The Farmer-Ellery Connection
William Ellery, immigrant ancestor, born about 1643, at Bristol England, came to Mass., about 1660, settled in Glouscester and died Dec 8, 1696. Some of his descendants have lived there ever since. He was married twice; first, to Hannah Vinson, daughter of William Vinson of Gloucester, in 1663. She died Dec 24, 1675; second, to Mary Coit June 13, 1676, who was born June 4, 1655, the daughter of John Coit and wife Mary, who was the daughter of William Stevens of Gloucester. She died in 1742. William Ellery, the immigrant, is an approved ancestor for membership in the Society of Colonial Wars. There were four children by his first marriage, nine by his second marriage.
A son by his first marriage, Benjamin Ellery, b. 1669, was a wealthy merchant of Newport, R I. Benjamin Ellery was the grandfather of William Ellery, b. Dec 22, 1727, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Chief Justice of R I, Collector of Customs, Newport, RI ., 1780 until his death in 1820. He was a graduate of Harvard College. He was the Uncle of U S Senator Christopher Ellery of RI during Jefferson's administration.
It is said that he stood near the Secretary where he could watch the expression on each Signer's face as he signed the Declaration of Independence, which well might have been their death warrant, and he said each man's expression was one of "undaunted resolution." William Ellery remained a member of Congress until 1786 except for one term. The British burned his home in Newport on account of his activity as a patriot.
A son of William Ellery by his second marriage, Nathaniel Ellery, b. Mar 31, 1683, d. May 30, 1761, was a merchant. He bore the title of Captain from service in Indian Wars. He married Ann, daughter of William Sergent, sister of Col. Epes Sargent, Feb 16, 1721. She was born 1692, d. 1782. Nathaniel and Ann Ellery lived at Gloucester and Cape Ann. They had four sons, William, Nathaniel, Daniel and Epes. Three of them had military service. The fourth son, Daniel, was a sea captain.
Epes, the youngest, was born 1734. He was a Captain in the Rev. Army. He married Alice Foster of Boston, Mass., about 1779. They had two children, Mary b. 1783, m. James Hill 1805; Epes Ellery II, b. July 2, 1780. He moved to Baltimore after his marriage in 1810. He was a goldsmith. He was an Army Captain in the War of 1812, and was wounded at the battle of Fort McHenry, Maryland, in 1814. He died in 1849. His portrait is in the possession of his great, great, great grandson, 11 Ellery F Johnson II, Webster Groves, Mo. He married Ann Bullard (b Oct 16, 1790, D. Aug 16, 1860) Nov. 29, 1810. She was the daughter of John Bullard of Watertown, Mass. After her husband's death she made her home with her son Dr. William Epes Ellery, MD. La Grange, Mo., where she is buried. Epes Ellery II had five children, all were born in Baltimore, Md.
Dr. William Ellery, MD graduated at Jefferson Med College, Philadelphia, Pa. 1877. He practiced medicine in La Grange, Mo., for 53 years, where he waas greatly respected and honored. He married Cora Snapp in 1878, a granddaughter of 7 John G Farmer,I Their children are listed under the Farmer genealogy. His son Dr. William Linton Ellery, MD graduated at Washington Un. Med School, St. Louis, Mo., 1906. He is practicing his profession in La Grange, Mo. as of 1956.
The La Grange Chamber of Commerce designeated May 6, 1956 as "Dr Ellery Day" to honor Dr Ellery on completion of 50 years of medical practice in La Grange, also to commemorate the sixty-six years of medical practice before him of his father and grandfather.
10 Dr. William L Ellery's son, 11 Col Frederick William Ellery, US Army, graduated at US Military Acad. , West Point, MY. 1932. He had a distinguished combat record in Europe in W W II. Since then he has served as an instructor at the Army War College. He was promoted to Brigadier Gen., US Army, Aug 2, 1956.
Dr. William Epes Ellery's daughter, Winfree Ellery, m. 8 John G Farmer, II of La Grange, Mo., Nov 28, 1878. They are the parents of the compiler of this record, 9 Col Ellery Farmer, US Army, Retired. Their children are listed under the Farmer genealogy.
The men of the Ellery family have been professional men, many of them have been university and college graduates.
The following notes are from the diary of a member of the family on the occasion of a visit to Gloucestor in 1922. "In the Sawyer Free Library I found a history of Gloucester published in 1876 by J J Babson. It contained a history of the Ellery family. It gave the inventory of the estate of William Ellery, the immigrant. Two charges against it were, coffin 8 shillings, digging grave 2 shillings. This history gave the location of three houses in Gloucester then owned (1876) by an Ellery and still standing in 1922 in excellent condition. By accident I met Mr. Nathaniel Babson, brother of J J Babson referred to above, and father of Roger Babson, famous economist. He knew Harrison Ellery and worked with him in the preparation of the Ellery pedigree chart. He directed me to what he said was the oldest house in Gloucester, known as the "Old Ellery house", at Washington and Poplar Streets. At the time of this visit it was occupied by Mrs John Ellery (88), nee Sarah Davis, and her daughter and son-in-law named Beaman. Mr. Babson related that in the 1780's, when town meetings were being held on the commons to decide whether the town was for or against adopting the present U S Constitution, the adherents of the two parties - Federalist and Whig - held their caucases, the Federalists in the Ellery house, the Whigs in the Babson house, ancestral home of Mr. Babson, both of which were near the Commons.
"Gloucester Vital Statistics" in the library stated over 200 people named Ellery have been born in Gloucester".
The following account of the Ellery house is from a folder published by the Cape Ann Historical Ass.: "In 1947, the Cape Ann Historical Ass, acquired the old Ellery house located at the Green. This house, a unique example of early Colonial domestic building, had been condemned by the Commonwealth, in its takings for the new highway route 128, but was saved by the cooperation of State and City through the efforts of the Curator of the Cape Ann Historical Ass. It was moved and restored with funds generously contributed by many citizens, friends and summer visitors. Now, with the land it is on, it is the property of the Ass to be maintained in perpetuity. The recent work of restoration revealed that it was built about 1650 or earlier. Rev John White occupied it in 1703 and for some years afterward. For over 200 years, until 1947, it was owned and occupied by members of the Ellery family, which besides several prominent local 18th century merchants produced William Ellery, signer of Declaration of Independence for R I and Dr William Ellery Channing the eminent Unitarian divine". The following letter, dated Feb 20, 1956, is from Mrs. Alan G Hill of the staff of Sawyer Free Library, Gloucester, to the writer: "The Ellery house still stands, when Route 128 was built, the house stood in its path, through the efforst of Mr. Alfred Mansfield Brooks, Curator of the Cape Ann Historical Ass, money was raised to move the house across the street to a knoll standing to the left of the old Babson house. "The house is in excellent condition architecturally and is most attractive in its new position. It is considered as perfect a specimen of its period as there is existing in New England. "At present, the house is opened for inspection at stated times during the summer. The Society hopes eventually to furnish it appropriately and to be able to make it available for use in some capacity."
Get your own Free Home Page