Ellery, William, 1727-1820

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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.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Bamberger, Louis, 1855-1944,. Autograph collection, 1683-1929. New Jersey Historical Society Library
creatorOf William Ellery letter, Ellery (William) letter, 1798 Redwood Library & Athenaeum
creatorOf William Ellery account and letter book 1751-1773 Ellery, William account and letter book William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. DS, 1770 May 7, Newport, to Stephen Gardner. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Channing, William Ellery, 1780-1842. Collection of William Ellery Channing manuscripts and letters, 1802-1842. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Autograph letter signed : to Jed. Huntington, 1793 Feb. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Gwathmey collection, 1708-1852 University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Letter, 1783, September 1, Philadelphia, to Benjamin Stelle, Philadelphia. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. William Ellery autograph letter signed, 1780. Maine Historical Society Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS : Newport, R.I., to Benjamin Bourne, 1792 Oct. 22. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Autograph letter signed : Newport, to Jedediah Huntington, 1792 Jun. 19. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Chase, Philip A. Account books, 1862-1915 Peabody Essex Museum
referencedIn Albert C. Greene Papers, 1804-1863 Rhode Island Historical Society
creatorOf Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866,. Jared Sparks collection of documents concerning the American Revolution, 1740-1866. Houghton Library
referencedIn Channing, William Ellery. Papers, 1803-1900. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Letter to James Madison and portrait, 1804 January 19 and n.d. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS (draft), [1820 Jan. 27], Newport, R.I., to William H. Crawford. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf William Ellery notebook New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Seymour, Thomas. A record of the Bonner & Ellery families, who came from England & settled in Boston in early days. New England Historic Genealogical Society
referencedIn Albert H. Small Declaration of Independence Collection (University of Virginia). Portraits of Declaration of Independence signers Thomas Jefferson and William Ellery [manuscript], ca. 1820? University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS, 1782 September 1, to General Miller, Newport. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS, 1803 October 15 : Newport, [R.I.], to [Mrs.] William Stedman, Lancaster, Massachusetts. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Ellery, William. Navigational notes, 1774. Gadsden Public Library
creatorOf Channing family. Papers II, 1732-1909. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Robinson, Elmer E., 1894-1982,. Americana, 1765-1969. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952,. Signers of the Declaration of Independence autograph collection, 1756-1818. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, E-K. Houghton Library
referencedIn Letters and documents of signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1750-1933. Houghton Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Account of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 1818 July 13. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. Letter : [New York], to William Ellery, Newport, R.I., 1790 July 5. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Ellery, William. Account books, 1761-1800. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Channing, Walter, 1757-1827. Walter Channing papers, 1676-1829, bulk: 1788-1827. Massachusetts Historical Society
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Receipt, signed, 1781 Oct. 15. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Autograph letter signed Wm Ellery to: Benjamin Lincoln April 8, 1796. Wellesley College
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Miscellany, 1755-1835 Cornell University Library
creatorOf Channing, William Ellery, 1780-1842. William Ellery Channing papers 1791-1892. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Howe, Warren P. Warren P. Howe papers, 1775-1999. U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center
creatorOf Channing family. Papers, 1685-1915. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Allen, William, family. William Allen family correspondence, 1802-1872 Houghton Library
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 8 -- Letters to Franklin, 1783 December-1786 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Letter to LeRoy Bayard and M. Evers, 1806 Ootober 4. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Autograph File, E, 1564-1961. Houghton Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. Autograph letter signed, 1780 Mar. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. William Ellery letter, 1784. Library of Congress
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Collection of documents concerning the American Revolution, 1740-1866 Houghton Library
creatorOf Channing, William Ellery, 1780-1842. Autograph letter signed : Cambridge, to "Honor'd Sir" [his grandfather William Ellery], 1802 Nov. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS : St. Thomas, to Messrs. John Gould & Company, Boston, 1757 May 3. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. William Ellery notebook, 1896. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Greene, Howard, 1864-1956. Howard Greene papers, 1683-1956. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS, 1765 September 9 : Newport to [Lucy Ellery]. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. William Ellery autograph and letter fragment, 1811 January 14. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Roberdeau, Daniel, 1727-1795. Papers, 1767-1791. Library of Congress
referencedIn Johnson, William Samuel, 1727-1819. Papers, 1753-1802. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Ellery, William, 1727-1820. ALS, 1776 June 21, Philadelphia, Pa., to Gov. Nicholas Cooke. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Henry A. Willard II Collection, 1743-1888, (bulk 1770-1840) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Allen, William. William Allen family correspondence, 1802-1872 (inclusive), 1802-1850 (bulk). Houghton Library
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Relation Name
associatedWith Albert, Greene person
associatedWith Albert H. Small Declaration of Independence Collection (University of Virginia) corporateBody
associatedWith Allen, William. person
associatedWith Bamberger, Louis, 1855-1944, person
associatedWith Barnes, David L., 1760-1812 person
associatedWith Bartlett, John, fl. 1777-1792 person
associatedWith Bayard, LeRoy, person
associatedWith Bourne, Benjamin, 1755-1808, person
associatedWith Carey, Nathaniel person
associatedWith Channing family. family
associatedWith Channing family. family
associatedWith Channing, Walter, 1757-1827. person
grandparentOf Channing, William Ellery, 1780-1842. person
associatedWith Cooke, Nicholas. person
associatedWith Crawford, William Harris, 1772-1834. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
sibling of Ellery, Benjamin. person
associatedWith Ellery, John. person
associatedWith Ellery, Lucy. person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Evers, M., person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 person
associatedWith Gardner, Stephen. person
associatedWith Gates, Horatio, 1728-1806. person
correspondedWith Goodrich, Chauncey, 1759-1815 person
associatedWith Greene, Howard, 1864-1956. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Harvard University corporateBody
associatedWith Hope (Ship : 1797) corporateBody
associatedWith Hopkins, Stephen, 1707-1785. person
associatedWith Houghton Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Howe, Warren P. person
associatedWith Hubbard, John, collector. person
associatedWith Huntington, Henry Edwards, 1850-1927, person
associatedWith Huntington, Jed, person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith John Gould & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Johnson, William Samuel, 1727-1819. person
associatedWith Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810. person
associatedWith Madison, James, 1751-1836, person
associatedWith Mowry, Daniel, 1729-1806. person
correspondedWith Roberdeau, Daniel, 1727-1795. person
associatedWith Robinson, Elmer E., 1894-1982, person
associatedWith Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952, person
associatedWith Seymour, Thomas. person
associatedWith Snow (Ship) corporateBody
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Stedman, Almy. person
associatedWith Stelle, Benjamin, person
associatedWith United States. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Attorney (Rhode Island) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Continental Army. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Continental Congress. Board of War and Ordnance. corporateBody
associatedWith United States Custom House (Newport, R.I.) corporateBody
associatedWith Various. corporateBody
associatedWith Wadsworth, Daniel, 1771-1848. person
associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799. person
associatedWith Willard, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1902- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Newport RI US
Newport RI US
Cambridge MA US
Subject
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
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Jurists
Lawyers
Merchants
Activity

Person

Birth 1727-12-02

Death 1820-02-15

Male

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Greek, Modern (1453-)

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