# List of speakers of the Rhode Island House of Representatives

The speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives is the highest official in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

## History

From 1663 until 1842, Rhode Island's governing state constitution was its original colonial charter granted by King Charles II of England, a political anomaly considering that while most states during the War of Independence and afterwards wrote scores of new constitutions with their newly found independence in mind, Rhode Island instead continued with a document stamped by an English king. By the 1840s, Rhode Island was the only state whose official legal document was passed by a foreign monarch and the document essentially restricted voting rights to a very small population of elite, rural, landowning native-born white males.
In September 1842, a Constitutional Convention was held at the Colony House in Newport to confront the issue of expanding suffrage. When the constitution was put to a public vote in November 1842, voters rejected that voting rights should be restricted to whites only by a three to one margin, thus making Rhode Island the first state to grant suffrage to African-Americans. The new constitution was ratified and the constitution became effective in May 1843.

### Selection

The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation.

## List of speakers
### Colonial period

| Speaker | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
| Jonathan Holmes | Oct. 1696 | Oct. 1698 | | |
| Joseph Jenckes Jr. | Oct. 1698 | Feb. 1699 | | Founder of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; his son, Joseph, became the Colony's governor |
| Benjamin Newberry | Feb. 1699 | Apr. 1700 | | |
| Jonathan Holmes | Apr. 1700 | May 1703 | | |
| Benjamin Barton | Oct. 1703 | May 1704 | | |
| John Rogers | May 1704 | Oct. 1704 | | |
| John Dexter | Oct. 1704 | May 1705 | | |
| William Wanton | May 1705 | May 1706 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| Benjamin Arnold | May 1706 | Feb. 1707 | | |
| John Wanton | Feb. 1707 | May 1707 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1740; brother to William Wanton |
| Joseph Jenckes | May 6, 1707 | May 28, 1707 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1732 |
| James Greene | May 1707 | Oct. 1707 | | |
| Richard Arnold | Oct. 1707 | May 1708 | | |
| Joseph Jenckes | May 1708 | Oct. 1708 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1732 |
| William Wanton | Oct. 1708 | May 1709 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| Simon Smith | May 1709 | Oct. 1709 | | |
| Abraham Anthony | Oct. 1709 | May 1710 | | |
| John Wanton | May 1710 | Oct. 1710 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1740; brother to William Wanton |
| William Wanton | Oct. 1710 | Nov. 1711 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| James Green | Nov. 1711 | Feb. 1712 | | |
| John Spencer | Feb. 1712 | May 1712 | | |
| Ebenezer Slocum | May 1712 | May 1713 | | |
| John Wanton | May 1713 | Oct. 1713 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1740; brother to William Wanton |
| Thomas Frye | Oct. 1713 | Oct. 1714 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| Randall Holden Jr. | Oct. 1714 | May 1715 | | Son of Randall Holden, co-founder of Portsmouth and Warwick |
| William Wanton | May 1715 | Oct. 1715 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| William Hopkins | Oct. 1715 | May 1716 | | Nephew of Benedict Arnold, 1st Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island |
| John Cranston Jr. | May 1716 | Oct. 1716 | | |
| William Wanton | Oct. 1716 | Oct. 1717 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| Thomas Frye | Oct. 1717 | May 1718 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| William Wanton | May 1718 | Oct. 1718 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| Nathaniel Sheffield | Oct. 1718 | May 1719 | | |
| William Wanton | May 1719 | May 1722 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| Thomas Frye | May 1722 | Oct. 1722 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| William Coddington III | Oct. 1722 | Feb. 1723 | | Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island |
| William Wanton | Feb. 1723 | May 1724 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1732 to 1733; brother to John Wanton |
| William Coddington III | May 5, 1724 | May 6, 1724 | | Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island |
| Thomas Frye | May 1724 | Oct. 1724 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| William Coddington III | Oct. 1724 | Oct. 1725 | | Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island |
| Thomas Frye | Oct. 1725 | May 1726 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| William Coddington III | May 1726 | Oct. 1726 | | Nephew of William Coddington Jr. and grandson of William Coddington, both Governors of the Colony of Rhode Island |
| Jeremiah Gould | Oct. 1726 | Aug. 1727 | | |
| Thomas Frye | Aug. 1727 | Oct. 1727 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| Job Greene | Oct. 1727 | Apr. 1728 | | |
| Henry Bull | Apr. 1728 | May 1729 | | Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1721 to 1722; was a great-grandson of Governor Henry Bull |
| Samuel Clarke | May 1729 | Oct. 1729 | | |
| Thomas Frye | Oct. 1729 | May 1730 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1727 to 1729 |
| Samuel Clarke | May 1730 | Oct. 1732 | | |
| George Hazard | Oct. 1732 | May 1733 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1738; father of Carder Hazard and cousin of Robert Hazard |
| Jeremiah Gould | May 1733 | Jun. 1733 | | |
| George Hazard | Jun. 1733 | Jul. 1733 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island from 1734 to 1738; father of Carder Hazard and cousin of Robert Hazard |
| Jeremiah Gould | Jul. 1733 | Oct. 1733 | | |
| Samuel Clarke | Oct. 1733 | May 1734 | | |
| Henry Bull | Apr. 30, 1734 | May 5, 1734 | | Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1721 to 1722; was a great-grandson of Governor Henry Bull |
| William Greene | May 1734 | Oct. 1734 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island in 1743, serving four separate terms for a total of 11 years; father of William Greene |
| Samuel Clarke | Oct. 1734 | Oct. 1735 | | |
| William Robinson | Oct. 1735 | May 1736 | | Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1745 to 1746 and 1747 to 1748 |
| Francis Willett | May 1736 | Oct. 1736 | | |
| Samuel Clarke | Oct. 1736 | May 1737 | | |
| Francis Willett | May 1737 | Oct. 1737 | | |
| Daniel Abbott | Oct. 1737 | May 1738 | | Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1738 to 1740 |
| Thomas Spenser | May 1738 | Oct. 1738 | | |
| Stephen Hopkins | Oct. 1738 | May 1739 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| Francis Willett | May 1739 | Jul. 1739 | | |
| William Greene | Jul. 1739 | Oct. 1739 | | Also served as Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island in 1743, serving four separate terms for a total of 11 years; father of William Greene |
| Stephen Hopkins | Oct. 1739 | May 1740 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| Samuel Clarke | May 1740 | May 1741 | | |
| Stephen Hopkins | May 1741 | Jun. 1741 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| Joseph Whipple | Jun. 1741 | Aug. 1741 | | Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1743 to 1745 and 1746 to 1747; son of Col. Joseph Whipple |
| Stephen Hopkins | Aug. 1741 | Oct. 1741 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| William Robinson | Oct. 1741 | Oct. 1742 | | Also served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1745 to 1746 and 1747 to 1748 |
| Stephen Hopkins | Oct. 1742 | May 1743 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| John Potter | May 1743 | Oct. 1743 | | |
| Joseph Stafford | Oct. 1743 | May 1744 | | |
| Stephen Hopkins | May 1744 | Nov. 1744 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| Peter Bours | Nov. 1744 | Oct. 1746 | | |
| Jeremiah Niles | Oct. 1746 | Feb. 1747 | | |
| Samuel Wickham | Feb. 1747 | Oct. 1747 | | |
| Daniel Jencks | Oct. 1747 | Oct. 1748 | | |
| Thomas Cranston | Oct. 1748 | May 1749 | | Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1762 to 1764 |
| Stephen Hopkins | May 1749 | Aug. 1749 | | Founding Father of the United States, also served as Governor and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence |
| Joshua Babcock | Aug. 1749 | May 1750 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1763 and from 1749 to 1751 |
| Thomas Cranston | May 1750 | May 1757 | | Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1762 to 1764 |
| Benjamin Wickham | May 1757 | Oct. 1757 | | |
| Peter Bours | Oct. 1757 | May 1759 | | |
| Joshua Babcock | May 1759 | Oct. 1759 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1763 and from 1749 to 1751 |
| Job Randal | Oct. 1759 | May 1760 | | |
| Thomas Cranston | May 1760 | May 1762 | | Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1762 to 1764 |
| Daniel Aryault Jr. | May 1762 | Oct. 1762 | | |
| Philip Greene | Oct. 1762 | May 1763 | | |
| John Dexter | May 1763 | May 1764 | | |
| Daniel Aryault | May 1764 | Oct. 1764 | | |
| William Bradford | Oct. 1764 | Oct. 1765 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| Richard Bailey | Oct. 1765 | May 1766 | | |
| William Bradford | May 1766 | May 1767 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| John Cole | May 1767 | Feb. 1768 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1764 to 1765 |
| Metcalf Bowler | Feb. 1768 | Nov. 1776 | | Also served as justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1768 to 1769, 1770 to 1776, and as Chief Justice from 1776 to 1777 |

### Revolutionary War to Present

| Speaker | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
| William Greene | Nov. 1776 | May 1778 | | Also served as 2nd Governor of Rhode Island 1778 to 1786 and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1777 to 1778; son of William Greene |
| Joshua Babcock | May 1778 | Sep. 1778 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1763 and from 1749 to 1751 |
| Stephen Potter | Sep. 1778 | May 1779 | | Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1764 to 1765, 1767 to 1768, and 1779 to 1780 |
| Othniel Gorton | May 1779 | May 1780 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1788 to 1791 |
| William Bradford | May 1780 | Jun. 1780 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| Welcome Arnold | Jun. 1780 | Jul. 1780 | | |
| William Bradford | Jul. 1780 | Oct. 1786 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| Othniel Gorton | Oct. 1786 | Oct. 1788 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1788 to 1791 |
| Joseph Stanton Jr. | Oct. 1788 | Oct. 1789 | Anti-Administration | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807 |
| William Bradford | Oct. 1789 | May 1790 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| Joseph Stanton Jr. | May 1790 | Oct. 1790 | Anti-Administration | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807 |
| Welcome Arnold | Oct. 1790 | May 1791 | | |
| William Bradford | May 1791 | May 1793 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| Welcome Arnold | May 1793 | May 1795 | | |
| Joseph Stanton Jr. | May 1795 | Oct. 1795 | Anti-Administration | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807 |
| Elisha Reynolds Potter | Oct. 1795 | Feb. 1797 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1796 to 1797 and 1809 to 1815; father of U.S. Representative Elisha R. Potter |
| Joseph Stanton Jr. | Feb. 1797 | May 1797 | Anti-Administration | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1790 to 1793 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1801 to 1807 |
| George Champlin | May 1797 | Oct. 1798 | | |
| William Bradford | Oct. 1798 | May 1802 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1793 to 1797 and Deputy Governor of Rhode Island from 1775 to 1778 |
| Elisha Reynolds Potter | May 1802 | Oct. 1802 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1796 to 1797 and 1809 to 1815; father of U.S. Representative Elisha R. Potter |
| Constant Taber | Oct. 1802 | Oct. 1805 | | |
| Isaac Wilbour | Oct. 1805 | May 1806 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1806 to 1807, U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1807 to 1809, Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1819 to 1827 |
| Elisha Reynolds Potter | May 1806 | Feb. 1809 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1796 to 1797 and 1809 to 1815; father of U.S. Representative Elisha R. Potter |
| William Jones | May 1809 | May 1810 | Federalist | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1811 to 1817 |
| Nathaniel Hazard | May 1810 | Oct. 1810 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1819 to 1820 |
| William Jones | Oct. 1810 | May 1811 | Federalist | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1811 to 1817 |
| William Hunter | May 1811 | Feb. 1812 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1811 to 1821, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires/Minister to Brazil from 1835 to 1843 |
| James B. Mason | Feb. 1812 | May 1814 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1815 to 1819 |
| James Burrill Jr. | May 1814 | Oct. 1816 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1817 to 1820, Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1816 to 1817, Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1797 to 1814 |
| Benjamin Hazard | Oct. 1816 | May 1818 | | |
| Nathaniel Hazard | May 1818 | May 1819 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1819 to 1820 |
| James DeWolf | May 1819 | May 1821 | Federalist | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1821 to 1825 |
| Elisha Mathewson | May 1821 | Oct. 1821 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1807 to 1811 |
| Albert C. Greene | Oct. 1821 | May 1822 | Whig | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1845 to 1851 and Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1825 to 1843 |
| Elisha Mathewson | May 1822 | Oct. 1822 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1807 to 1811 |
| Albert C. Greene | Oct. 1822 | May 1825 | Whig | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1845 to 1851 and Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1825 to 1843 |
| Nathaniel Bullock | May 1825 | May 1826 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as Lt. Gov. of Rhode Island from 1842 to 1843 |
| Samuel W. Bridgham | May 1826 | Oct. 1826 | Whig | Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1814 to 1817 and Mayor of Providence from 1832 to 1840 |
| Nathan B. Sprague | Oct. 1826 | Oct. 1827 | | |
| Job Durfee | Oct. 1827 | May 1829 | Democratic-Republican | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1821 to 1825 and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1835 to 1847; father of Thomas Durfee |
| Joseph L. Tillinghast | May 1829 | Oct. 1832 | Whig | Also served as U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1837 to 1843 |
| William Sprague III | Oct. 1832 | May 1835 | Whig | Also served as U.S. Senator from 1842 to 1844 and U.S. Representative from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1835 to 1837 and Governor of Rhode Island from 1838 to 1839 |
| Henry Y. Cranston | May 1835 | Oct. 1835 | Law and Order, Whig | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1843 to 1847 |
| Christopher Allen | Oct. 1835 | Oct. 1836 | | |
| Samuel Y. Atwell | Oct. 1836 | Oct. 1837 | | |
| George Curtis | Oct. 1837 | May 1839 | | Also served as President of the Continental Bank of New York |
| Henry Y. Cranston | May 1839 | May 1841 | Law and Order, Whig | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1843 to 1847 |
| Charles Jackson | May 1841 | May 1842 | Whig | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1845 to 1846 |
| Richard K. Randolph | May 1842 | Oct. 1842 | | |
| Alfred Bosworth | Oct. 1842 | May 1844 | Whig | Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1854 to 1862 |
| Samuel Ames | May 1844 | May 1845 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1856 to 1865 |
| George Gordon King | May 1845 | May 1846 | Whig | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1849 to 1853 |
| Robert B. Cranston | May 1846 | May 1847 | | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1847 to 1849 and from Rhode Island's at-large district from 1837 to 1843 |
| William S. Patten | May 1847 | May 1848 | | |
| Sylvester G. Shearman | May 1848 | May 1849 | | |
| James C. Hidden | May 1849 | May 1851 | | |
| Alfred Bosworth | May 1851 | May 1853 | Whig | Also served as Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1854 to 1862 |
| Thomas Steere | May 1853 | Jan. 1854 | | |
| Benjamin F. Thurston | Jan. 1854 | May 1854 | | |
| Henry Y. Cranston | May 1854 | May 1855 | Law and Order, Whig | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district from 1843 to 1847 |
| Benjamin Fessenden | May 1855 | May 1856 | | |
| Benjamin F. Thurston | May 1856 | May 1857 | | |
| Sullivan Ballou | May 1857 | May 1858 | Republican | Also served as a Major in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry |
| Charles C. Van Zandt | May 1858 | May 1859 | Republican | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880 |
| Wingate Hayes | May 1859 | May 1860 | | Also served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 1861 to 1871 |
| Caesar A. Updike | May 1860 | May 1862 | | |
| Francis W. Miner | May 1862 | May 1863 | | |
| Thomas Durfee | May 1863 | May 1864 | | Also served as Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1875 to 1891; son of Job Durfee |
| Benjamin F. Thurston | May 1864 | Jan. 1865 | | |
| Alexander Farnum | Jan. 1865 | May 1865 | | |
| George L. Clarke | May 1865 | May 1866 | Republican | Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island from 1869 to 1870 |
| Charles C. Van Zandt | May 1866 | May 1869 | Republican | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880 |
| Benjamin T. Eames | May 1869 | May 1870 | Republican | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district |
| Amos Barstow | May 1870 | May 1871 | Whig | Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island from 1852 to 1853 |
| Charles C. Van Zandt | May 1871 | May 1873 | Republican | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1877 to 1880 |
| Edwin Metcalf | 1873 | 1874 | | Also served as Attorney General of Rhode Island |
| Edward L. Freeman | 1874 | 1876 | | |
| Nelson W. Aldrich | 1876 | 1877 | Republican | Also served as a U.S. Senator and in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district |
| Dexter B. Potter | 1877 | 1879 | | President of the Providence Telephone Co. |
| Henry J. Spooner | 1879 | 1881 | Republican | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district |
| John P. Sanborn | 1881 | 1882 | | |
| Francello G. Jillson | 1883 | 1885 | | |
| Ellery H. Wilson | 1885 | 1887 | | |
| Charles E. Gorman | 1887 | 1888 | | |
| George H. Utter | 1888 | 1889 | Republican | Also served as Governor of Rhode Island, Lt. Gov. of Rhode Island, Secretary of State of Rhode Island, in the U.S. House from the 2nd district, and in the Rhode Island Senate |
| Augustus S. Miller | 1889 | 1891 | Democratic | Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island from 1903 to 1905 |
| Adin B. Capron | 1891 | 1893 | Republican | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 2nd district |
| Franklin P. Owen | 1893 | 1894 | | |
| Samuel W. K. Allen | 1894 | 1897 | | |
| J. Edward Studley | 1897 | 1898 | | |
| Frank E. Holden | 1898 | 1901 | | |
| James H. Armington | 1901 | 1903 | | |
| Joseph P. Burlingame | 1903 | 1906 | | |
| Arthur W. Dennis | 1906 | 1907 | Republican | Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island from 1909 to 1910 |
| Roswell B. Burchard | 1907 | 1911 | | |
| William C. Bliss | 1911 | 1912 | Republican | |
| Ambrose Kennedy | 1912 | 1913 | Republican | Also served in U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd district |
| Frank F. Davis | 1913 | 1915 | Republican | |
| Frank H. Hammill | 1915 | 1919 | Republican | |
| Arthur P. Summer | 1919 | 1920 | Republican | |
| William R. Fortin | 1920 | 1923 | Republican | |
| Philip C. Joslin | 1923 | 1927 | Republican | |
| Roy Willard Rawlings | 1927 | 1933 | Republican | Father of Rob Roy Rawlings and Lucy Rawlings Tootell |
| William E. Reddy | 1933 | 1937 | Democratic | |
| James H. Kiernan | 1937 | 1939 | Democratic | |
| Hugo A. Clason | 1939 | 1941 | Republican | |
| Harry F. Curvin | 1941 | 1964 | Democratic | |
| Alfred U. Menard | 1964 | 1965 | Democratic | |
| John J. Wrenn | 1965 | 1969 | Democratic | |
| Joseph A. Bevilacqua | 1969 | 1976 | Democratic | Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court |
| John J. Skiffington Jr. | 1976 | 1977 | Democratic | |
| Edward P. Manning | 1977 | 1980 | Democratic | |
| Matthew J. Smith | 1980 | 1988 | Democratic | |
| Joseph DeAngelis | 1988 | 1992 | Democratic | |
| John B. Harwood | 1993 | 2002 | Democratic | |
| William J. Murphy | 2003 | 2010 | Democratic | |
| Gordon Fox | 2010 | 2014 | Democratic | Resigned following an FBI raid on his office and home |
| Nicholas Mattiello | 2014 | 2021 | Democratic | |
| Joe Shekarchi | 2021 | Present | Democratic | |