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Photographs 61a and 61b:
Ellis Family
Son Tom Ellis with his boys:
Ira, Ted, Cam and Silas
at Ira's leaving for WWI,
1917.
Mary Ann (Millie) Ellis
and granddaughters:
Gladys, Alma, Emmalu,
Beulah, and Irene, 1924.
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George W. Ellis (1844-1927)
may have been inspired by "Go West, Young Man" when he relocated
in the late 1870's in Texas, leaving friends and family in
Corinth, Mississippi. George was born in Bedford, Tennessee,
moving as a child to Corinth area, growing up on a farm. At
the inception of the Civil War, George enlisted in Company
A, 32 Mississippi Infantry serving as private. He returned
to marry his childhood sweetheart, Mary Ann "Mollie" Dilworth,
daughter of Thomas and Mary (Suitor) Dilworth, on February
1, 1866 at Tishomingo County. The Dilworth family had been
in Mississippi since 1838.
George and Mollie had three
children—Laura, William (died as youth), and Thomas—while
farming in the Kossuth area.
In the 1870's they migrated
to Grayson County, Texas, near Denton where they bought 30
acres in 1883. Daughter Laura had married Robert Lee Donnell
(son of Rufus Jefferson Donnell) in Corinth and they followed
the Ellis family in 1895 to Indian Territory for better farm
land. When the Indians would raid at night, the Ellis and
Donnells would sleep in the cotton piles in case the homes
were burned out. Later Ellis moved to Whiskey Bend north of
Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, while the Donnells went to Tecumseh,
Oklahoma.
George and Mollie lived with
their son Tom in later years; both are buried in Maysville,
Oklahoma cemetery (1927 and 1932). George's obituary described
him as "a consecrated and consistent member of the Methodist
Church." Grandchildren remember Mollie as a "Shouting Methodist."
None of the family remember any contact with the Mississippi
branches of the Ellis-Dilworth family. Farming was the occupation
of George as well as son Tom. However, a wide variety of careers
sent grandchildren and great-grandchildren to many parts of
the country.
Tom Ellis married Maggie Head
and their children grew up in Maysville, Oklahoma. Theodore,
Ira, Cameron, Silas, Gladys, Alma, Emmalu, Beulah and Irene.
Laura and Robert Donnell had six children-Dollie, Lola, Garrie,
Jennie, Dailila and Alva.
Several of Tom's children
moved to California. Theodore (1892-1963) married Bonnie Lynch,
settled in Ventura, Ca. with children-Art (1912-1952) m. Hester
Duke (Artie Jean m. Earl Watson, son Richard); Melvin m. Lorraine
Morrill (Tom m. Tima Niebelsons Robert, Ron; James m. Diane
Carpenter-Craig, Nicole); Leon lives in Oregon with his family.
Ira (1894) is a retired farmer,
married Willie Crawford, lives in Wayne, Oklahoma. Five children
live in area-Dawson; Harold (Toni, Terry, Tina); Raymond m.
Zoe (Gary, Linda); Jean m. Ken Greene (Carol, Paul, Kristi);
Sidney (Toby).
Cameron (1896-1963) served
as constable of Camarillo, California; married Mary Bradbury;
children are Jewell (1921-1976) (Sandra Clark), Gene m. Evelyn
Thompson (Jerry, Diana). Silas (1897-1958) married Dee Malone
and settled in Ventura, California. Children are Ernest m.
Ann Staeger (Billy, Jim, Linda, Ernest, Brenda); Hazel m.
Tom Eskridge (Terry, Larry); Jack m. Sharon Miller (Jeff,
Chris); Ted m. Susan Smith (Gerry, Randy, Lonnie, Cindy).
Gladys (1902-1982) married
Dowell Harper and were farmers in Pauls Valley. Emmalu married
Simon Scally, now retired farmers; daughter Yvonne (M.D.)
m. Tom Fine (Greg, Joe). Alma married Wallace McClug, moved
to Oxnard, California, where Joan m. Ray Hoffman (Dean) and
William m. Martha Stachey (Catherine, Tom).
Buela
(1910-1970) married Allen Cox.
Four children are Geneva m. Fremont
Stubbs (Carol, Lynetta, Dan); Theda
m. Reaford Browning (Glyn); Bob
m. Julie Carter (Jody, Kelly, Lonnie) and Joy
m. Ron Sorensen (Dianna, Wesley).
Irene married Reese Wilkerson,
retired in Denver City, Texas, children Sharon m. Paul Garraway
(Kimberly, Kelly), Linda m. Michael Todd (Michael).
Laura's line was traced by
her granddaughter, Delores Schuster of West River, Maryland.
Of the six children born to Laura and Robert Donnell, two
died as infants (Garrie and Dollie). Two generations are traced
on the remaining children: Lola (1891-1981) married Chester
Whitehead and their children are Flora, Flossie, Marvin, Hazel,
Buster, Barbara, Bob, Bill. Jennie (1896) m. John Roberts
and their children are Lorene, Leonard, Melvine, Edith, Neva,
Floy, Wayne, Glen and Lou. Dallila (1899-1946) m. J. R. Childers;
children are James, Laura, Martha, William, John, Roy, Wilma,
Jesse, May and Charles. Alva Ray (1911-1969) has no information
available.
Second generations in Lola's
family are: Flora married Marvin Frazier. Children are Patrice
m. Roger Burris (Debora) and Delores m. William Schuster (John).
Flossie m. James Varbel; child Kathy m. Randy Randal (James).
Marvin m. Betty Randolph. Hazel m. Dalles O'Neal (DeAnn, Arthur,
Jolene, James, Phyllis, Ronnie, Terry); Buster m. Margie (Cynthia,
Cheryl); Barbara m. Rudy Debord (Connie, Sharon); Bob m. Shirley
Ashworth (Tanmara); Bill m. Wanda Greenlee.
Jennie's children are Lorene
m. Truman Leach; Edith m. Clinton eeed; Neva m. Clarence R.
Tate. Dallila's line is James m. Wemona Bryant (Vera); Laura
m. Willie Cloud; Martha m. Charles Webber (Richard, Wayne);
William m. O. Bryant; John (Red, Mike, Letress, Kenny, Tim);
Wilma m. Mitchell Radulonich (Loretta, Mitchell, Lee); Jesse
had 8 children; May's children are Jim, Bill, Clem, Ronald.
by Martha McClung
from History of Alcorn
County Mississippi
Alcorn County Historical Society
Corinth, MS 38834
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