Hon. William Binney, son of Hon. Horace and Elizabeth (Cox) Binney, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., April 14, 1825. He was educated there, and entered Yale University, but was prevented from finishing his course by ill health, and left in his junior year. In 1849 he received the honorary degree of Bachelor of Arts from Yale, and in 1866 that of Master of Arts. He also received the degree of Master of Arts from Brown University in 1856. After leaving college, Mr. Binney studied law in Philadelphia, and was there admitted to the bar. He rapidly achieved prominence in his profession, and became known as a lawyer of considerable ability. In 1853 he removed to Providence, R. I., and there resided until he built his home in Newport, R. I., in 1883-84. He practiced his profession with great success in Providence until the year 1867. In this year he was the principal organizer and founder of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company of Providence, the first trust company organized in New England. He became the first president of the corporation, and held that office until his retirement in 1881, retaining his place on the board of directors until his death.

During his residence in Providence, Hon. William Binney was one of the most prominent citizens in public life. From June, 1857, to January, 1874, he was a member of the Common Council and served as its president from 1863 to 1871, and during his service in that capacity drew up the present charter of the city of Providence. He was a deep student of economic, civic, political and social conditions, and wrote largely on these questions, in the newspapers of the city and State. Shortly before his death he wrote to the 'Providence Journal' a letter advocating a public market. Mr. Binney was at one time a member of the General Assembly of Rhode Island. Among interesting family heirlooms in his possession were an oil portrait of Avis (Engs) Binney, his great-great-grandmother, and an excellent portrait of his father by Sully, and a miniature by Brown. Mr. Binney died April 23, 1909, at his home in Providence, R. I.

The following appreciation of Hon. William Binney is taken from an article published after his death:

'For him not merely his college life at Yale in the forties, but repeated residences in Europe, as well as close association with some of the most eminent men of his time, supplied the educative influences which underlie and explain his career. With three of the New England colleges he was intimately linked, either by the personal tie of undergraduate study or by inherited interest, drawn from the earlier generations, and classical studies at all times made a strong appeal to him. And yet these were not the only studies nor the only interests which claimed his attention. The civic sense was at all times strong in him, and he found a keen pleasure - as more than once happened - to be able to render a signal service to the community. * * * The community can ill afford to spare one who, exemplifying these ancient ideals of scholarship, of gentle dignity, of reverence and sincerity, of honor and integrity, of sanity and good taste, has been living among us, quietly to be sure, but with a steady influence, nevertheless on his own time.'

Mr. Binney married (first), June 14, 1848, Charlotte Hope Goddard, born ecember 1, 1824, died April 26, 1866, daughter of William and Charlotte Rhoda (Ives) Goddard, of Providence, R. I. He married (second), April 19, 1871, Josephine Angier, born March 25, 1840, daughter of Rev. Joseph and Elizabeth (Rotch) Angier, of Milton, Mass. Mrs. Binney survives her husband and resides in Providence. Children by first wife: 1. Hope Ives, born May 10, 1849; married, Dec. 1, 1870, Samuel Powel, Jr., of Philadelphia, born Nov. 9, 1848, died April 1, 1902; their children were: i. Samuel Powel, born Nov. 23, 1884; married, April 15, 1909, Elsa Putnam, born March 13, 1887; children: Samuel Powel, born Sept. 4, 1910; Elizabeth Otis, born Oct. 5, 1913; and Grace Putnam, born Jan. 11, 1918. ii. Thomas Ives Hare Powel, born Sept. 2, 1887. Mrs. Powel survives her husband and resides on Gibbs avenue, Newport, and on Brown street, Providence, R. I. 2. Mary Woodrow, born Dec. 14, 1856; married, Feby. 12, 1880, Sidney Frederick Tyler; children: i. Charlotte Hope Tyler, born Jany. 5, 1881, married Feby. 12, 1902, Robert Leaming Montgomery, of Philadelphia, and had: Helen Hope, born April 8, 1903; Mary Binney, May 19, 1907; Alexander Arnulph, May 7, 1911; Charlotte Ives, Dec. 28, 1912. ii. George Frederick Tyler, born Aug. 10, 1883; married Stella Van Tuyl Elkins, April 27, 1905, and had: Sidney Frederick, born July 20, 1907, Molly Elkins, born Sept. 15, 1910, and George Frederick, Jr., born April, 1914. 3. William, Jr., born July 31, 1858; married, July 14, 1881, Harriet D'Costa Rhodes. 4. Horace, born May 18, 1860; a graduate of Harvard, 1883; married, April 20, 1888, Marie Sorchan, of Paris, France; children: i. Marie Sorchan, born April 10, 1889, died in Feby., 1891. ii. Horace, Jr., born April 6, 1905.
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Parents:
. Horace Binney
. Elizabeth Cox

Marriages:
[1] Charlotte Hope Goddard, 14 Jan 1848
[2] Josephine Angier, 19 Apr 1871

Children with Charlotte Hope Goddard:
1. Hope Ives Binney Powell (1849 - 1922)
2. John W. Binney (1850 - 1872)
3. Mary Woodrow Binney Tyler [1856-1884]
4. William Binney Jr. (1858 - 1921)
5. Horace Binney (1860 - 1937)