathaniel Bullock May 1825 May 1826 Democratic-Republican Also served as Lt. Gov. of Rhode Island from 1842 to 1843
Samuel W. Bridgham May 1826 Oct. 1826 Whig Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1814 to 1817 and Mayor of Providence from 1832 to 1840
Nathan B. Sprague Oct. 1826 Oct. 1827
Job Durfee Oct. 1827 May 1829 Democratic-Republican Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1821 to 1825 and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1835 to 1847; father of Thomas Durfee
Joseph L. Tillinghast May 1829 Oct. 1832 Whig Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1837 to 1843
William Sprague III Oct. 1832 May 1835 Whig Also served as U.S. Senator from 1842 to 1844 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1835 to 1837 and Governor of Rhode Island from 1838 to 1839
Henry Y. Cranston May 1835 Oct. 1835 Law and Order, Whig Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1843 to 1847
Christopher Allen Oct. 1835 Oct. 1836
Samuel Y. Atwell Oct. 1836 Oct. 1837
George Curtis Oct. 1837 May 1839 Also served as President of the Continental Bank of New York
Henry Y. Cranston May 1839 May 1841 Law and Order, Whig Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1843 to 1847
Charles Jackson May 1841 May 1842 Whig Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1845 to 1846
Richard K. Randolph May 1842 Oct. 1842
Alfred Bosworth Oct. 1842 May 1844 Whig Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1854 to 1862
Samuel Ames May 1844 May 1845 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1856 to 1865
George Gordon King May 1845 May 1846 Whig Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1849 to 1853
Robert B. Cranston May 1846 May 1847 Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1847 to 1849 and from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1837 to 1843
William S. Patten May 1847 May 1848
Sylvester G. Shearman May 1848 May 1849
James C. Hidden May 1849 May 1851
Alfred Bosworth May 1851 May 1853 Whig Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1854 to 1862
Thomas Steere May 1853 Jan. 1854
Benjamin F. Thurston Jan. 1854 May 1854
Henry Y. Cranston May 1854 May 1855 Law and Order, Whig Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1843 to 1847
Benjamin Fessenden May 1855 May 1856
Benjamin F. Thurston May 1856 May 1857
Sullivan Ballou May 1857 May 1858 Republican Also served as a Major in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry
Charles C. Van Zandt May 1858 May 1859 Republican Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880
Wingate Hayes May 1859 May 1860 Also served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 1861 to 1871
Caesar A. Updike May 1860 May 1862
Francis W. Miner May 1862 May 1863
Thomas Durfee May 1863 May 1864 Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1875 to 1891; son of Job Durfee
Benjamin F. Thurston May 1864 Jan. 1865
Alexander Farnum Jan. 1865 May 1865
George L. Clarke May 1865 May 1866 Republican Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island from 1869 to 1870
Charles C. Van Zandt May 1866 May 1869 Republican Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880
Benjamin T. Eames May 1869 May 1870 Republican Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district
Amos Barstow May 1870 May 1871 Whig Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island from 1852 to 1853
Charles C. Van Zandt May 1871 May 1873 Republican Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880
Edwin Metcalf 1873 1874 Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island
Edward L. Freeman 1874 1876
Nelson W. Aldrich 1876 1877 Republican Also served as a U.S. Senator and in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district
Dexter B. Potter 1877 1879 President of the Providence Telephone Co.
Henry J. Spooner 1879 1881 Republican Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district
John P. Sanborn 1881 1882
Francello G. Jillson 1883 1885
Ellery H. Wilson 1885 1887
Charles E. Gorman 1887 1888
George H. Utter 1888 1889 Republican Also served as Governor of Rhode Island, Lt. Gov. of Rhode Island, Secretary of State of Rhode Island, in the U.S. House from the 2nd district, and in the Rhode Island Senate
Augustus S. Miller 1889 1891 Democratic Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island from 1903 to 1905
Adin B. Capron 1891 1893 Republican Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 2nd district
Franklin P. Owen 1893 1894
Samuel W. K. Allen 1894 1897
J. Edward Studley 1897 1898
Frank E. Holden 1898 1901
James H. Armington 1901 1903
Joseph P. Burlingame 1903 1906
Arthur W. Dennis 1906 1907 Republican Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island from 1909 to 1910
Roswell B. Burchard 1907 1911
William C. Bliss 1911 1912 Republican
Ambrose Kennedy 1912 1913 Republican Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd district
Frank F. Davis 1913 1915 Republican
Frank H. Hammill 1915 1919 Republican
Arthur P. Summer 1919 1920 Republican
William R. Fortin 1920 1923 Republican
Philip C. Joslin 1923 1927 Republican
Roy Willard Rawlings 1927 1933 Republican Father of Rob Roy Rawlings and Lucy Rawlings Tootell
William E. Reddy 1933 1937 Democratic
James H. Kiernan 1937 1939 Democratic
Hugo A. Clason 1939 1941 Republican
Harry F. Curvin 1941 1964 Democratic
Alfred U. Menard 1964 1965 Democratic
John J. Wrenn 1965 1969 Democratic
Joseph A. Bevilacqua 1969 1976 Democratic Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
John J. Skiffington Jr. 1976 1977 Democratic
Edward P. Manning 1977 1980 Democratic
Matthew J. Smith 1980 1988 Democratic
Joseph DeAngelis 1988 1992 Democratic
John B. Harwood 1993 2002 Democratic
William J. Murphy 2003 2010 Democratic
Gordon Fox 2010 2014 Democratic Resigned following an FBI raid on his office and home
Nicholas Mattiello 2014 2021 Democratic
Joe Shekarchi 2021 Present Democratic

See also

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References

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Notes
  1. ^ Prior to 1696, the House of Deputies was organized by the election of the Governor or Deputy Governor as moderator of the body, with the Governor often performing the duties. A speaker was first chosen in 1696 and the title of "Deputies" was changed to "Representatives" in June 1797.[3]
Sources
  1. ^ a b c Erik J. Chaput and Russell J. DeSimone (16 September 2017). "My Turn: Erik J. Chaput and Russell J. DeSimone: How Rhode Island expanded black rights". Providence, RI: The Providence Journal. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  2. ^ Rhode Island 1663 charter (accessed August 20, 2010)
  3. ^ a b c Manual with Rules and Orders for the Use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island. Providence Press Company. 1873. pp. 105–109. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Bernstein, Richard B. (2009). "Appendix: The Founding Fathers, A Partial List". The Founding Fathers Reconsidered. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 176–180. ISBN 978-0199832576.
  5. ^ Sharp, Nancy Weatherly; Sharp, James Roger (August 30, 2000). American Legislative Leaders in the Northeast, 1911-1994. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780313032080 – via Google Books.