Christopher Ellery was a United States Senator from Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. Born in Newport

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

, he graduated from Yale College

Yale College

Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...

 in 1787, studied law, was admitted to the bar

Bar (law)

Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...

 and commenced practice in Newport. He was clerk of the superior court of Newport County

Newport County, Rhode Island

-National protected areas:* Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge* Touro Synagogue National Historic Site-History:Newport County was constituted on June 22, 1703, as one of the two original counties of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. As originally established, Newport...

 from 1794 to 1798.

Ellery was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Ray Greene and served from May 6, 1801, to March 4, 1805. He was defeated for reelection in 1804 by James Fenner

James Fenner

James Fenner was an American politician who served as an United States Senator as well as the seventh, 11th and 17th Governor of Rhode Island . He was the son of Arthur Fenner, the fourth governor of Rhode Island.Fenner was born in Providence, Rhode Island...

, the son of the Governor. Ellery was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...

 as United States commissioner of loans at Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

 in 1806, and was appointed collector of customs

Customs

Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...

 at Newport, succeeding his uncle, holding that office from 1820 to 1834. He died in Middletown

Middletown, Rhode Island

Middletown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,150 at the 2010 census. It lies to the south of Portsmouth and to the north of Newport on Aquidneck Island, hence the name "Middletown."-Geography:...

 in 1840; interment was in Island Cemetery, Newport.

Christopher Ellery was a nephew of William Ellery, a Continental Congress

Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....

man from Rhode Island.