- RICHARD F. ELLIS, a leading up-to-date and prosperous farmer
of Jordan township, Green
- county, is a native of New York State, born July 12, 1837,
in Chautauqua county. The first of the ELLIS family in this country
were three brothers, who, about 250 years ago, came to the New
England colonies from England.
- George and Hulda ELLIS, grandparents of our subject, were
natives of the State of Maine. They
- had a family of ten children, named respectively: Benjamin,
Richard, Nehemiah, (sketch of whom follows), Sewell, George,
Abel, John, Hulda, Amie, and Abbie, all now deceased. Hulda,
Amie and Abbie married three brothers by the name of DEVEROUX,
and their families averaged twelve children each, the majority
being boys, all, except three, of whom served in the war of the
Rebellion.
- Nehemiah ELLIS, father of Richard F., was born Aug. 4, 1804,
near Bangor, Maine, whence, in
- 1819, he removed with his parents to Chautauqua county, N.Y.
In 1828 he married Rachel OSGOOD, and to this union were born
twelve children, six of whom reached maturity, viz.: Mary, wife
of William KINSTON, of Monroe, Green county; Eliza, widow of
Samuel SHOOK, formerly of Iowa; Richard F., our subject; Lewis,
a farmer of Pocahontas county, Iowa; Laban, residing in Denver,
Colo.; and Samuel, of Hastings, Neb. Nehemiah ELLIS, the father
of this family, migrated from New York State to Stephenson county,
Ill., in 1838, and purchased a farm near Orangeville. In 1847
he removed to Green county, where he bought a farm in Jordan
township, which he continued to cultivate until 1875, in that
year removing to Buena Vista county, Iowa, where he passed the
rest of his life, dying March 15, 1891. Thus, in his time, he
was a settler in three States of the Union, and was a typical
frontier pioneer.
- Richard F. ELLIS, whose name opens this sketch, was an infant
when his parents went from New
- York State to Illinois, and about ten years old when they
settled in Green county, Wis. Here he received the greater part
of his education, and was reared to farming pursuits. In 1864,
during the Civil war, he enlisted in Battery D. 1st Wis. Heavy
Artillery, in which he served until June, 1865, being stationed
at Fort Jackson and Fort Berisck, La. On his return from the
front, in 1865, he sold out his first farm, and in 1870 bought
his present one of 240 acres, on which he has made his home ever
since, engaged in general farming. In politics he is independent,
and for over twenty years has served as school director, and
has also been treasurer, etc. In religious faith, he and his
wife are members of the Church of Christ.
- On Aug. 29, 1864, Richard F. ELLIS married Miss Emma BOWDEN,
of Monroe, Wis., born
- Dec. 15, 1844, in Knox county, Ill., and brought to Green
county, Wis., when about one year old. Her parents, Samuel and
Elizabeth (VIRTUE) BOWDEN, had a family of eight children, five
of whom are yet living: Elizabeth, widow of George NORRIS, formerly
of Chicago, Ill.; Ellen, widow of Ephraim MILLER, and now living
in Monroe, Wis.; George, in southern Missouri; Emma, wife of
Richard F. ELLIS; and Richard, a resident of Chicago. To Mr.
and Mrs. R. F. ELLIS have been born seven children William, born
Sept. 15, 1866, married Catherine LAUBAUGH; he is a farmer in
Jordan township, Green county. Flora, born May 20, 1869, is the
wife of Charles SMITH, of Monroe, Wis. Edwin, born March 26,
1872, married Anna BRAZEL, of Adams township, Green county. Franklin,
born Oct. 12, 1874, married Rosa STAUFFACHER, of Jordan township,
Green county. Lee, born Dec. 25, 1876, is on the home farm. Louis
B., born Sept. 3, 1882, is at home. Ida May died in infancy.
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 929-930.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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