At age sixteen William Jewett was apprenticed to a coach maker in New London. During the following two years he assisted in mixing colors and painting the coaches, responsibilities which cultivated his interest in the fine arts. Around 1810 he became acquainted with the portraitist Samuel Lovett Waldo who was visiting New London. After receiving some initial encouragement Jewett abruptly ended his apprenticeship and travelled to New York City where he pusued his studies under Waldo's direction. For the following ten years Jewett worked as Waldo's assistant and was slowly given more and more responsibilities. In 1816 he began exhibiting his still-lifes at the American Academy of Fine Arts and in 1820 he and Waldo entered a formal partnership as portraitist.
Waldo's and Jewett's partnership proved successful and they were soon ranked among New York's leading portraitists. In 1826 they were both elected to the newly founded National Academy of Design, but there is no evidence that either took an active role in the Academy during its early years. Their eventual election as associate members of the Academy suggests that the artists initially chose to retain their ties with the American Academy of Fine Arts rather than accepting a role as founding members of the National Academy. Jewett remained active in his partnership with Waldo until 1854 and during the intervening year their portraits were frequently included in both the American Academy's and National Academy's exhibitions. After the partnership with Waldo was dissolved, Jewett ceased painting and spent the remaining years of his life in retirement in New Jersey.
