Channing-Ellery Papers

Lawyers and public servants, of Newport, R.I.

Papers, 1694-1841 (bulk 1760-1819)

Size: 5 linear feet

Catalog number: MSS 341

Processed by: Betty Havrylik, Beth Tabor, Arnold Peterson and Rick Stattler, October 1998

©Rhode Island Historical Society

Manuscripts Division

The Channing-Ellery Papers consist largely of the papers of William Ellery (1727-1820) and his son-in-law William Channing (1751-1793).

William Ellery (1727-1820) was a Newport lawyer, merchant, politician and civil servant best known as one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Ellery graduated at Harvard College in 1747, inherited his father's business interests, and began practicing law in 1769. An ardent patriot, Ellery was chosen to fill Samuel Ward's place in the Continental Congress in 1776, where he remained intermittently until 1786. The next four years were spent as Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office, and in 1790 he was appointed Customs Collector at Newport. He remained in this last position until his death thirty years later.

William Channing was born in Newport in 1751, and graduated from Princeton University in 1769. In 1773, he married Lucy Ellery, daughter of William Ellery. Channing was elected Attorney-General of Rhode Island in 1777, and was chosen as the federal District Attorney upon the adoption of the Constitution in 1790. He died in Newport in 1793, leaving nine children, including famed Unitarian clergyman William Ellery Channing (1780-1842).

Fowler, William M. Jr., William Ellery. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1973.

Rogers, L.E., ed., The Biographical Cyclopedia of Rhode Island. Providence, R.I.: National Biographical Publishing Company, 1881.

This collection consists largely of records from Ellery and Channing's legal practices, including notes on court cases, evidence presented, receipts for payment and correspondence relating to cases. There are also papers relating to Ellery's second career in customs, and general financial records from both men. The collection contains few personal papers.

The collection was originally arranged chronologically in eight scrapbooks circa 1903. Thus, much of the original arrangement regarding the case files was lost. Around 1975, the collection was removed from the scrapbooks and placed in archival flat folders, one folder per scrapbook page. Thus, the items are still referred to by volume and page number.

The item catalog was done over the course of two years by four different processors. Volunteer Arnold Peterson entered data for volume 1; Simmons College intern Beth Tabor entered volumes 2 through 5; assistant curator Betty Havrylik entered 6 through 8; and curator Rick Stattler collated the data. Contact the Manuscripts Division for more information on the full item listing.