Ellis, James bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 721-722; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst

James Ellis. This venerable gentleman is distinguished in the annals of Vermont, as one of its earliest settlers, and the oldest within its bounds. He still owns the greater part of the land which he purchased from the Government, fifty-five years ago, and has placed it under a high state of cultivation. It is within the corporate limits of the village, and here his declining years are quietly and peacefully passing in a comfortable home in the enjoyment of the companionship of his family and his faithful wife who has been his true and devoted helpmate for more than half a century.
Mr. Ellis was born February 14, 1810, in that part of Henry County, now included in Oldham County, Ky. His father, Joshua Ellis, was a native of Virginia, and his grandfather, John Ellis was, it is thought, born in England. He spent his last years in Goochland County, near Richmond, Va. The father of our subject was reared in Virginia, and went from there to Kentucky when a young man, making the journey across the mountains on horseback. He bought a tract of timber land in what was then Henry County, and built a log house, in which humble dwelling the subject of this sketch was born. The father cleared quite a tract of land, and resided there till his death. The maiden name of his wife was Catherine Powers and she also died on the home farm. She was an adept at spinning and weaving and clothed her children in homespun garments. They were pioneers in a sparsely settled country, and Louisville, twenty-five miles distant, was the nearest market for supplies.
James Ellis, of this sketch, grew to man’s estate in his native county, and lived with his parents till he was twenty-two years old. Then, a stalwart and able-bodied young man, he started out in life on his own account, and going to Jefferson County secured a situation as superintendent of a farm. In 1835 he paid his first visit to Illinois, making the entire journey to and from Jefferson County on horseback. He visited the present site of Vermont, but at that time there was no village here, and there were but few settlers in all the township. The land not held as military land was held by the Government, and was for sale at $1.25 per acre. He bought a “squatter’s claim” to a tract of timber which is included in his present farm, and after remaining a few days returned to Kentucky.
In 1837 Mr. Ellis again started for this State, taking his family with him and making the journey overland to their future home. The family, with the exception of Mrs. Ellis, who rode on horseback, came in a wagon drawn by a pair of horses, to their destination, arriving after three weeks’ travel. There was a log cabin on the land, into which the family moved. It was built of round logs, and had an earth and stick chimney. The country was in a very wild condition, was thinly inhabited, and deer, wild turkeys and other kinds of game were plentiful. There were no railways here for years after the family located here, and all produce was drawn to Browning’s and Sharp’s landings, fourteen miles distant, and from there shipped to St. Louis.
Our subject’s means were very limited, but he had been reared to habits of industry, and was energetic and ambitious, so that by years of hard toil he accomplished the pioneer task of evolving a good and highly productive farm from the wilderness. He was soon enabled to replace the rude cabin by a hewed log house, later erected a frame house, in which he and his family lived a few years, and he then built his present more commodious residence. He has lived to see the country develop from its wild state to a wealthy and well settled community, and it may well be his pride that he has been a factor in promoting its growth.
May 27, 1832, Mr. Ellia and Miss Armon Evins, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Nash) Evins, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively, contracted a marriage that has been blessed to both of them. For fifty-eight years they have traveled life’s road together, sharing its joys and dividing its sorrows, and giving the people around them an example of true wedded bliss. They have had nine children, of whom three are living: Martha Emily, now Mrs. DeFrain; Rachel (Mrs. Bartholomew), and Armon J. Their household circle is now composed of their daughter Armon, their granddaughter, Julia E. Pugh, and their grandson, Frank E. Pugh. The two latter are not brother and sister, but cousins. Miss Armon and Miss Julia are finely educated and highly accomplished, and are successful teachers. The young man is also highly educated, a fine conversationalist and possesses a marked talent for music.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis are true Christians, and are esteemed and consistent members of the Regular Baptist Church, with which she has been connected for the long period of sixty-three years and he for forty years. Their pleasant ways, kind hearts and many good deeds have won for them a warm place in the hearts of their many friends, who will be pleased to notice their lithographic portraits on another page.