My Genealogy Hound

DAVID M. ELLIS was born near Hughesville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1850, and grew to manhood there, obtaining a common-school education, which was supplemented by a short period at the Pennsylvania State College. On reaching manhood he and his brother Charles rented their father’s farm, and also two others in the vicinity, which they handled as dairy farms, carrying on that business for several years very successfully, using improved methods of making butter and other dairy products and being among the earliest of those engaged in shipping milk by railroad to Williamsport. In 1882 Mr. Ellis sold his stock and machinery, abandoned the dairy business and became engaged in the sale of agricultural implements, first as an agent in Muncy, Pennsylvania, for two years, after which he traveled for the Harrisburg Car Company and for different organizations until the year 1892, when he went to Philadelphia, where he remained six years and then came to the Upper Merion farm, which had been in his wife’s family for nearly two centuries. Here he engaged in general farming, making fruit-growing a specialty.

In politics Mr. Ellis is a Republican. In Lycoming county he took an active part in politics as a party worker. In Upper Merion township, which has been his home the past few years, he has been twice elected as school director without any effort on his part. He is generally recognized as being among the most public-spirited citizens of his community, taking an active interest in all that concerns its welfare, and being an authority on all matters connected with farming, dairying and fruit-growing. He is an intelligent, cultured man, a thinker who understands the topic of which he treats. In different farmers’ institutes that have been held in his section of the county in the course of the past few years, his papers on important subjects have attracted much attention, and have been published in the local newspapers at length.

On November 22, 1882, he married Elizabeth Brookfield Holstein, who was born in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1855. Their children are: Alice Holstein, who was born in Muncy, February 25, 1884, and died in Philadelphia, November 29, 1891; and William Holstein, who was born in Upper Merion, October 31, 1886, and is now attending Williamson School.

B. Morris Ellis (father) was born at Milton, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1820, and died December 5, 1881. He was educated first in the Muncy schools and afterwards in Westtown Boarding School, the famous orthodox institution, at Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was a law student for a time with his father, W. Cox Ellis, but his father changed his vocation and encouraged his son to direct his life in agricultural channels. In 1848 he purchased a farm near Hughesville, where he passed the remainder of his life, being a recognized authority on fruit-growing and fancy stock-raising. He was for a number of years one of the vice presidents of the State Agricultural Society and held the position until his death. He was president of the Lycoming County Agricultural Society from its organization, was a life member of the State Horticultural Society and always manifested great interest in its meetings and its researches generally. He was a Democrat in politics until the breaking out of the Rebellion, and from that time a staunch Republican. He was a member and vestryman for years of the St. James’ Episcopal church, of Muncy. He married Elizabeth, daughter of David and Mary (Eves) Masters, of Milleville, Pennsylvania, on December 16, 1847. Mrs. Ellis was born October 22, 1824. They had the following children: William Cox, born August 23, 1848, died November 18, 1849. David M. is the second. Charles, born September 14, 1851, is unmarried. J. Alder, born August 6, 1853, was a graduate of the State College and studied law at Williamsport with Judge Bentley, being admitted to the bar, but died September 22, 1877, a few weeks after he had gone to Pittsburg to open a law office. William Holstein, born December 10, 1854, married October 5, 1887, Jessie H. Moore, of Blair county, Pennsylvania, and they have two children, Edgar, born July 26, 1888, and Margaret, born November 12, 1890. Rebecca Morris, born April 25, 1858, married Robert K. Reeder, an attorney-at-law, of Muncy, who has been in the state legislature, and they have the following children: Emily, born August 29, 1893, Elizabeth, born November 2, 1894; Rebecca Morris, born September 18, 1896; and Robert K., Jr., born May 16, 1900. Annie Holstein, born February 1, 1860, married Harry Linn, of Williamsport, who died October 5, 1896. Their children were: Virginia Morris, born October 5, 1886; and Elizabeth, born February 25, 1892.

William Cox Ellis (grandfather) was born in Fort Muncy, at Muncy. He became a prominent attorney and served as a member of the state legislature and as a member of congress from his district. He was cashier for many years of the State Bank of Milton. He married Rebecca Morris, of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.

Mrs. David M. Ellis is a daughter of Isaac Wayne and Alice (Hallowell) Holstein. Isaac Holstein was born January 25, 1823, on the farm where David M. Ellis now resides, and lived on the farm all his life. He attended the pay schools of his day and afterwards spent several years in Treemount Seminary, then under the direction of Samuel Aaron. After the death of his father he and his brother William H. purchased the interest of their sisters in the farm, and in the division of the place by lot, the old homestead fell to Isaac Wayne. In politics Mr. Holstein was an ardent Republican, and was a warm supporter of the cause of the Union during the Civil war. He devoted his time and means to the Union soldiers, who to this time decorate his grave on Decoration Day. He was a member and vestryman of Old Swedes’ Episcopal church. He took a great interest in the public schools and filled the office of school director for several terms. He was a delegate to county conventions and, was township auditor, assessor, and held nearly all the township offices. December 27, 1854, Isaac Wayne Holstein married Alice Hollowell, and their children were: Elizabeth Brookfield, who was born November 23, 1855, and married David M. Ellis; William Hollowell, born August 21, 1858; and Mary Alice, born August 21, 1865, who married William A. Armstrong, March 11, 1886. He is engaged in the electrical business in Philadelphia, and their children are: Lillie Etta, born August 22, 1888; William A., born July 18, 1890; and Isaac Wayne Holstein, born July 30, 1892.

Isaac Wayne Holstein died April 8, 1884, and his wife died November 15, 1895. They are buried in Old Swedes’ churchyard. Mr. Holstein was a member of Curtis Lodge of Odd Fellows, of Norristown, and he and his wife were charter members of the Patrons of Husbandry.

George W. Holstein, grandfather of Mrs. David M. Ellis, lived at Peach Park, adjoining the old Holstein homestead. In 1812 he was secretary of the Mount Joy Horse Company, also captain of the Second Troop of Montgomery county and lieutenant of the Second Battalion. August 25, 1824, George W. Holstein was one of the committee of six who invited Lafayette to visit Valley Forge, Whitemarsh and Barren Hill, and other points of historical interest in Montgomery county. In November, 1827, he was elected one of the first directors of the DeKalb street bridge. He died February 10, 1841, aged sixty-three years, leaving three sons, Isaac W. (father), William H. and Dr. George W. Holstein.

Samuel Holstein (great-grandfather) owned two hundred and seventy-eight acres of land in Upper Merion township, and it is said that he shot deer on his estate until 1760. He had four sons: Major Mathias, Charles, Colonel George W. and William.

Mathias Holstein (great-great-grandfather) was born December 2, 1717, and died December 10, 1768, being buried at Swedes’ church. He married Magdalena, daughter of Marcus Hulings, of Morlatton, which was a Swedish settlement near what is now Pottstown. Mathias Holstein was one of the leaders in erecting Swedes’ church in 1760. His wife was carried on a squaw’s back when young, and on her wedding day, her friends came down the river in canoes. She survived her husband many years.

Matts Holstein (great-great-great-grandfather), the immigrant, was born in Philadelphia, in 1644, two years after the second emigration of the Swedes to America. He died in 1708. His wife was Brita Gostenberg, and they had three sons: Andrew, Mathias and Frederick, and two daughters: Deborah and Brita. Hi: built a stone house about a mile from the Schuylkill river and within the present limits of Bridgeport, which bore the name of Swedes’ Ford. He died in 1738, aged sixty-one years. It is believed that the Holstein ancestor arrived in America in 1637, in one of the vessels, “Key of Calmar” or the “Bird Grip,” late from Gottenburg. They bought land from the Indians and made the first permanent settlement in Pennsylvania.