William+Ellery

William Ellery was born at Newport, Rhode Island December 1727. He attended Harvard college and graduated when he was only 15 years old. He worked many jobs including a merchant, a collector of customs, and later the clerk of Rhode Island General Assembly. He began to practice law when he was 43. He was in the Rhode Island Sons of Liberty, and was sent to the Continental Congress in 1776 to replace Samuel Ward. Almost immediatley after, he was appointed to the Marine commitee. Meanwhile he held the office of judge of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island. In 1785 he became a strong and vocal advocate for the abolition of slavery. He was appointed First Collector of the port of Newport, under the provisions of the Federal Constitution, where he served until his death in February of 1820. .



William Ellery signed the Decleration of Independence August 2, 1776.

Mr. Ellery continued a member of the congress till 1786, with the exception of the years 1780 and 1782, and, overcoming his natural diffidence, became a ready debater. He was a member of important committees, but did especially good service on the board of admiralty, where he had much influence, and probably originated the plan of fitting out fire ships at Newport.

In 1779 he was a member of a committee to arrange some diplomatic difficulties among the American commissioners to Europe, and was chairman of a committee to consider means of relieving the distress brought upon the Rhode Islanders by the British occupation. In 1782 he presented to congress a plan for organizing a department of foreign affairs. In 1785 he actively supported Rufus King in his effort to abolish slavery throughout the country, seconding King's resolution to that effect. He was appointed commissioner of the continental loan office for Rhode Island in 1786, was for a short period chief justice of the Rhode Island superior court, and from 1790 till his death was collector of Newport, being" retained in the office in spite of frequent and frank avowals of political differences with several administrations**.**