The Ellison Families of Jones County, Iowa

J. P. ELLISON.

Prominent among the representatives of business Hfe in Jones county is I. P. Ellison of Martelle, the owner of extensive farming interests and closely associated with financial and commercial enterprises in the village as the owner of the bank and also of a large double general store. He has made rapid and substantial progress in his business career as the result of his ready and intelligent appreciation for and utilization of opportunities that others pass by heedlessly. Energy and perseverance constitute the foundation upon which he has builded his business prosperity, and the reliability of his course furnishes an example well worthy of emulation. Mr. Ellison was born on a farm three miles north of Mount Vernon, Linn county, Iowa, April 26, 1851. and is a son of Samuel Ellison who arrived in that county in 1840 and homesteaded the place upon which the subject of this review opened his eyes to the light of day eleven years later. Samuel Ellison had been married m 1848 to Miss Mary Scott, and they became the parents of the following named: William G.. who resides on the old homestead- J P of this review; Mrs. Ruth A. Chamberlain, whose home is north of Mount Vernon; Mrs. Mary M. Oxley. residing east of Marion. Iowa; and Mrs. lane Platner, whose home is near Mechanicsville. The death of the husband and father occurred on the old homestead March 23. 1888 but Mrs. Elhson still survives and is now living in Mount Vernon. Samuel Elhson was of that type of pioneers who developed the rich resources of the state and profited by their labors, which were not only a source of individual success but also constituted a potent element in the development of the state.

J. P. Ellison was reared on the old homestead and assisted in the arduous task of developing a new farm, continuing his ' work in the fields as the years went by. His educational opportunities were those afforded by the common schools while his business training was of the practical character that comes with farm work.

On the 2d of January, 1884, Mr. Ellison was united in marriage to Miss Eva Newman, a daughter of Emanuel and Elizabeth (Spade) Newman, who were the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters, all of whom are living in Greenfield township with the exception of Elmer, who resides in Lee county; Otis, whose home is in TJnn county; and Mrs. E. E. Miller, who is living at Estherville, Iowa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ellison have been born two children, Samuel H. and Ethel G., both of whom are at home with their parents. After attending the public schools in Anamosa they became students in Drake University at Des Moines, from which institution the daughter was graduated in June, 1907. She afterward returned to Drake University where she studied music for a year. Both the son and daughter are now assisting their father in his banking and commercial enterprises.,

Mr. Ellison is one of the extensive land owners of Jones county, owning a homestead property of six hundred and fifteen acres on section 4, Greenfield township. This is valuable property and the soil, naturally rich and productive, brings forth large crops as the reward of the care and labor bestowed upon the fields. The farm is splendidly equipped with all modern accessories and conveniences and from his agricultural interests Mr. Ellison derives a substantial annual income. Seeing the necessity for a bank in Martelle he organized one, placed it upon a substantial basis and inaugurated a safe and conservative policy which has won for it substantial success. It has. moreover, proved a valuable adjust to the business interests of the village, and that the townspeople are appreciative of the convenience which it affords is indicated in the liberal patronage accorded it. Mr. Ellison is also the owner of a large double store in Martelle in which he carries a complete line of hardware, dry goods, groceries and shoes. He also derives a gratifying income from numerous residence properties which he owns. In matters of business judgment he is seldom if ever at fault and he does not fear to venture where favoring opportunity leads the way. His judgment of men and circumstances is sound and his recognition of possibilities in the business world has led him into important relations whereby his own success has been greatly promoted while the welfare and progress of the town have likewise been augmented.

Mr. Ellison and his family are members of the church of Christ at Martelle, and the son belongs to White Rose Lodge, No. 279, K. P. Although Mr. Ellison has never sought nor desired political preferment, his fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth and ability, have several times called him to public office. He has served as township trustee for nine years and was a member of the school board of his district for about a quarter of a century. He has been called at two different times to serve on the United States grand jury and on numerous occasions has been on both the grand and petit juries of the county. He is a stanch advocate of democracy, believing firmly in its principles and therefore giving unfaltering support to its men and measures. Mr. Ellison, moreover, is a man of kindly and generous spirit, befriending all who come to him in need. He gives generous support to the church and to public projects, meets every obligation of life in an honorable method and has at all times the courage of his convictions. He and his family are prominent in the social life of the community and Mr. Ellison has for long years been recognized as an influential factor here, wielding a wide and beneficial influence.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ELISHA F. ELLISON.

During the fifteen years of his residence in Greenfield township, Jones county, agricultural pursuits have claimed the time and attention of Elisha F. Ellison, and during this period he has worked earnestly and diligently, his labors finding well merited reward in the gratifying prosperity which he now enjoys. In the winter of 1909-10, he removed to Martelle, where he is now living retired. Born in Linn county, Iowa, on the 26th of August, 185 1, he is the son of John and

Rachel R. (Curtis) Ellison, the former a native of Belfast, Ireland, and the latter of Ohio. The mother went to Linn county, Iowa, in 1848, where she became the wife of Mr. Ellison. In their family were eleven children, five sons and six daughters, as follows: James, who passed away in 1876; Elisha P., of this review; Charles H., now deceased; Joseph S., a resident of Martelle; Hulda, the deceased wife of Joseph Kohl; Minta, the wife of Frank Boxwell; Nancy, who married Jasper Woods and resides in Linn county; Clara, the wife of Frank Myers, of Linn county; John, Jr., making his home in Linn county; Bertie, who wedded George Joslin; and Linnie, the wife of John Moore. The surviving members have all grown to years of maturity and have reared families of their own.

Amid the scenes and environments of rural life Elisha F. Ellison was reared to manded, the period of his boyhood and youth being spent in the usual manner of country lads of that time. As a pupil in the district schools he acquired a good education and when not busy with his text-books assisted his father in the work of the home farm, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil, while in the broader school of experience he learned practical lessons concerning the value of industry, energy and perseverance. The period of his minority was spent on the home farm, but upon attaining his majority he entered the business world on his own account, choosing as his life work the occupation to which he had been reared. In 1874 he came to Greenfield township, locating on a farm of eighty acres in section 19. His early training under the direction of his father had well equipped him for successfuUv carrying on agricultural pursuits on his own account, and as the years passed and he prospered he was able to add to his original purchase, until his property holdings today consist of one hundred and sixty acres of the richest soil to be found in Greenfield township. The farm is under a high state of cultivation and everything about the place indicates a life of industry and thrift upon the part of the owner. He practices rotation of crops, makes a close study of the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and is meeting with most gratifying success in the conduct of his business affairs.

It was in 1875 - Ellison was united in marriage to Miss Ahvilda Hunter, whose father was killed in the Civil war, no trace of him having ever been found. Unto this union were born three sons and three daughters, namely: George Henry, born July 27, 1876; William John, whose birth occurred on the 7th of March, 1878; Walter F., born January 1, 1880; Cora May. the wife of Perry Lemmer, of North Dakota; Myrtle Elma, born March 3, 1884; who married William Brock and makes her home in Martelle; and Anna Maude, the wife of Harry Porter, residing in North Dakota. There are twelve grandchildren in the family. On the 24th of March, 1889, Mr. Ellison was called upon to mourn the death of his wife, and on the 2d of February, 1898, was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Sarah (Streach) Lemmer Paul, who by a former marriage became the mother of two children, P. J. Lemmer and Albert Lee Paul, the latter residing in North Dakota. She was born in Nova Scotia in 1855 and in 1862 came with her parents to Iowa, the family home being established in the central part of the state. Her parents, William and Ann (Cruikshank) Streach, are now both deceased, the mother passing away when the daughter was eleven years of age, and the father's death occurring in 1897. She is a member of the church of Christ at Martelle, the teachings of which form the guiding influence of her life. Mr. Ellison gives his political allegiance to the democracy, doing all in his power to extend the influence of that party in the community. He was president of the Laurel Hill independent school district for about twenty years and is well known in business circles as the president of Laurel Hill Telephone Company.

Mr. Ellison is known as an enterprising and progressive farmer and the methods which he has followed are such as insure success. His labors are well directed by sound judgment and realizing the fact that zealand energy constitute the basis of success he has pursued his work diligently year after year and is now one of the substantial agriculturists of Greenfield township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FREDERICK OSCAR ELLISON.

Judge Frederick Oscar Ellison was in 1906 called to the bench of the eighteenth judicial district and his course has been distinguished by high legal ability. To wear the ermine worthily it is not enough that one possess legal acumen, is learned in the principles of jurisprudence, familiar with precedents and thoroughly honest. Many men, even when acting uprightly are unable to wholly divest themselves of prejudice and are unconsciously warped in their judgments by their own mental characteristics or educational peculiarities. This unconscious and variable disturbing force enters more or less into the judgments of all men but in the ideal jurist this fact becomes so small as not to be discernible in results and loses its potency as a disturb)ing force. Judge Ellison in the opinion of the bar is exceptionally free from judicial bias. His varied legal learning and wide experience in the courts, the patient care with which he ascertain all the facts bearing upon every case that comes before him gives his decisions a solidity and exhaustiveness from which the members of the bar can take no exception.

A native of New York city. Judge Ellison was born July 4, 1853, of the marriage of Thomas B. and Ann (Ruxton) Ellison, both of whom were natives of Ireland. They came to America in early life and were married in Connecticut. After living for some time in New York city, they removed to Indianola. Warren county, Iowa, in 1870 and there remained for about ten years, after which they returned to the eastern metropolis. The father died in New York in 1891 at the venerable age of eighty-two years while the mother passed away in 1891 at the age of seventy-two years.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.