WILLIAM ELLERY Archive of 16 Colonial Documents !

Autographs
WILLIAM ELLERY Original Resource Archive Related to William Ellery Sr. and (Signer) William Ellery, Jr. Comprised of 16 Early Colonial Documents with 26 Pages
BENJAMIN ELLERY & WILLIAM ELLERY, SR. (1701-1764). Father of Signer of the Declaration of Independence for Rhode Island, a member "Son of Liberty", 1776 Delegate to the Continental Congress from RI and on its Marine Committee, Naval Officer for the Colony, and Appointed as Continental Congress Loan Office Commissioner for the State, etc.
WILLIAM ELLERY SR. (1701-1764). Merchant and politician in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations during the mid-18th century.
Extensive Colonial Manuscript Document Original Resource Archive comprised of 16 early Documents with 26 pages including diagrams and land surveys, Fine to Very Fine. There are some typical expected edge chips or splits, yet are mostly boldly written on laid period paper in rich brown ink and primarily very pleasing and are fully readable. These being related to the Family of William Ellery Sr. and later the Signer of Declaration of Independence William Ellery, Jr.. This historic Archive are items from one of the most important and influential from Colonial Rhode Island, impacting the future of history of the United States. Some sample images will be posted in representation of this Archive and additional images can be made available upon request. A sampling of these historic early Colonial Manuscript Documents held within this Archive includes:
- October 31st, 1701 (Land rental) Bond Payment by Samuel Trapp & Samuel Huxford of Marlins Vineyard, Mass. to Benjamin Ellery of Newport, Signed as witness by "Joseph Hoskin and William Ellery" reverse shows Payments with Interest 1724 thru 1734.
- November 7th, 1711 Bond for 20 at Newport by Job Babcock with black wax "N" seal to Benjamin Ellery, witnessed by "William Allen" and "Pegleg Smith".
June 25, 1714 Document docketed: "Capt. Elleries (sic) Loan to James Low (sic=Lewis) in 1714" Signed "Benja. Ellery" and "His Mark - James Lewis Junr." with choice red wax "N" seals.
- December 8, 1714 Money Bond for 600 to Benjamin Ellery from John Hide, witnessed by Jaheel Brenton and Willm. Coddington.
- March 1, 1723 Richard Morris Land Bond, Newport, in "Current Money of New England ... or in Current passable Bills of Public Credit" witnessed by "Wm Mumford and Wm Ellery".
1724/1725 Signed Land Deed by Benjamin Ellery, Newport. "George Wontons Deed of Sale for a house Loot (sic = Lot) of Newport Rhode Island, Recorded by Wm. Coddington by Coram D. Updike Justice.
- March 3rd, 17(25) Monet Bond from Jeremia Little payable to Benj. Ellery.
- Nov. 20th, 1726 Captain Benjamin Ellery Loan Bond for 59 16s with Interest with partial payment noted on the verso Signed, "Benj. Ellery" twice.
1727 Fully Signed, "Benja. Ellery" Gift of Land, a House and Stable from Benjamin Ellery to William Ellery, Sr.
- (c. 1720s not dated) Plan for Houses in Hopkinton and Farm House in Richmond, Diagramed
- (c. 1720s not dated) Building Plans and Expenses dividing Lands next to the Ellery's Farm
- (c. 1750-90s not dated) Letter to William Ellery regarding Building Materials Expenses for a House, breaking down wood needed for frame, roof, windows and number of boards needed for property in Hopkington.
- 1793 Land Rental Agreement for Hopkinton property, as witnessed for Benjamin Ellery, William Ellery, Christopher Ellery & Saml. Vernon.
- (c. 1790s not dated) Two diagrams for a planned Building 19' wide x 16'10" high.
- 1794 Diagram and Plot for: "Judge Stanton's Plat of Hopkington Farm." Stating: "This a Plat of a Tract of Land Lying in Hopkington Containing 3542 acres Formerly belonging to Benjamin Ellery Esqr. - Desc. Surveyed this 14th Day of October by order of Court - 1794 - By Robert Stanton Surveyor." Judge Stanton is Likely Joseph Stanton Jr. (1739-1821) who was a military officer, a United States Senator of the Anti-Federalist faction and a United States Representative of the Democratic-Republican party.
- (c. 1790s not dated) "Wood Lot in Richmond -" description of the location of a property and its exact surveyed size, unknown date of owner.
William Ellery's great grandfather, Sergeant William Ellery, immigrated to New England and was living in Salem, Massachusetts in 1668, and became a successful merchant. William's (the Signer's) grandfather, the Honorable Benjamin Ellery, moved from Bristol to Newport, Rhode Island and became a prosperous merchant. He owned a ferry there, and was Speaker of the House of Deputies and a judge of the County Court. He made a large contribution to build a new church, was a moderator of the Society, and a member of the Newport, RI. Town Council.
The first William Ellery, Sr. was born October 31, 1701 in what was then known as Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay. His parents, the Hon. Benjamin Ellery and Abigail Wilkins were of Gloucester and Bristol, Massachusetts as well as Newport, Rhode Island. In 1722 he graduated from Harvard College and married Elizabeth Almy, a descendant of Thomas Cornell, whose parents were from Newport. This is where the couple settled for the rest of their lives. In Newport, Ellery became a wealthy merchant who was active in civic life. In 1737, he signed his name to the Rules and Regulations of the Literary and Philosophical Society that was established in Newport in 1730 and preceeded the Redwood, as is noted in the Annals. From 1738-1740 he served as a Newport Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace and was elected the 31st Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in 1748. At age 62, he died in March of 1764 in Newport and is buried in the Common Burying Ground. A tribute to his memory that was published at the time of his death was included in the Annals after a brief description of his life in Newport.
Archive of 16 Documents with 26 Pages of text and diagrams.
William Ellery, Sr. (October 31, 1701-March 15, 1764) was a Colonial Rhode Island merchant, judge, and politician who attended Harvard College in 1722 and the father of William Ellery (Jr.), the historic Signer of the Declaration of Independence for Rhode Island and Patriot active as a "Son of Liberty" member. William Ellery, Sr. was the 31st Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in office between 1748 to 1750. Born in Newport, Rhode Island on 22 December 1727, young William was the second son of William Ellery, Sr. and Elizabeth Almy. There were several brothers also named Benjamin Ellery but we have attempted to identify these Document signers as best as time will allow.
William Ellery, Sr. (October 31, 1701 " March 15, 1764) was a merchant and politician in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations during the mid-18th century. He was the third of nine children born to the Hon. Benjamin Ellery and Abigail Wilkins of Gloucester and Bristol, Massachusetts, and Newport, Rhode Island.
He graduated from Harvard College in 1722, and in the same year was married to Elizabeth Almy, the daughter of Job Almy and Ann Lawton of Newport. He became a wealthy merchant in Newport, and in time served in a number of civic capacities. From 1738 to 1740 he served as a Newport Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace. He later served as an assistant and Deputy Governor of the colony.
William and Elizabeth had six children, four of whom grew to maturity. His second son, William Ellery, Jr., became a prominent Newport lawyer, was a member of the Continental Congress, and one of Rhode Island's two Signers of the United States Declaration of Independence.
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William Ellery, Jr. (December 22, 1727 " February 15, 1820) was a Signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Rhode Island. In 1764, the Baptists consulted with Ellery and the Congregationalist Reverend Ezra Stiles on writing a charter for the college that became Brown University. However, Ellery and Stiles attempted to give control of the college to the Congregationalists, but the Baptists withdrew the petition until it was rewritten to assure Baptist control. Neither Ellery nor Stiles accepted appointment to the reserved Congregationalist seats on the board of trustees
The second son of William Ellery Sr. and Elizabeth Almy, William Ellery was born in Newport and received his early education from his father, a merchant and Harvard College graduate. In 1747 William Ellery graduated from Harvard College where he had excelled in Greek and Latin. Ellery 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. Ellery started practicing law in 1770 at the age of 43 and became active in the Rhode Island Sons of Liberty.

After Samuel Ward's death in 1776, Ellery replaced Ward in the Continental Congress. Ellery was among the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Ellery also served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island and by 1785 he had become an Abolitionist. He was the first customs collector of the port of Newport under the Constitution, serving there until his death. Ellery was an active worshipper at the Second Congregational Church of Newport. After his death in 1820 at age 92, William Ellery was buried in Common Burying Ground in Newport.
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Joseph Stanton Jr. (July 19, 1739 " December 15, 1821) was a military officer, a United States senator of the Anti-Federalist faction and a United States Representative of the Democratic-Republican party.
Stanton was born in Charlestown, Rhode Island in 1739. During the French and Indian War he served in the expedition against Quebec 1759. In June 1762 he was appointed captain of the Artillery Company of Westerly, Charlestown and Hopkinton. He represented Charlestown in the Rhode Island General Assembly from 1768 to 1774.
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