John Collins

John Collins (1717-1795) was the third Governor of Rhode Island, and a member of the Continental Congress from 1778-1780, and again from 1782-1783. As Governor, he cast the deciding vote in the Rhode Island Senate to allow a convention to discuss adopting the Constitution of the United States; thus, he played an instrumental role in Rhode Island's entry into the Union. Collins was elected to the first Congress, but did not take his seat; he died in Newport on March 4, 1795.