John Fremont Ellis Family History The apple does not fall far from the tree. My great-great grandfather, John F. Ellis, is on the left. I am on the right at a black powder shoot in 2003.

John Fremont Ellis was born June 9, 1858 according to an address book kept by his grandson, Howland Ellis. He was born in Syracuse, Oswego, NY to Jedediah Ellis and Harriet Moffitt. At some point he rode with the Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Show as a sharpshooter. He could shoot marbles rolling on the ground and pennies thrown in the air. (See picture taken from a newspaper print block on left.) When he was about 25 years old he was in Beloit, Rock Cty, WI where he married his first wife, Esther Jennet (Jenny) White. He worked as a painter and then as a hired hand on the McMasters farm in Roscoe Township, Illinois. After he was widowed his sons went to live with their grandmother who was also widowed at the time (Jennet White). John lived as a boarder at the home of Miles Leffingwell in Beloit.

John and Esther Jennet had two sons:

Vernon Chauncey Ellis born February 12, 1884 (picture on right)

Franklin Merrill Ellis born February 12, 1884 in Beloit, Rock Cty, WI. (see picture below right) Frank married Hazel Lillian Willsey and died September 13, 1960 in Rockford, Winnebago, IL (or Milwaukee, WI?). Frank and Hazel had only one daughter, Phyllis Maxine Ellis who married Nels Theodore Nelson in 1942 and had two sons, Theodore Franklin Nelson and Bradley Ellis Nelson. Theodore died at 9 years in an auto accident. Bradley was featured in a Life Magazine story on promising High School football players.

Frank was a really decent fellow who was involved in his community. He ran a funeral home in Rockford, IL and was a veteran of World War I. I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter, Phyllis "Maxine" Anderson (surname from second marriage).

After Mr. McMasters died John F. Ellis took for his second wife, Emma J.McMasters. He also took over management of her very profitable farm. After 4 years of marriage John had mentioned to some relatives that he thought his family was trying to poison him. He could not have meant his sons who were living in Rockford at the time. So, when he suddenly dropped dead in a ditch near their home of what appeared to be mysterious causes, a lot of suspicion was cast in the direction of his wife. Hence, many sensational articles began to appear in the paper and an autopsy was demanded in order to clear her good name. The coroner determined that the true nature of his death was apoplexy. John was buried in an unmarked grave at the Beloit cemetery in the same lot as his first wife, Jennie.

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