Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Ellery, William, 1727-1820 to George Wanton Ellery

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02300.06 Author/Creator: Ellery, William, 1727-1820 Place Written: Newport, Rhode Island Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 16 June 1803 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; Height: 21 cm, Width: 17 cm Order a Copy

Written to his son at Captain Barney's School in Wickford, Rhode Island. Mentions Dr. Pearson, a professor at Harvard College, who visited Wickford. Uses George's fishing mishap, a dogfish snapping his line, as a metaphor to teach a lesson about dog-like men giving one trouble in life. Corrects his spelling and grammar, but also commends George for his improved spelling and writing. 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.

Ellery, William, fl. 1802-1806

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources