William Wolcott Ellsworth (November 10, 1791 – January 15, 1868) was a Yale-educated attorney who served as the 30th governor of Connecticut, a three-term United States Congressman, a justice of the State Supreme Court.
On September 14, 1813, he was married to Emily S. Webster, eldest daughter of Rebecca Greenleaf and Noah Webster Jr., publisher of dictionaries. Noah Webster named Ellsworth as one of the executors of his will of 1843.[4]
Careeredit
Old State House, Hartford, where William Wolcott Ellsworth served as governor
Ellsworth was appointed professor of law at Trinity College in 1827, which position he held until his death. His law partner starting in 1817 was his brother-in-law Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme CourtThomas Scott Williams, who was elected to the U.S. Congress that year and sought a younger partner to manage his practice in his absence. (Judge Williams was married to Ellsworth's sister.)[5] Aged 26, Ellsworth took up the reins of Congressman Williams' law practice, the largest in the state.
Ellsworth was elected governor of Connecticut 1838–1842. During his tenure, a progressive method for voter registration was constituted and a school commission was founded.[7]
In 1847, Elsworth became judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court and served from 1847 to 1861, when, by the constitutional provision relative to age, he retired. He twice declined to accept the nomination to the United States Senate, and retired from public life.
Deathedit
Ellsworth died in Hartford on January 15, 1868. The former Congressman and Governor is interred at the Old North Cemetery in Hartford.[8]
The lawyer and orator Rufus Choate said of Ellsworth before the Massachusetts General Assembly: "If the land of Shermans, Griswolds, Daggets and Williams, rich as she is in learning and virtue, has a sounder lawyer, a more upright magistrate, or an honester man in her public service, I know not his name."
^Litchfield Law School Students, Litchfield Historical Society, litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org
^The Governors of Connecticut, Frederick Calvin Norton, Connecticut Magazine Co., Hartford, 1905
^The inaugural message sent on the new Morse telegraph was dictated by Anna G. Ellsworth, daughter of Ellsworth's twin Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, whose wife suggested the text: "What hath God wrought."
^"William W. Elsworth". Litchfield Historical Society. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
^Chief Justice Williams, Memorials of Connecticut Judges and Attorneys as Printed in the Connecticut Reports, Vol. 29, Pages 611–614, Connecticut State Library, cslib.org 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
^"William W. Ellsworth". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
^"William W. Ellsworth". National Governors Association. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
^"William W. Ellsworth". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
william, ellsworth, this, article, about, american, congressman, other, people, named, william, ellsworth, william, ellsworth, geophysicist, william, wolcott, ellsworth, november, 1791, january, 1868, yale, educated, attorney, served, 30th, governor, connectic. This article is about American Congressman For other people named William L Ellsworth see William Ellsworth geophysicist William Wolcott Ellsworth November 10 1791 January 15 1868 was a Yale educated attorney who served as the 30th governor of Connecticut a three term United States Congressman a justice of the State Supreme Court William Wolcott Ellsworth30th Governor of ConnecticutIn office May 2 1838 May 4 1842LieutenantCharles HawleyPreceded byHenry W EdwardsSucceeded byChauncey Fitch ClevelandMember of the U S House of Representatives from Connecticut s At large districtIn office March 4 1829 July 8 1834Preceded byDavid PlantSucceeded byJoseph TrumbullPersonal detailsBornNovember 10 1791Windsor ConnecticutDiedJanuary 15 1868 1868 01 15 aged 76 Hartford ConnecticutPolitical partyWhigRepublicanSpouseEmily S WebsterChildren6Alma materYale College Litchfield Law SchoolProfessionLawyer politician judge Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 3 Death 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBiography edit nbsp Emily WebsterBorn in Windsor on November 10 1791 Ellsworth was the son of Founding Father Oliver Ellsworth and son in law of Noah Webster who named Ellsworth executor of his will His twin brother was Henry Leavitt Ellsworth first Commissioner of the United States Patent Office He completed preparatory studies and graduated from Yale College in 1810 He studied law at Tapping Reeve s Litchfield Law School in Litchfield was afterwards admitted to the bar in 1811 1 Among Ellsworth s Yale classmates was Samuel F B Morse whose idea of the telegraph would later be championed by Ellsworth s twin brother Henry Leavitt Ellsworth during his term as the first Commissioner of the U S Patent Office 2 3 On September 14 1813 he was married to Emily S Webster eldest daughter of Rebecca Greenleaf and Noah Webster Jr publisher of dictionaries Noah Webster named Ellsworth as one of the executors of his will of 1843 4 Career edit nbsp Old State House Hartford where William Wolcott Ellsworth served as governorEllsworth was appointed professor of law at Trinity College in 1827 which position he held until his death His law partner starting in 1817 was his brother in law Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court Thomas Scott Williams who was elected to the U S Congress that year and sought a younger partner to manage his practice in his absence Judge Williams was married to Ellsworth s sister 5 Aged 26 Ellsworth took up the reins of Congressman Williams law practice the largest in the state As an Anti Jacksonian Ellsworth was elected to the Twenty first Twenty second and Twenty third United States Congresses and served from March 4 1829 to July 8 1834 when he resigned 6 Ellsworth was elected governor of Connecticut 1838 1842 During his tenure a progressive method for voter registration was constituted and a school commission was founded 7 In 1847 Elsworth became judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court and served from 1847 to 1861 when by the constitutional provision relative to age he retired He twice declined to accept the nomination to the United States Senate and retired from public life Death editEllsworth died in Hartford on January 15 1868 The former Congressman and Governor is interred at the Old North Cemetery in Hartford 8 The lawyer and orator Rufus Choate said of Ellsworth before the Massachusetts General Assembly If the land of Shermans Griswolds Daggets and Williams rich as she is in learning and virtue has a sounder lawyer a more upright magistrate or an honester man in her public service I know not his name See also editOliver Ellsworth Henry Leavitt EllsworthReferences edit Litchfield Law School Students Litchfield Historical Society litchfieldhistoricalsociety org The Governors of Connecticut Frederick Calvin Norton Connecticut Magazine Co Hartford 1905 The inaugural message sent on the new Morse telegraph was dictated by Anna G Ellsworth daughter of Ellsworth s twin Henry Leavitt Ellsworth whose wife suggested the text What hath God wrought William W Elsworth Litchfield Historical Society Retrieved 30 November 2012 Chief Justice Williams Memorials of Connecticut Judges and Attorneys as Printed in the Connecticut Reports Vol 29 Pages 611 614 Connecticut State Library cslib org Archived 2007 10 19 at the Wayback Machine William W Ellsworth Govtrack US Congress Retrieved 30 November 2012 William W Ellsworth National Governors Association Retrieved 30 November 2012 William W Ellsworth The Political Graveyard Retrieved 30 November 2012 External links editUnited States Congress William W Ellsworth id E000150 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Litchfield Historical Society William W Ellsworth at Find a Grave nbsp Wikisource has the text of an 1879 American Cyclopaedia article about William W Ellsworth National Governors Association The Political Graveyard Govtrack US Congress Party political officesPreceded byGideon Tomlinson Whig nominee for Governor of Connecticut1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 Succeeded byRoger Sherman BaldwinPolitical officesPreceded byHenry W Edwards Governor of Connecticut1838 1842 Succeeded byChauncey Fitch ClevelandU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byDavid Plant Member of the U S House of Representatives from Connecticut s at large congressional district1829 1834 Succeeded byJoseph Trumbull Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William W Ellsworth amp oldid 1159246081, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
