My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

Paul Ellis, dealer in oak railroad ties, fence-posts and hard-wood lumber, and also general merchant at Cedar Gap, Wright Co., Mo., was born in Waldo, Webster County, Mo., September 28, 1858, and was there reared to manhood. He received his education in Mountain Dale Seminary, and began earning his own living, by teaching a district school, at the age of seventeen years. He became one of the popular educators of Webster and Wright Counties, but at the end of six years gave up this calling to become a mercantile clerk. He first engaged in mercantile pursuits on his own account at Duncan, but three months afterward came to Cedar Gap, where he engaged in his present business four years later. In 1888 he checked by the Greene County Bank $23,000, shipping the same year 517 car loads of lumber, and in February, 1889, shipped 147 car loads. Mr. Ellis has been remarkably successful, as he began business with nothing, and is now considered one of the prosperous young business men of the county. When twenty-four years old he was married to Miss Mollie Pyatt, a native of Wright County, Mo., born in 1862, by whom he became the father of three children: Jesse, living, and Victoria and Victor, deceased. Mr. Ellis is a Republican, a Mason, and a son of J. W. Ellis, who was born in North Carolina, and there married Rachel Mingus. He was a carpenter by trade, and in 1852 came to Missouri, enlisting from this State in the Confederate army, and was killed, while on his way home, by a band of robbers. His wife, who was born in North Carolina, is still living, and resides in Duncan. Her mother is also living. Mrs. Paul Ellis is a daughter of Judge Joseph and Jane (Allen) Pyatt, who were also natives of North Carolina, and were there reared and married. After coming to Missouri Mr. Pyatt was elected judge of the Wright County Court, and was a farmer and school teacher by occupation. He was a Federal soldier in the late war.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 90 biographies included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Wright County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Wright County, Missouri family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.