Roger Williams was born in London, circa 1603. Likely, being aware of the numerous Puritans and heretics being burned at the stake in nearby Smithfield, probably influenced his beliefs later in life of civic and religious freedom. Williams spent his teenage years at Sutton’s Hospital, associated with The Charter House, a London school. In 1627, Williams graduated from Pembroke college at Cambridge University. He went on to become a Chaplain and, in 1629, married Mary Barnard. By this time, Williams was beginning to draw controversy from some because of his ideas on the freedom of worship; remember, the Church of England was the predominate religion in Britain and many of those who did not conform to the church was often harshly scrutinized.
In 1630, he left England and traversed the Atlantic Ocean to, on February 5th, 1631, arrive in Boston, Massachusetts (then called the Massachusetts Bay Colony). He spent his time preaching in Salem and Plymouth, but was “always at odds with the structured Puritans,” (Family Association). Williams’ found his ideas of religious freedom too extreme and stood trial in Salem, where he was banish. Before what was to be his eventual deportation to England, Williams left the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He ventured southwest and made friends with local Native Americans. In time, Williams settled near Narragansett Bay after learning that his first settlement, located near the Seekonk River, was still inside Plymouth Colony. Williams bought some land from Narangansett chiefs and called his new territory Providence—-“in thanks to God,” (Family Association).
Williams established the colony of Rhode Island, a place, he assured, where religious freedom would thrive and where the government would not play a role in dictating the people’s religion (what we now know as “the separation of church and state.”) Rhode Island soon began accepting many individuals representing diverse religious backgrounds: Quakers, Jewish, and Anabaptists all were among those who settled in Rhode Island. In 1639, he joined the Baptist faith and soon founded the first Baptist church in America. Williams eventually left the church to become a “Seeker” (Roger Williams).
Williams returned to England two more times during his life. Williams’ first trip back, in 1643, was made so that he could secure a charter that would prevent other colonies from seizing his new colony. That same year, he published Key into the Languages of America, which established Williams as an “authority on American Indians,” (Family Association). Having returned to America, he opened a trading post, located in Cocimsussoc. It was there that Williams established trade with Indians and even brokered peacemaking between local Native Americans and nearby colonists.
In 1651, Williams again left for England, traveling with John Clarke (a preacher in Newport) so as to confirm the charter he had sought in 1643. Williams had returned to America by 1654 because of family obligations. Soon, he was leading his colony as governor, a position he served from 1654 to 1658. In 1663, Charles II granted the charter Williams was seeking to ensure the legal protection of his thriving colony. During the King Philip War (1675-1676), Providence was burned, but Williams saw the city rebuilt before his death circa 1683.
Resources:
Colonial America 1492-1763.” Library of Congress. 9 October 2007. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/colonial/williams_4
Roger Williams Family Association. “Roger Williams: A Brief Biography.” 9 October 2007. http://www.rogerwilliams.org/biography.htm
Roger Williams. 9 October 2007. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~sam/roger.html
