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.
