William Sprague, also known as William III or William Sprague III (November 3, 1799–October 19, 1856), was a politician and industrialist from the U.S. state of Rhode Island, serving as Governor, U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator. He was the uncle of William Sprague IV, also a Governor and Senator from Rhode Island. Sprague was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, and pursued classical studies as a student. He engaged in mercantile pursuits and was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, serving as speaker from 1832 to 1835 and leading a coalition of Anti-Masonry and Democratic Party members.[1] He was elected as an at-large candidate from the Whig Party to the Twenty-fourth Congress and served from March 4, 1835, to March 3, 1837. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1836. He was elected Governor of Rhode Island in 1838. He subsequently was elected as a Whig to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Nathan F. Dixon and served from February 18, 1842, to January 17, 1844, when he resigned. He served as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Enrolled Bills in the Twenty-seventh Congress. He was a U.S. presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1848. His family fortune came from the cotton and paint manufacturing, and he assumed active control of the family business following the murder of his brother Amasa on December 31, 1843. Sprague died in Providence, Rhode Island, and is interred in Swan Point Cemetery there.
References
- Warwick Beacon 29 May 2003 Lifebeats section, "Historic Homes" by Don D'Amato on Sprague's anti-masonic politics
- This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- William Sprague III at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Further reading
- Knight, Benjamin. History of the Sprague Families, of Rhode Island. Santa Cruz: H. Coffin, 1881.
| Preceded by John Brown Francis |
Governor of Rhode Island 1838-1839 |
Succeeded by Samuel Ward King |
| Preceded by Nathan F. Dixon |
United States Senator (Class 1) from Rhode Island 1842–1844 |
Succeeded by John B. Francis |
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| Cooke • Greene • Collins • A. Fenner • H. Smith • Wilbour • J. Fenner • Jones • Knight • Gibbs • J. Fenner • Arnold • Francis • Sprague III • King • J. Fenner • Jackson • Diman • Harris • Anthony • Allen • Dimond • Hoppin • Dyer • Turner • Sprague IV • Cozzens • J. Smith • Burnside • Padelford • Howard • H. Lippitt • Van Zandt • Littlefield • Bourn • Wetmore • Davis • Taft • Ladd • Davis • Ladd • Brown • C. Lippitt • Dyer III • Gregory • Kimball • Garvin • Utter • Higgins • Pothier • Beeckman • San Souci • Flynn • Pothier • Case • Green • Quinn • Vanderbilt • McGrath • Pastore • McKiernan • Roberts • Del Sesto • Notte • Chafee • Licht • Noel • Garrahy • DiPrete • Sundlun • Almond • Carcieri |
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| Class 1: Foster • Potter • Howland • Malbone • Champlin • Hunter • De Wolf • Robbins • Dixon I • Sprague III • Francis • A. Greene • James • Simmons • Arnold • Sprague IV • Burnside • Aldrich • Lippitt • Gerry • Hebert • Gerry • McGrath • Leahy • Pastore • J. Chafee • L. Chafee • Whitehouse Class 2: Stanton • Bradford • R. Greene • Ellery • Fenner • Mathewson • Howell • Burrill • Knight • Simmons • Clarke • Allen • Anthony • Sheffield • Chace • Dixon III • Wetmore • Colt • Metcalf • Green • Pell • Reed |
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