William Greene, Jr. (1731–1809) was the second governor of the state of Rhode Island, in office for eight years between 1778 and 1786. Prior to his role as governor, William Greene served as deputy of Warwick, R.I. for four years in 1774-1777, and then as a Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice in 1778. His father, William Greene (1695-1758), had been governor for 11 years, serving four separate terms, and ultimately dying in office. His grandfather, John Greene, Jr. (1620-1708) had been deputy governor of the colony and his great grandfather, John Greene (1594-1658) had been one of the founding settlers of Providence and Warwick, R.I.
Greene married his second cousin, Catharine Ray (1731-1794) of Block Island, in 1762. Ms. Ray was a close correspondent of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), and the couple had four children: Ray (1765-1849), Samuel, Phebe and Celia. William Greene, Jr., died at his estate in Warwick, R.I., on November 29, 1809, and is buried nearby, in the Governor Greene Cemetery.
This letter is from Governor William Greene, Jr., to the sheriff of Newport County, William Davis (fl. 1784). It gives direction on when and how to announce the success of the Treaty of Paris (1783) between the United States and the King of England, George III (1738-1820). The Treaty of Paris was reached between the United States and the King of England near the end of 1783, officially ending the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Governor Greene instructs that Mr. Davis is to announce the treaty’s success on the steps of the Newport State House on Wednesday the 21 of April.
This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
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William Greene letter, RLC.Ms.576, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection is arranged in chronological order.
Gift of Joshua Sayer, 1869 Mar 13
Prior to processing in 2014, this letter was found within the Steel Cabinet Collection: Drawer 14. This letter was pasted to a board and framed by Dr. H. E. Turner at an unknown date, as indicated by a note written on the reverse side. It has since been removed from its frame and stored according to current archival standards.
William Greene (1731-1809) papers, Mss 468, Rhode Island Historical Society.