William Ellery
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WILLIAM ELLERY William Ellery, Harvard-educated signer of the Declaration of Independence, a lawyer, grandfather both of the Reverend William Ellery Channing and of Richard Henry Dana, Sr. 1643 William Ellery’s great-grandfather William Ellery was born in Bristol, England. In 1662 he would emigrate to Glocester, Massachusetts. This family would wind up in Newport, Rhode Island. 1662 William Ellery’s great-grandfather William Ellery, who had been born in 1643 in Bristol, England, emigrated to Glocester, Massachusetts. This family would wind up in Newport, Rhode Island. HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY 1727 December 22, Friday (Old Style): William Ellery1 was born at Newport, Rhode Island, a son of Elizabeth Almy Ellery and the merchant William Ellery, Sr., who among other activities engaged in the international slave trade. The father, a product of Harvard College, would provide substantially all of his namesake son’s early education: In regard both to the Reverend William Ellery Channing and to the poet Ellery Channing of Thoreau’s time period in Concord, bear in mind, as everyone else did during this period, that this name was a most famous name, for regardless of whoever gets credit for creating the Declaration of Independence, a William Ellery (1727-1820) later cosigned it on behalf of Rhode Island: New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton 1744 William Ellery matriculated (like his father before him) at Harvard College. 1. William Ellery, grandfather both of the Reverend William Ellery Channing and of Richard Henry Dana, Sr. 2 Copyright 2013 Austin Meredith HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY 1747 Timothy Minott of Concord, son of Timothy Minott, graduated from Harvard College. He would become a physician in Concord. Timothy Minott was born June 18, 1692, a son of James Minott, Esq., and grad. in 1718. He studied divinity, and was licensed to preach the gospel and in that capacity was accustomed to officiate for the Rev. Messrs. Whiting, Bliss and Emerson - in Concord and in many neighbouring churches. He was never ordained but spent most of his life in the more humble, but not less important office of a teacher of youth. His first introduction to this employment was in 1712, before he left college, in the public grammar-school in Concord. He was then engaged at the rate of £20 per year on condition, say the town records, “if any thing should exceed his abilities his father should assist him.” He taught occasionally till 1721 and from that time constantly for above 40 years. According to the town records, for many years, it appears as a condition on which money should be raised to support the grammar school, that “Mr. Timothy Minott undertake the work.” This vote of the town shows that his services were held in high estimation, an opinion which is fully confirmed by tradition. His occupation gave him the title of Master Minott and enabled him to be a very useful man. He was more distinguished, however, for the excellence of his principles and character as a man, and for his faculties as a schoolmaster, than for any peculiar force or elegance as a preacher. He died November 30, 1778 aged 86.2 William Ellery graduated (like his father before him) from Harvard College, and returned to Newport, Rhode Island in order to study for the law. 1750 William Ellery got married with Ann Remington. 2. Lemuel Shattuck’s 1835 A HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CONCORD;.... Boston: Russell, Odiorne, and Company; Concord MA: John Stacy “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project 3 HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY 1764 William Ellery’s father William Ellery, Sr. died leaving him a considerable fortune obtained at least in part from the trade in human beings. Ann Remington Ellery, who had produced seven offspring in fourteen years, died. William would remarry three years later, with Abigail Carey, who would produce for him eight additional offspring. 4 Copyright 2013 Austin Meredith HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY 1765 August 14, Wednesday: The first group of Bostonians to make public protest against the Stamp Act assembled beneath the large elm on the Boston Common.3 They hung effigies of their stamp collector, Andrew Oliver, and of a hellish figure poking at him with its pitchfork, from the branches of this “Liberty Tree.” A poster attached to the Oliver effigy read: FAIR FREEDOM’S GLORIOUS CAUSE I’VE MEANLY QUITTED FOR THE SAKE OF SELF; BUT AH! THE DEVIL HAD ME OUTWITTED, AND INSTEAD OF STAMPING OTHERS, I’VE HANG’D MYSELF. Governor Bernard would need to arrange for the controversial stamped paper that was the basis of the new English tax scheme for the colonies to be stored under guard on Castle Island. 3. At roughly the same time, in Newport, Rhode Island, William Ellery and William Vernon and Henry Marchant were leading in another “Stamp Act Riot.” “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project 5 HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY Meanwhile, American venders of blank paper for official documents were helpfully instructing the public as to the exact location on the sheet at which this official British colonial tax stamp was to be positioned: 1767 William Ellery remarried, with Abigail Carey, who would be adding a further eight offspring to the existing Ellery brood of seven. 1770 At the age of 43, William Ellery took up the practice of law. 6 Copyright 2013 Austin Meredith HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY 1776 March 25, Monday: Governor Samuel Ward of Rhode Island had died of the small pox in Philadelphia just three months prior to the Declaration of Independence, which would have included his signature. Attending him at his deathbed was his slave Cudgoe, whom he had purchased in 1768. His place at the Continental Congress had been taken on March 17th by the newly elected attorney William Ellery of Newport. His remains would be interred in the graveyard of the 1st Baptist Church in Philadelphia (in 1860 they would patriotically be relocated to the Common Burial Ground in Newport). JOHN TRUMBULL You’ll notice instantly that neither Samuel Ward nor Cudgoe are anywhere in this picture. In regard both to the Reverend William Ellery Channing and to the poet Ellery Channing of Thoreau’s time period in Concord, bear in mind, as everyone else did during this period, that this name was a most famous name, for regardless of whoever gets credit for creating the Declaration of Independence, a William Ellery (1727-1820) later cosigned it on behalf of Rhode Island: New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project 7 HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY John Hart, Abraham Clark Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton 1777 Henry Marchant was a member of the Continental Congress (1777-1780, 1783, 1784), representing Rhode Island. CONTINETAL CONGRESS 8 Copyright 2013 Austin Meredith HDT WHAT? INDEX WILLIAM ELLERY WILLIAM ELLERY The marine committee of the congress, which had William Ellery of Rhode Island as a member, recommended, perhaps at his suggestion, that six old vessels be sent out from Rhode Island ports as “fire ships” which were to attach themselves to British warships by means of grapple irons and then destroy them: “If upon due consideration, jointly had by the navy board for the eastern department, and the governor and council of war for the state of Rhode Island, and for which purpose the said navy board are directed to attend upon the said governor and council of war, the preparing fire ships be judged practicable, expedient, and advisable, the said navy board immediately purchase, upon as reasonable