My Genealogy Hound

FRANCIS D. ELLIS is the oldest merchant in Forestville, having more than a third of a century ago succeeded his father, who had been a prominent cabinet-maker and furniture dealer in this village for nearly a quarter of a century before him. He is a son of Thomas G. and Sophia (Dickinson) Ellis, and was born in Augusta, Oneida county, New York, October 17, 1826. His paternal grandfather, Moses Ellis, was from Scotch and English ancestry, and several of the family have scored high marks on the roll of fame as literary and ecclesiastical celebrities. He was a native of Barnstable, in the county of the same name, Mass., and settled in Brookfield, Madison county, this State, in 1812, where he engaged in cabinet-making, an occupation which has been followed in his family for over eighty years. He died in Wayland, Steuben county, this State, aged eighty-two years. Thomas G. Ellis (father) was born on Nantucket Island, Nantucket county, Mass., in 1803, but his parents moved to the mainland during the war of 1812. Nineteen years later (1831) he came to this county, located in Forestville, and established himself in the cabinet-making business, in which he continued until 1855. In religion he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which for forty years he was either a steward or trustee, and during many years held both offices. In politics he was a straight democrat, and for sixteen years was justice of the peace, also serving four terms as associate judge of Chautauqua county. He was a member of Hanover Lodge, No. 152, F. and A. M., and died January 22, 1882, aged seventy-nine years. He married Sophia Dickinson in 1826, by whom he had two sons and one daughter: Francis D., Irvine A. and Mary. Irvine A. went to California in 1851, where he was inspector in the custom-house of San Francisco, assisted in surveying southern California, was clerk of the California Senate, quartermaster in the army during four years of the civil war and then returned to the San Francisco custom-house, where he was employed until his death in 1866, at the age of thirty-three years. Mrs. Ellis was born in Fitchburg, Worcester county, Mass., in 1804, is the oldest member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Forestville, where she now resides, and is a cousin of Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson, ex-governor of New York.

Francis D. Ellis was reared in Forestville, acquired his education in the common and select schools of that place and learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, in which vocation he has since continued, succeeding his father in that and the furniture and undertaking business in 1855, and supplemental thereto does all kinds of embalming, having in all branches of his business a well-established and good-paying patronage. Politically he is a democrat and in religion is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a trustee for twenty years. He has been treasurer of the Equitable Aid Union since 1881.

Francis D. Ellis was married March 9, 1849, to Abi Phillips, of Forestville, by whom he had three daughters: Mary N. Harriet P. and Jennie L., all living. Mrs. Ellis died in 1865, and on September 3d, 1867, Mr. Ellis married Jennie Hall, of Brockton, Chautauqua county, N. Y.