History Bytes: The Great Seal of Rhode Island

May 23, 2013
Rhode Island Military Commission signed and sealed by Governor William Greene 1743, possibly printed by Ann Franklin. From the Newport Historical Society's collections.

Rhode Island Military Commission signed and sealed by Governor William Greene 1743, possibly printed by Ann Franklin. From the Newport Historical Society's collections.

As we celebrate the 1663 King Charles Charter and approaching Flag Day, we are reminded of an important symbolic element of government: The Great Seal of Rhode Island. This simple heraldic device of a shield with an anchor first appeared as a doodle in the records of the General Assembly. Penned in May 1647 by William Dyre, Secretary, it accompanied the resolution “The Seale of the Province shall be an Anchor.” After that time, all official Rhode Island documents included the seal as printed, embossed or stamped in wax. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of William Dyre’s record, the Rhode Island State Flag, as we know it today, was officially adopted in 1897.