This vignette is an educational moment in American history. It is about those who made a difference during the Revolutionary War era and how they served our country.
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William Ellery, a small man who spoke wisely, was born on Dec. 22, 1727, in Newport, R.I. Ellery was the second son of William Sr. and Elizabeth’s marriage.
William was an excellent student and was tutored by his father. At 16 years old, William entered Harvard as a legacy student and graduated in 1747.
William wanted to attend law school. Knowing that being a young attorney would not provide a steady income, he decided to go another way by working in his father’s enterprise. Over the next several decades, Ellery became a Rhode Island naval officer and a Master Mason. He also worked as a court clerk and Rhode Island’s General Assembly administrator. These experiences exposed him to deeds, writs, briefs, and other legal forms related to criminal and civil law.
In 1764, William’s father died, leaving him an inheritance. This gift allowed Ellery to study law and pursue other areas of life.
Due to the colonies’ dispute with England over taxes and other essential matters, William joined the “High Sons of Liberty.” In 1770, when he was 42, Ellery began his dream career as an attorney. Being a lawyer led him to be active in resisting the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Intolerable Acts of 1767.
When Samuel Ward, a Continental Congress delegate from Rhode Island, died of smallpox, a special election was called. On May 4, 1776, Ellery was elected for the open seat. As a new representative, he signed the Declaration of Independence with the experienced delegates. Remembering others signing the Declaration, William said, “I was determined to see how they all looked as they signed what might be their death warrant.”
Ellery was never physically injured, but the British retaliated by destroying his property and home in December 1776. In the years that followed, William continued to serve in several ways: Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, member of the Committee of Foreign Relations, and member of the admiralty court, the Marine Committee, and other councils. Ellery also served in positions that considered postal routes, military procurement, wounded Revolutionary War veterans and public affairs.
In his later years, William had other achievements, including advocating “in Rhode Island ratification of the federal constitution.” William also joined the efforts to “abolish slavery throughout the Country” and acquired an affection for theology. George Washington appointed him as the collector of customs from 1790 until he died in 1820. This position was vital as it was the new national government’s primary revenue source. The customs tax was replaced by the federal income tax, which began in 1913 via the 16th Constitutional Amendment.
Ellery continued to be a Renaissance man: “At the time of his death, [William] was sitting in his chair reading De Officiis” about ethics and philosophy. On Feb. 15, 1820, at 92, Ellery died in his Newport home. He was an enduring and righteous patriot who led his state under five presidential administrations. Ellery was buried in Rhode Island’s Common Ground Cemetery in Newport.
Please visit your local Charters of Freedom setting at Konehete Veterans Park in Murphy. A Charters of Freedom setting consists of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. They are on permanent display analogous to the Charters of Freedom in the National Archives in Washington.
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Email david.streater@mymail.barry.edu for paired educational materials.
Dr. David Streater is director of education for Foundation Forward, 501(c)(3). He is a retired college instructor/administrator and a retired probation and parole officer/administrator. In addition, David is a criminologist who has an acute history interest, served in the Navy and is a resident of Burke County.