Born in Newport, Rhode Island, WILLIAM CHANNING GIBBS rose to the rank of Major General in the state militia. He represented Newport in the General Assembly from 1816 until 1820. During his three gubernatorial terms, the question of expanding suffrage was placed on the state ballot but rejected. During Gibbs’ final year as governor, a Constitutional Convention drafted a document that addressed voting rights irregularities, but voters rejected any change to the Constitution.