Ellery was born in
Rhode Island on December 22, 1727, the second son of
William Ellery Sr. and Elizabeth Almy, a descendant of Thomas Cornell. He received his early education from his father, a merchant and
Harvard College graduate. He graduated from Harvard College in 1747, where he excelled in Greek and Latin. He then 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. He started practicing law in 1770 at age 43 and became active in the Rhode Island
Sons of Liberty. Statesman
Samuel Ward died in 1776, and Ellery replaced him in the
Continental Congress. He was a signer of the
Articles of Confederation and one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The size of his signature on the Declaration is second only to John Hancock's famous signature. Ellery also served as an associate justice of the
Supreme Court of Rhode Island from May 1780 to May 1781, and chief justice from June 1785 to May 1786. He had become an
abolitionist by 1785. He was the first customs collector of the port of Newport under the Constitution, serving there until his death, and he worshipped at the
Second Congregational Church of Newport. Ellery died on February 15, 1820, at age 92 and was buried in
Common Burial Ground in Newport. The Rhode Island Society of the
Sons of the Revolution and the William Ellery Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution make an annual commemoration at his grave on
Independence Day. ==Family and legacy==