My Genealogy Hound

E. S. Ellis, partner of the firm of Ellis & Atkinson, leading merchants of Star City, Lincoln County, Ark. Truly do poets and writers in general dwell long and enthusiastically upon the “lives of great men” who leave behind them “footprints on the sand of time.” And to this class belongs he whose name heads this sketch. He was born in the State of Georgia in the year 1838, and is a son of William and Zilphia (Bryant) Ellis, both of whom were born and raised in North Carolina and married there. Soon after their marriage they moved to Georgia, locating in Houston County on a farm, and in 1842 they emigrated to Mississippi, settling in Holmes County, where the widowed mother is still living. To them were born eight children, five of whom are living at the present time. E. S. is the second child of the family, and received his early training in Holmes County, Miss. Just after reaching manhood’s estate he enlisted in the Civil War, Company A, Thirty-eighth Mississippi Regiment. At the battle of Corinth, Miss., Mr. Ellis was shot through the left limb by a minie-ball, and the wound proved very severe, resulting, in fact, in the amputation of the limb. This was done by the Federals, who had captured him, and when well enough to leave hospital they gave him a pass through the Federal line in order that he might return home. Upon reaching Holmes County he completed his education with a view to teaching, and after two years opened a family grocery. In 1869 he emigrated to Arkansas, locating in what is now Lincoln County, where he taught school at Branchville until 1871. In that same year he moved to Tyro, in the same county, teaching at that point until 1872, at which time he moved to Branchville, where he again entered into the commercial business. In 1875 Mr. Ellis came to Star City, and sold goods for Mr. J. H. Crawford until such time as he was elected treasurer of Lincoln County in 1876, and re-elected in 1878. In the meantime he commenced a nourishing family grocery business of his own, and afterward bought an interest in the firm now known as Ellis & Atkinson, dry goods. Mr. Ellis married Miss Millie Brantley, of Mississippi. She was born in 1840, dying in 1881. Of this union was born one daughter, Kittie, a very accomplished and beautiful young lady. In 1885 the subject of this sketch married Mrs. Bettie M. Owens, daughter of Alsey Atkinson, and widow of R. Owens. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis are devout and faithful members of the Baptist Church, and he belongs to the K. of H. He is senior member of the firm of Ellis & Atkinson.