Jeremy Clarke (Governor)

Jeremy Clarke
Jeremy Clarke grave medallion
2nd President of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
In office 1648–1649
Preceded by	John Coggeshall
Succeeded by	John Smith
Personal details
Born	baptized 1 December 1605 East Farleigh, Kent, England
Died	January 1652 Newport, Rhode Island
Resting place	Clifton Burying Ground, Newport
Spouse(s)	Frances (Latham) Dungan
Children	Walter, Mary, Jeremiah, Latham, Weston, James, Sarah
Occupation	Constable, captain, treasurer, assistant, president

Jeremy Clarke (also known as Jeremiah Clarke) (1605–1652) was an early colonial settler and President of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Born into a prominent family in England, he was a merchant who came to New England with his wife, Frances Latham, and four stepchildren, settling first at Portsmouth in 1638, but the following year joining William Coddington and others in establishing the town of Newport. Here he held a variety of civic positions until 1648 when Coddington's election as President of the colony was disputed, and Clarke was chosen to serve in that office instead. He was the father of Walter Clarke, another colonial governor of Rhode Island, and also had family connections with several other future governors of the colony.

Born in central Kent in southeastern England, Jeremy Clarke was the son of William Clarke and Mary Weston. His maternal grandfather was Sir Jerome Weston, Baron of the Exchequer, and his uncle was Richard Weston, 1st Earl of Portland, Lord High Treasurer of England. Clarke was a merchant in London before sailing to New England. While in England he married Frances (Latham) Dungan, the widow of William Dungan, and the daughter of Lewis Latham, and she and her four Dungan children accompanied Clarke to the American colonies. They first settled on Aquidneck Island (later Rhode Island), and Clarke was listed as an inhabitant there in 1638. In April 1639, while living in Portsmouth he was one of nine men who signed a compact, agreeing to establish a government just prior to settling in Newport. In Newport he held a variety of positions from 1639 to 1649, including treasurer, constable, and assistant. In March 1640 he had 116 acres of land laid out for him in Newport, and the same year he was one of three appointed to lay out remaining lands in Newport. In 1642 he was chosen lieutenant of the military in Newport and in 1644 he became captain.