William Almy, an American philanthropist, born Feb. 17, 1761, died Feb. 5, 1836. He belonged to the society of Friends, and was a public teacher. Having made a fortune in partnership with his brother-in-law, Obadiah Brown, in manufacturing cotton goods, he devoted a large share of his wealth to charitable works, especially in Providence, R. I., where he lived. He endowed the New England yearly meeting boarding school at Providence, and paid for the education of 80 of its pupils.