Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/456

 ELLSWORTH

ELMENDORF

Maa^ cM^unrfh^.

ami the dcfrree of A.M. He stiidieii theology one year with Dr. Smalley and then devoted himself to the law, studying under Governor Griswold and Judge Root of Coventry. He was ailniitted to the kir in 1771. and in 1772 was married to Abigail, daughter of William Wolcott of East Wind.sor. He alter- nated farniing with the practice of law at Windsor, 1771-75, and in 1775 removed to Hartford, was ap- pointed state's attor- ney and acquired the most extensive pri- vate practice in Con- necticut. He was a \\'hig in politics and was representative from Windsor in the general assembly in 1775 and one of the committee of mili- tary accounts of the colony. He was one of the seven delegates from Connecticut to the Continental congress and served irregularly, 177S-84, taking his seat in October. 1778. He was on the marine, army supplies, and appeals committees, and on the committee that waited on the president of Pennsylvania to urge him to sup- press the mutiny of the troops. He was a mem- l>er of Governor Trumbull's council, 1780-84, and a judge of the supreme court of the state, 1784-89. He was a member of the Federal convention of 1787. and on his motion the words, " the Govern- ment of the United States," were substituted for " National Government " in the wording of the constitution. He declined to favor a provision for the restriction of slavery on the ground that the question of the morality of the institution as well as of the importation of slaves should be left to the states. He also favored equal state representation in the senate. He was called home on domestic demands before the constitution had been drafted for signatures, and in 1788 he se- cured its ratification by the Connecticut conven- tion, of which he was a member, against powerful opposition. He was a U.S. senator from Connecticut in the 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th congresses, 1789-98. was the leader of the FederalLst party in the senate, and was chairman of the committee that organized the judiciary of the United States; he supported the Jay treaty and secured its approval in the senate. He .supported the policy of the general government, assuming the state debts as proposed by Hamilton, but differed from that financier on some of the details. He favored a national bank and a tax on ardent spirits. He resigned his seat in the senate,

March 4, 1796, to accept the chief justiceship of the United States at the hands of President Washington, to succeed Chief-Justice Rutledge, whose appointment had not been confirmed by the senate. In 1799 President Adams, responding to the recommendation of the senate, appointed liim one of the three envoys extraordinary to France to secure pacific relations with that gov- ernment. He reluctantly consented to serve, doubting the wisdom of the government in send- ing envoys at that time, and sailed for France, Nov. 3, 1799, in the frigate United States. After the successful termination of the negotiations he spent two winters in England and returned to the United States in the sprinc of 1801. He there- upon retired from the supreme bench. He was elected a member of Governor Trumbull's coun- cil in 1802, which council was, by virtue of the constitution, the supreme court of errors — the final court of appeals of the state. In May, 1807, on the reorganization of the judiciary, he was appointed chief-justice of the sujireme court of the state, but the condition of his health forbade his acceptance. He received the degree of LL.D. from Yale College. He married, in 1773, Abigail, daughter of "William and Abigail (Abbot) Walcott. He died in Windsor, Conn., Nov. 26, 1807.

ELLSWORTH, WMliain Wolcott, governor of Connecticut, was born in Windsor, Conn., Nov. 10, 1791; son of Oliver and Abigail (W^olcott) Ellsworth. He was graduated at Yale in 1810, studied law in Litchfield, was admitted to the bar in 1813, established himself in practice in Hartford and was professor of law in Trinity college, 1827-68. He was a representative in the 21st, 22d and 23d congresses, 1829-34, resigning his seat in 1834 to return to the practice of his profession. He prepared and reported the copy- right law adopted in 1836, helped to carry into effect President Jackson's proclamation against nullification, and was one of the committee to investigate the United States bank at Philadel phia. He was governor of Connecticut, 1828-34, and during the time twice declined an election to the U.S. senate. In 1847 he was elected judge of the supreme court and of the court of errors of the state, his term expiring by limitation in 1861. He was married in 1813 to Emily, eldest daughter of Noah Webster. The University of the city of New York conferred on him the hon- orary degree of LL. D. in 1838. He died in Hart- ford. Conn.. Jan. 15. 1868.

ELMENDORF, Joachim, clergyman, was born in Rocliester, Ulster county, N.Y., March 26, 1827; son of Levi and Salise (De Puy) Elmendorf; grandson of Martin and Rjichel (Roosa) Elmen- dorf; and a direct descendant from Jacobus Van Elmendorf, who emigrated from Rynborch, near Leyden, Holland, and settled in New York.