William Ellery Sr.
William Ellery Sr. (31 October 1701 – 15 March 1764) was a merchant and politician in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations during the mid-18th century.
William Ellery Sr. | |
|---|---|
| 31st Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | |
| In office 1748–1750 | |
| Governor | William Greene |
| Preceded by | William Robinson |
| Succeeded by | Robert Hazard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 October 1701 Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay |
| Died | 10 March 1764 (aged 62) Newport, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
| Resting place | Common Burial Ground |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Almy |
| Children | Benjamin, William, Ann, Christopher |
| Occupation | Merchant, Judge, Assistant, Deputy Governor |
Biography
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.[1] From 1738 to 1740 he served as a Newport Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace.[2] He later served as an assistant and Deputy Governor of the colony.[1]
William and Elizabeth had six children, four of whom grew to maturity. His second son, William Ellery, 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.[1]
References
- Babson 1860, pp. 84-85.
- Smith 1900, pp. 78,80,82.
Bibliography
- Babson, John J. (1860). History of the Town of Gloucester, Cape Ann... Gloucester, Massachusetts: Proctor Brothers.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Smith, Joseph Jencks (1900). Civil and Military List of Rhode Island, 1647-1800. Providence, RI: Preston and Rounds, Co. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
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CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Further reading
- Bicknell, Thomas Williams (1920). The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol.3. New York: The American Historical Society.