Ellery, William, 1727-1820

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1727-12-02
Death 1820-02-15
Birth 1729
Death 1820
Active 1727
Active 1820
Gender:
Male
Britons, Americans,
Latin, English, Greek, Modern (1453-),

Biographical notes:

William Ellery (December 22, 1727 – February 15, 1820) was a Founding Father of the United States, one of the 56 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence, and a signer of the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Rhode Island.

Born in Newport, Rhode Island, he received his early education from his father before graduating from Harvard College in 1747. After working as a merchant, customs collector, and as clerk of the Rhode Island General Assembly, Ellery started practicing law in 1770 and became active in the Rhode Island Sons of Liberty. Sent to the Continental Congress in 1776 to replace the late Samuel Ward, he was one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The size of his signature on the Declaration is second only to John Hancock's famous signature. In 1778, he was one of the signers of the Articles of Confederation.

Ellery also served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island from May 1780 to May 1781, and chief justice from June 1785 to May 1786. He had become an abolitionist by 1785. He was the first customs collector of the port of Newport under the Constitution, serving there until his death, and he worshipped at the Second Congregational Church of Newport. Ellery died in Newport on February 15, 1820 and was buried in Common Burial Ground there.

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Permalink:
http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m72b9r
SNAC ID:

Subjects:

  • African American consumers
  • Arithmetic
  • Collecting of accounts
  • Customs administration
  • Debts, Public
  • Depreciation
  • General stores
  • Navigation
  • Pennsylvania
  • Privateering
  • Representatives, U.S. Continental Congress
  • Shipping
  • Vegetable gardening
  • Wharves

Occupations:

  • Lawyers
  • Merchants
  • Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
  • Jurists
  • Physicians

Places:

  • RI, US
  • RI, US
  • MA, US
  • Newport (R.I.) (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Rhode Island (as recorded)
  • Connecticut--Hartford (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Rhode Island (as recorded)
  • Rhode Island (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • North America (as recorded)

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