ELLSWORTH, Oliver (1745-1807)

Federalist of Connecticut

0th congressional district

Served in Senate 1789-1796

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Biography

a Delegate and a Senator from Connecticut; born in Windsor, Conn., April 29, 1745; pursued preparatory studies; attended Yale College and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1766; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1771 and commenced practice in Windsor; moved to Hartford, Conn., in 1775; member, State general assembly 1773-1776; appointed State attorney in 1777; Delegate to the Second Continental Congress, 1778-1781; Delegate to the Confederation Congress, 1781-1783; member of the Governor's council, 1780-1785; judge of the Connecticut Superior Court 1785-1789; delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787; elected to the United States Senate; reelected and served from March 4, 1789, to March 8, 1796, when he resigned to accept a judicial appointment; appointed Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1796 and served until 1800 when he retired; appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to France to negotiate a treaty 1799; returned to the United States in 1801; again a member of the Governor's council 1801-1807; died in Windsor, Conn., November 26, 1807; interment in the Old Cemetery.
Courtesy of Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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