John Sanford (governor)

A divisive religious controversy arose in Boston, and Sanford was disarmed for supporting his mother-in-law Anne Hutchinson, who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

[4] In October 1630, the younger Winthrop met Captain Pierce of the ship Lyon, and made arrangements for loading provisions destined for the colonies.

[4] The following month, Captain Pierce reported that the ship was fully laden with supplies, and it set sail in December with mostly cargo, but also 20 or more passengers, including Roger Williams.

[6] With his military background, he was appointed the following year to assess the status of ordnance, powder, and shot, and to report his findings to the court.

Sanford's mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson (from his second wife Bridget), and her brother-in-law, John Wheelwright, were attracting many converts to their religious views which were at odds with the rigid Puritan dogma.

In November 1637 Sanford and other supporters were disarmed when their guns, pistols, swords, powder, and shot were to be delivered to the authorities because the "opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England.

"[6] In 1640 he was one of the Portsmouth men selected to effect the reunion of his town with Newport, and at the same time was chosen as Constable,[7] then the following year was made a freeman of the colony.

Coddington then became Governor of the island towns in 1651, and in June of that year Sanford was chosen as the head magistrate of Portsmouth.

[9] Sanford married twice, first to Elizabeth Webb, who at one time lived at Groton Manor, the home of John Winthrop in England;[5] this marriage produced two children.