Lincoln Chafee

official U.S. Senate photo of Lincoln Chafee

Birth Name: Lincoln Davenport Chafee

Place of Birth: Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.

Date of Birth: March 26, 1953

Ethnicity: English, as well as one eighth Scottish and remote Dutch

Lincoln Chafee is an American politician. He has served as Mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island, from 1993 to 1999, U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, from November 4, 1999 to January 3, 2007, and Governor of Rhode Island, from January 4, 2011 to January 6, 2015. He was a Republican until 2007, then switched to independent, then became a Democrat in 2013, and became a Libertarian in 2019.

He was a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2016, and for the Libertarian Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2020.

Lincoln is the son of Virginia (Coates) and John Chafee (John Lester Hubbard Chafee). Lincoln’s father was Governor of Rhode Island (1963-1969), United States Secretary of the Navy (1969-1972), and a United States Senator from Rhode Island (1976-1999). Lincoln’s paternal great-great-grandfather, Henry Lippitt, was also Governor of Rhode Island (1875-1877), as was his great-great-uncle, Charles W. Lippitt (1895-1897). He is married to Stephanie Birney Danforth, with whom he has three children, including competitive sailor Louisa Chafee.

Lincoln’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to Thomas Chaffee, who was born, c. 1610, in England. Most of Lincoln’s ancestry is English. He also has a Scottish great-grandfather and remote Dutch ancestry.

Lincoln’s paternal grandfather was John Sharpe Chafee (the son of Zachariah/Zechariah Chafee III and Mary Dexter Sharpe). John was born in Maine. Zachariah was the son of Zachariah/Zechariah Chafee, Jr. and Mary Frances Buffington. Lincoln’s great-grandmother Mary Sharpe was the daughter of Lucian Sharpe and Louisa Dexter.

Lincoln’s paternal grandmother was Janet Melissa/Malise Hunter (the daughter of Duncan Thomas Hunter and Abby Frances Lippitt). Janet was born in Rhode Island. Duncan was born in either London, Middlesex, England or in Scotland, to Scottish parents, Archibald Hunter, from Glasgow, and Mary Jane Grahame, from Renfrewshire. Abby was the daughter of Henry Lippitt and Mary Ann Balch.

Lincoln’s maternal grandfather was Winslow Shelby Coates (the son of Arthur Coates and Mary Hendricks Pierce). Winslow was born in New Jersey. Arthur was born in Kidderminster, England, to William Coates and Harriet Wimbury. Mary was the daughter of Winslow Smith Pierce and Jane Thomson Hendricks.

Lincoln’s maternal grandmother was Jane deForest Brush (the daughter of George deForest Brush and Mary Taylor Whelpley). Jane was born in Massachusetts. George was the son of Alfred Clark Brush and Nancy Douglas. Mary was the daughter of James Davenport Whelpley and Mary Louise Breed.

Sources: Genealogy of Lincoln Chafee – http://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Lincoln’s father – https://old.findagrave.com

Obituary of Lincoln’s mother – https://www.golocalprov.com

Marriage record of Lincoln’s maternal great-grandparents, Arthur Coates and Mary Hendricks Pierce – https://familysearch.org