Guide to the Ezra Stiles Ely and Family Papers

Ezra Stiles Ely was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, in 1786. He graduated from Yale College in 1804 and studied theology under the direction of his father, the Rev. Zebulen Ely. In 1804 Ezra was licensed and ordained by the West Chester Presbytery as pastor of the Congregational Church in Colchester, Connecticut, for two years. After serving as chaplain to the New York City Hospital and Almshouse, he was in 1813 called to the pastorate of Old Pine Street Church, Philadelphia. His pastorate was controversial and his theological views caused division in that congregation. While in Philadelphia he served on the board of Jefferson Hospital and was largely responsible for its establishment.

From 1825 to 1836 Ezra was Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and in 1828 was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly. In 1836 he moved to Missouri the establish Marion College, an enterprise that ultimately failed. He returned to Philadelphia in 1844 to take charge of the Presbyterian Church in Northern Liberties where he served until he suffered a stroke in 1851. He died in 1861. He published several works and was publisher of the religious weekly, "The Philadelphian."

Harriet Clarissima Ely Blackford was born in 1848 to Ezra and his second wife, Caroline T. Holmes Ely. Harriet married a Philadelphia railway clerk and lived as a demimondaine or courtesan, first in Philadelphia, then Paris. Upon the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, Harriet fled to St. Petersburg, was supported by and carried on a sexual relationship with Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich (Konstantinovich) Romanov, precipitating his exile to Tashkent. Harriet died in Nice in 1888.