All Rights Reserved © Copyright 1999, 2000 All material contained on these pages are furnished for the free use of those engaged researching their family origins. Any commercial use, without the consent of the host/author of these pages is prohibited. We have tried to use images that were obtained from sources permitting free distribution, or generated by the author, and are subject to the same restrictions/permissions. All persons contributing material for posting on these pages does so in recognition of their free, non-commercial distribution, and further, is responsible to assure that no copyright is violated by their submission.
EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



ELLIS, HENRY, born Nov. 17, 1786, near Lexington, Ky. His father, John Ellis was born Jan. 29, 1749, and married Oct. 2, 1770, to Sarah Parrish, who was born April 20, 1757. They moved from Virginia to Kentucky. The family is of Welsh extraction. The father of John Ellis is said to have been with the second supply of emigrants from England to America. Martha Marshall Yates was born (after the death of her father) in Woodford county, Ky., Sept. 13, 1791, and was a sister of Henry Yates, Sen. See his name. Henry Ellis and Martha Yates were married Jan. 29, 1807, in Warsaw, Ky., and had ten children there, two of whom died in infancy. The family moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving in Sept., 1825, in Island Grove, two miles northeast of Berlin, where three children were born. Of their eleven children--

ABNER Y., born Nov. 30, 1807, at Warsaw, Ky., was married in Springfield, Ill., Jan. 26, 1832, to Ann M. Glascock, who was born Nov. 15, 1815. Their two children died in infancy, and Mrs. Ellis died Jan. 16, 1834. A. Y. Ellis was married June 8, 1837, at Paddock's Grove, Ill., to Virginia J. Richmond. Of their eight children born in Springfield, Ill.: VOLNEY R., born April 22, 1838, was married July 10, 1858, to Maria E. Smith. They are without family, and live in Quincy, Ill. ABNER Y., Jun., born June 1, 1840, was married Dec. 20, 1865, to Caroline L. H. Flagg, at Rochelle, Ogle county, Ill. She was born there, Nov., 1845. They have four children, RICHARD Y., ALFRED F., LUCY V. and WILLARD F. A. Y. Ellis, Jun., has been mailing clerk for seventeen years in the Springfield Postoffice, and resides in the city. JANE F., born July 10, 1842, in Springfield, is unmarried, and resides with her parents. ORVILLE P., born July 31, 1844, was married May 5, 1874, to Arabell S. Graves, at Bethalto, Madison county, Ill. They have one child, BESSIE, and reside at Bunker Hill, Ill. HENRY, born May 13, 1848, is a farmer, residing with his parents. JOHN CONDELL, born Jan. 30, 1851, is a telegraph operator at Alton, Ill. WILLARD F., born April 11, 1853, died Oct. 24, 1873. SALOME E., born Feb. 19, 1857, lives with her parents. A. Y. Ellis, Sen., resides near Moro, Madison county, Ill. He was for several years Deputy Sheriff of Sangamon county, salesman in Gen. James D. Henry's store, and afterwards a merchant himself. He was elected Treasurer of Sangamon county in 1844, serving one term. Was Postmaster of Springfield, from 1849 to 1853, under Presidents Taylor and Fillmore. After a residence of forty years in Springfield, he moved in 1865 to Paddock's Grove, near Moro, Madison county, Ill., and resides there.

LAVINA, born Dec. 14, 1809, in Warsaw, Ky., was married there, Sept. 8, 1825, to Talbott Leonard, moved to the vicinity of Frankfort, where three children were born, and she died. Her children, JOHN W. and GEORGE H. are physicians in Tennessee. MARTHA married John Martin, and resides at New Liberty, Gallatin county, Ky.

WILLIAM H. H. born August 1, 1812, in Warsaw, Ky., married Mrs. Bashaba Smith, who died, leaving one child. He married Mrs. Nancy Dennison, whose maiden name was Hope. They had three children, and Mr. Ellis died Jan. 28, 1873, near Berlin.

MOLLY, born Dec. 12, 1814, in Warsaw, Ky., was married in Sangamon county, Nov. 4, 1840, to Elias Maxwell. They had one child, ABNER Y. He enlisted in 1861, in Co. D, 26th Ill. Inf. for three years, and died of disease contracted in the army, Dec. 24, 1864, at Berlin. Elias Maxwell died, and she married Andrew Scott. He died in 1860, and she in 1861.

LOUISA, born May 8, 1816, in Kentucky, was married May 18, 1835, in Berlin, Ill., to Thomas F. Foster. They brought up a family, and reside in Berlin.

ORMASINDA, born Feb. 17, 1818, in Kentucky, died Nov. 2, 1833, near Berlin.

MARTHA, born Sept. 12, 1822, in Warsaw, Ky., was married Oct. 4, 1842, in Sangamon county, to Oliver H. Rush. He died Jan. 5, 1855, leaving four children. MARY E. died, aged nineteen years. VIRGINIA married Morgan Belding, and lives at Corning, Adams county, Iowa. MARTHA married John Johnson, and lives at Worthington, Minn. ROBERT G., resides with his mother, in Berlin.

MILLICENT A., born April 7, 1824, in Kentucky, died Oct. 12, 1871, in Berlin.

JOEL H., born Jan. 16, 1828, in Sangamon county, was married May 8, 1852, to Caroline Harmon. They had one child, and mother and child died. He was married May 8, 1861, to Martha Simpson. They have two children, FLORENCE M. and DORA B., and reside in Berlin.

ROBERT, born April 27, 1830, in Sangamon county, was married Dec. 15, 1857, to Delia J. Pease. She, died Aug. 2, 1872, leaving four children, GEORGE L., GREEK M., HENRY M. and GERTRUDE M. live with their father in Berlin.

RICHARD Y., born Dec. 6, 1832, at Island Grove, enlisted August 11, 1861, in Co. D, 26th Ill. Inf., for three years. He was killed in a rifle pit at Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 8, 1864, within three days of the expiration of his term of service.

Henry Ellis, Sen., died June 13, 1854, in Berlin, and his widow resides there, in the eighty-fifth year of her age. [1876.]



Return to 1876 Biography Index
Return to Sangamon County ILGenWeb