McDonough ILGenWeb

ELLIS, John F., a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser of Macomb Township, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Fulton County, Ill., May 28, 1857, a son of James and Margaret (Walker) Ellis, natives of Ireland. His grandfathers, James Ellis and John Walker, were also natives of the Emerald Isle. John F. Ellis was the youngest boy in a family of four boys and four girls. His parents moved to Chalmers Township, McDonough County, when he was three years old. He stayed at home until he was twenty-four years old, during which period he attended public school and assisted in the work of the farm. He began housekeeping in the vicinity of the homestead on a farm of sixty acres, where he remained one year, after which he spent a year on a farm in Hancock County, Ill. He next moved to Scotland Township, McDonough County, where he lived three years on rented land, and moved thence to the home farm, which he rented for five years. In the spring of 1893 he bought eighty acres of land in Section 20, Macomb Township, three miles northeast of Macomb. Here he has made all the principal improvements, and set out 500 apple trees, 200 peach trees and 35 cherry trees.

On April 5, 1881, Mr. Ellis was married to Mary E. Andrews, who was born and schooled in McDonough County. Five children have resulted from this union, namely: Mettie (Mrs. A. VV. Hamilton); Anna (.Mrs. A. W. Ford), of Scottsburg, Ill.; Luther, Flora, and James Roscoe. The religious belief of Mr. Ellis is that of the Presbyterian Church. Politically, he is a Republican, has been his party's candidate for Supervisor, and served as School Director several years. He is District Clerk of District No. 64, Macomb Township. Fraternally, he is identified with the order of Mystic Workers.

---

Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, pages 871-872, extracted 04 Jan 2019 by Norma Hass.