Reverend Ezra Stiles (1727-1795), son of Rev. Isaac Stiles and Kezia Taylor, was born on November 29, 1727, in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale in 1746, and was ordained as a minister in 1749. Resigning from the ministry in 1753, he studied and practiced law in New Haven until 1755. At that time, Stiles was called to the pastorate of the Second Congregational Church in Newport, Rhode Island. While in Newport, Stiles served as the Librarian of the Redwood Library from 1756-1764 and at intervals until 1776, where he spent great effort acquiring valuable books for the library in philosophy, history, antiquities, and the physical sciences. He also played an integral role in the founding of Rhode Island College (present day Brown University) in 1764. Stiles left Newport during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) to settle in Massachusetts, but frequently returned to Newport and the Second Congregational Church to preach. For the remainder of his life, Stiles served at various parishes throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. In 1778, he was elected president of Yale College and served in this post until his death in 1795. Rev. Ezra Stiles died on May 12, 1795, and is buried at the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut.
This collection consists of a list compiled by Rev. Ezra Stiles on May 24, 1786, of "members in full communion and regular standing in this Church" who reside in Newport, Rhode Island. The name of the church is not mentioned, but it mostly refers to members of the Second Congregational Church, Stiles served as pastor for over twenty years.
This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Ezra Stiles list of Church members, RLC.Ms.575, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection is arranged in chronological order.
Acquisition information is unknown.
Prior to processing in 2015, this item was found framed within the Steel Cabinet Collection: Drawer 13. It has since been removed from its frame and housed according to current archival standards.
This document also has a small piece of paper glued to the lower left hand corner, which was most likely from an auction catalog referring to this document and another letter written by Stiles that is not held at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.