William Ellery 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.
13 Facts About William Ellery
2.
William Ellery received his early education from his father, a merchant and Harvard College graduate.
3.
William Ellery graduated from Harvard College in 1747, where he excelled in Greek and Latin.
4.
William Ellery then returned to Newport where he worked first as a merchant, next as a customs collector, and then as clerk of the Rhode Island General Assembly.
5.
William Ellery started practicing law in 1770 at age 43 and became active in the Rhode Island Sons of Liberty.
6.
Statesman Samuel Ward died in 1776, and William Ellery replaced him in the Continental Congress.
7.
William Ellery was a signer of the Articles of Confederation and one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
8.
William Ellery 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.
9.
William Ellery died on February 15,1820, at age 92 and was buried in Common Burial Ground in Newport.
10.
William Ellery died in 1764 in Cambridge and was buried there, and he married Abigail Cary in 1767.
11.
William Ellery had 19 children, and his descendants include Ellery Channing, Washington Allston, William Ellery Channing, Richard Henry Dana, Sr.
12.
William Ellery left a humorous record of his travels from Massachusetts to Philadelphia in 1778 and 1779 that was published in serial form in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
13.
William Ellery is the namesake of the town of Ellery, New York, and Ellery Avenue in Middletown, Rhode Island, is named in his honor.