May 18, 1631 -- John Winthrop becomes the "first" Governor of Massachusetts

Portrait of Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop. It was held in the Winthrop family until the 19th century, when it was donated to the American Antiquarian Society. (Public Domain)

History is more than a collection of names and dates, but at least as to names and dates, it tends to be accurate, right?  Well, maybe not.

John Winthrop (January 12, 1587/88– March 26, 1649) was an English Puritan lawyer and one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the second major settlement in New England following Plymouth Colony.  Winthrop led the first large wave of colonists from England in 1630

and served as governor for 12 of the colony's first 20 years. His writings and vision of the colony as a Puritan "city upon a hill" dominated New England colonial development, influencing the governments and religions of neighboring colonies.  He is also generally identified as the first Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  But was he?

When Winthrop arrived in the colony, another man, John Endecott, had already been appointed as Governor.  But Endicott was not the sole Governor.  Instead, he was the "Governor in the Colony," while another many, Matthew Craddock was the "Governor in the Company" in London.  Due to a political crisis in England which caused King Charles I to dissolve Parliament, Craddock proposed that the split governorship be transferred to the Colony under a single office.  Craddock did not want to emigrate, and Winthrop was chosen from among three candidates. 

Thus, Winthrop was the "first" Governor who did not share the office.  Both Winthrop and Endecott served many additional terms as Governor.