Declaration Signer William Ellery War - Dated Autograph Letter Signed To Daughter
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:16338855 | Autograph Authentication: RR Auction |
| Original/Reproduction: Original | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
| Signed by: William Ellery |
WILLIAM ELLERY. William Ellery (1727–1820) replaced SamuelWard as the Rhode Island delegate to the Continental Congress in 1776 and latersigned the Declaration of Independence. Duringthe War of 1812, Newport and the coast of Rhode Island were very vulnerable tonaval attack and Ellery and his family temporarily relocated inland forsafety. News of the signing of theTreaty of Ghent in December 1814 did not reach Newport until mid-February 1815.AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED B...Y WILLIAMELLERY TO HIS DAUGHTER IN THE WAKE OF THE END OF THE WAR OF 1812Awarm personal autograph letter signed by “Wm. Ellery” to his daughter“Philadelphia Ellery” in the wake of the end of the War of 1812. Ellery expresses pleasure that the war hasended, “I…am glad to find that Belinda is willing to perform her promise tolive with us when peace shall take place, ” and complains that the bad weathermakes it hard to fix a date for his arrival at Providence, but he outlinesplans for their rendezvous at Newport, “the weather has been so cold since youwrote your letter and the roads so bad, and made worse by the snow that felllast night, that it is impossible for me to fix upon the time when I shall beat Providence…Your brother W., and wife and daughter attended by EdwardChanning arrived at Newport last Saturday...Be yourself at Providence as soonas you conveniently can.”. After Elleryreceives news that family members are coming to Newport, he notes that, “Mr.Timmy has gone again to Hartford, and does not mean to live at Newport, the airthere not suiting his health so well as that of the country.”.“I…AM GLAD TO FIND THAT BELINDA ISWILLING TO PERFORM HER PROMISE TO LIVE WITH US WHEN PEACE SHALL TAKE PLACE…THEWEATHER HAS BEEN SO COLD SINCE YOU WROTE YOUR LETTER AND THE ROADS SO BAD, ANDMADE WORSE BY THE SNOW THAT FELL LAST NIGHT, THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TOFIX UPON THE TIME WHEN I SHALL BE AT PROVIDENCE”Theletter is one page on a bifolium, has been addressed in Ellery’s hand on theintegral leaf, measures 9.5” by 7.75”, was created in Worcester on March 23, 1815, and is in very good condition with the once removed signature andsentiment professionally replaced. Inaddition, the letter comes from the collection of Richard Newell and has beenauthenticated by and is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity from RRAuction, the leading autograph auction house in the world. Two similar Ellery letters addressed to hischildren sold for $2, 760 at Swann Auction Galleries in May of 2005 and $1, 875at Freeman’s Auction in September of 2012.
