Ellery, William (1727-1820) to George Wanton Ellery
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02300.22 Author/Creator: Ellery, William (1727-1820) Place Written: Newport, Rhode Island Type: Autograph letter Date: 24 April 1806 Pagination: 2 p. 21 x 17 cm Order a Copy
Written to his son at Captain Barney's School in Wickford, Rhode Island. Thanks him for his letter. He has no objection to his learning to dance, for it will make him easy and graceful. If the fee is to be paid at entrance to dancing studies, Ellery asks George to ask Mr. Updike to advance it. Warns him not to let the dancing interfere with his studies. Aunt Burt in Bristol is seriously ill. Dean's wife died yesterday, leaving a "husband, and her eleven children many of whom are quite young. Every death should be a memento to us to be prepared for death, who spares no age nor condition of life." Ellery sends regards to his Wickford friends. A Member of the Continental Congress from 1776 until 1785, William Ellery was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was Collector of the Port of Newport from 1790 until 1820.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.