WENTWORTH, SIR John, English colo nial governor of New Hampshire. and after ward of Nova Scotia: b. Portsmouth, N. H.. 9 Aug. 1737; d. Halifax, N. S., 8 April 1820. He was a nephew of Benning Wentworth (q.v.). He was graduated at Harvard in 1755, being a classmate of John Adams, became a mer chant, and in 1765 was the agent of New Hampshire to present petitions in England While there he was appointed to succeed Ben ning Wentworth as governor of New Hamp shire. At the same time he was made 'sur veyor of the king's woods' for all North America. Having landed at Charleston, S. C.. in March 1767. he traveled through the colonies, registering in each his commission as surveyor, and arrived at Portsmouth in The office of governor was at that time an ex tremely difficult one by reason of the increasing discontent of the colonists. At the first. Went worth's administration was very popular. He remonstrated against the taxes imposed by the English government, but sought to maintain the loyalty of the colony, and was successful in pre venting the assent of Portsmouth to the non importation agreements until 1770. In this he was aided by the fact that the Portsmouth mer chants were disinclined to forego such profits as they might still obtain despite the crippled state of commerce. When the last attempt was
made to compel the colonies to receive East In dian tea, he took advantage of lack of in structions from the government, and had the consignee reship the cargo to. Halifax. His au thority ended, however, when it was learned that he had endeavored to comply with the re quest of General Gage to obtain carpenters to construct barracks for the British troops at Boston, after Massachusetts workmen had re fused the task. On 14 Dec. 1774 an armed at tack was made on Fort William and Mary (now Fort Constitution) on Great Island, at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor, and 100 barrels of powder and some cannon and muskets were taken. Wentworth finally found it advisable to withdraw to the fort, and then to a warship in the harbor. At the Isle • of Shoals he prorogued the assembly, his last offi cial act. He went to Boston, and thence to England. From 1792 to 1808 he was lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia. He was active in the foundation of Dartmouth College. Nine manuscript volumes of his correspondence are in the public records of Halifax. He was made a baronet in 1795.