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Another native of Scott county has found it pleasant to maintain his home in the county of his birth. Alonzo Ellis was born on a farm four miles northwest of Winchester, December 5, 1860. He grew up on the farm, attended its duties and until sixteen years of age was a pupil in the district school. He then took one term at the Winchester high school. In the fall of 1878 he entered the Jacksonville business college and graduated from that institution March 29, 1879. He then returned to the farm and worked there until he was twenty-one years old.

In 1881 he was married to Miss Mary E. Whitlock of Murrayville, Illinois, Illinois, and settled on a farm in Morgan county, where he remained until the death of his wife in 1884. He then returned to Scott county and taught school for a couple of years after which he entered the banking house of Neat, Condit & Grout and remained there six years. He then purchased the abstract business of A. P. Grout and has since conducted that business, adding to it a line of fire and life underwriting. He has held the office of city treasurer, without opposition and is now serving his third term as alderman of the first ward and has served the people faithfully and well.

In October, 1889, he was married to Miss Cora M. Lilley of Winchester, and of this union four children have been born. One child, the youngest, a son, died about two years ago and one son and two daughters are living. They are: Myron, aged twelve years; Kate, aged nine years, and Mary, aged five years. Mr. Ellis is a believer in good government; has stood for those principles, and after a hotly contested campaign was elected alderman from the first ward upon that ticket in 1895. He is one of the reliable men of Winchester and is in love with his home, his town and his surroundings.