King's Province

King'S Province was a portion of the mainland of Rhode Island between the Pawcatuck River and Narragansett Bay. Known as the Narragansett Country, it was claimed by Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Attempting to settle the controversy in 1665, a royal commission named this territory King's Province and placed it under the jurisdiction of Rhode Island, although Connecticut still claimed authority over it. The matter was settled when Sir Edmund Andros took possession of both colonies. In 1729 King's Province became Kings County, and in 1781 its name was changed to Washington County, Rhode Island.

Bibliography

Daniels, Bruce C. Dissent and Conformity on Narragansett Bay: The Colonial Rhode Island Town. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1983.

James, Sydney V. Colonial Rhode Island: A History. New York: Scribner, 1975.