Thomas Ellis
The Ellis ancestry were from Wales. They came to America in the latter part of the sixteenth century, settling in Pennsylvania. Later, some of the stock moved to Virginia, and afterwards to Tennessee.
Thomas, the son of Enos Ellis, was born in Pennsylvania, but came to Ohio from Tennessee about the year 1799, and settled in Fayette County, on the present site of New Martinsburg, when the surrounding country was an unbroken wilderness. He was the father of Phœbe, Thomas, Elizabeth, Margaret, Reese, David, Mary Ann, and Rebecca.
David and Hannah Ellis were the parents of our subject. Their children were: Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Elijah, Sophia, Thomas, Morris R., Levi, James, David, jr., Lydia M, and Hannah E.
Our subject was born near New Martinsburg, Ohio, December 6, 1820. He was married to Mary Ellen Bennett, in the year 1848. Mrs. Ellis was born May 5, 1830, and died January 19, 1864. To this union five children were born : Martha Jane, born June 9, 1851, died December 28, 1875; Hannah Armilda, born March 28, 1853, died November 22, 1876 ; Rebecca Ellen, born February 12, 1855, died April 22, 1869; Mary Ann, born October 21, 1859, died February 19, 1880.
Mr. Ellis was married to his present wife—Mrs. Mary Levey, nee Arthur—on the 20th of October, 1870. She was born in Kentucky, November 30, 1826. By her first husband she is the mother of five children, two of whom are deceased.
The early life of Thomas Ellis was given to hard labor. The death of his father occurring when Thomas was yet a lad, the care of the family devolved upon himself and his brother Elijah. As a consequence, the education of Thomas was much neglected. He has had a painful experience in the loss of a family of promising children. In early manhood he spent much time on the road as a teamster, and before the days of railroads has wagoned farm products to Cincinnati, Chillicothe, and other markets.
Mr. Ellis is a member of the Friends' Society, worshiping at Walnut Creek. His people are nearly all members of the Society of Friends, and the descendants of his ancestry number several score in Perry Township.
Dates of births in the Ellis family : Thomas Ellis, March 2, 1772; Lydia Ellis, December 19, 1774; Martha, February 26, 1794; Hannah, June 6, 1795; John, February 25, 1799; James, January 21, 1801 ; Rachel, October 28, 1802; Levi, May 9, 1804; Margaret, June 1, 1806; Thomas, March 5, 1808; Solomon, February 28, 1810; William, September 30, 1814; Reese, April 30, 1816.
On the farm where Mr. Ellis lives are a number of apple trees which grew from sprouts planted by Grandfather Thomas Ellis in 1799. The fruit is called the " Tennessee Apple," and was brought from Tennessee.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County