Representative James Whitcomb Ellis View All Years

HONORABLE JAMES W. ELLIS

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare resolutions commemorating the life and services of the Honorable James W. Ellis, former member of the House of Representatives from Jackson county, beg leave to submit the following memorial:

James W. Ellis, representative from Jackson county in the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth General Assemblies, was born in Indiana, November 25, 1848, of Revolutionary stock. Came to Jackson County, Iowa, in 1852, received a common school education and grew up on the farm which was his home until 1907, when he moved to Maquoketa. Served his country three years as a private in Company H, Fifth United States Infantry, on the frontiers. Member of Soldiers’ Relief Commission eight years. Served as commander of A. W. Drips Post, G. A. R., commander of R. M. Anderson Command No. 5, Union Veterans’ Union; Commander of the Department of Iowa, Union Veterans’ Union, and deputy commander-in-chief of the National Command of that order. Had been secretary and treasurer of the Maquoketa Pioneer and Old Settler’s Society for twelve years, and in 1903 organized the Jackson County Historical Society, which was incorporated, and was secretary and curator of the same. On October 16, 1870, was married to Miss Mary M. Forbes, who was also of Revolutionary ancestry; she died in March, 1907. They had four children who lived to grow to manhood and womanhood, one son and three daughters, Frank E., Mrs. Jesse Miller, and Mrs. Fred Albright of Maquoketa and Mrs. Orville Eastman of Clinton. He was elected representative in 1908 and re-elected in 1910. A democrat in politics. Mr. Ellis was a useful member of numerous organizations, Congregational Church, Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce and of several Masonic orders, Jackson Lodge I. O. O. F., and Peerless Lodge K. of P. During his term in the Legislature he succeeded in raising a fund to remove the body of Ansel Briggs, Iowa’s first governor, from its resting place in Omaha to Andrew, Jackson county, the home of the executive when he became the governor of the state, after which he secured from the state an appropriation of $1,000.00 for the erection of a suitable monument. Mr. Ellis spent many years diligently collecting historical facts and recording them for the people of his county. His books are thorough and complete, especially his standard history of Jackson county. He realized the value of the happenings of fifty years ago—it was history—and is of vital importance as connected with the history of the present time. An active useful life has closed, but not until after great good had been done and much honor attained. The state is far better for the life of James W. Ellis.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-fourth General Assembly, That in the passing of the Honorable James W. Ellis the state has lost an honored and valued citizen and a man of high ideals.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to send an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

CAROLYN C. PENDRAY,

J. H. THIESSEN,

H. C. FINNERN,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 13, 1931.