Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/701

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES many important improvements, including the erection o f all the outbuildings. H is premises show the hand o f a careful and efficient man­ ager, and his stock and implements have been selected with intelligent comprehension o f his needs. In February, 19 14, he had the m isfor­ tune to lose his home, a disastrous fire destroy­ ing the dwelling and all its contents. Richard Ivcy married M ary Jan e Cooper, who died Ju ly 12, 1905, and is laid to rest in Rosemont cemetery, Bloomsburg, Pa. Mr. and M rs. Ivey had the following children: George .A., a farm er o f Montour township, Columbia county; Sarah A ., who m arriM Charles Freese and lives in Bloomsbui]g tov'Ti; Richard, J r ., who is living in B u ffalo; John C . who is living in Bloom sburg; R . W ., o f Light Street, P a .; Reuben, who is living at Pittsburgh, P a .; Lloyd W ., who is living at B u ffalo; M ary Jan e, w'ho married Ross w ard s; Clara, at home; Jessie, who married Charles Broat and lives at Tamaqua, P a .; M aude E ., who is at hom e; and Rachel, also at home—all living. T he following arc de­ ceased: Eliza A nn, bom in 1873, died in 18 7 4; W illiam, bom in 1876, died the same y e a r; Blanche, bom in 1 8 ^, died in 1890; Grace, bom in 1892, died in 1894. Mr. Ivey is a member of the Reform ed Church, is interested in its growth and devel­ opment and an important man in the congre­ gation. T he Republican party holds his memDcrship and receives his support, although he has never cared to go into public life, believing that he can better do his duty as a citizen in a private capacity. JA M E S F R A N K L IN E L L IS, o f E x ­ change. Montour county, has been cashier of the Facmcrs* National Bank at that place e%*cr since it w as established, and has also been well and favorably known in other connections. The Ellises are among the oldest and most substantial families at Exchange, and Jam es F . E llis is living up to the best traditions o f a worthy name, l i e w as bom Ju n e 22, 1858, in .Anthony township, Montour county, son o f .Andrew and Jan e .A. fE liis ) Ellis, and a de­ scendant o f S i^ h e n Ellis, the first of the name to settle in this region, one of the early res­ idents o f Anthony township. Rev. Milton I.igffitner, the first regular pastor o f St. Jam es’ F.pi.'copal Church at Exchange, nude his first visit to the place to preach at (he funeral o f Stephen Ellis. When (he latter died he left a verbal will giving S200 towards the erection o f an Episcopal Church, “ should there ever t>r a disposition to crcct such a building.” The

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church was coinineiiccd in 1848, on land pur­ chased fo r that purpose, the cornerstone was laid that year by Bishop Alonzo Potter, and the completed building dedicated by (he Bishop, assisted by Rev. Milton Liglttner and others. Prominent among the contributors to the work were the estate o f Stejdien Ellis, William Ellis, Stephen Ellis (son o f Stephen Ellis, deceased), Catharine Ellis, Jan e, Wil­ liam. Isabella, Ellen and John C . Ellis, M il­ ton Lightner and Am os Heacock. T he first officers of the church w ere: William Ellis, Stephen EUis, John C. EUis and Am os Hcacock, vestr)’m en; WiUiam EUis and .Amos Heacock, w'ardens. In 1887 the officers were Charles Rccdcr, William EUis, John Caldwell, John D. E llis, Robert Caldwell, Stephen C. Ellis, vestrym en; O iarles Reeder, senior w ar­ den; Stephen C . Ellis, junior warden. Stephen Ellis, the pioneer of the fam ily in Montour county, was bom in Ireland, and came from Londonderry, that country, to Am erica in or about 1770. H is father, who w as a sea captain, when he retired from the water took up land near Baltimore, Md., but finally went back to Donegal, Ireland, where he died. Stephen EUis assisted his cousin at Juniata, Pa., before coming to this section, and then settled permanently near Exchange, in Anthony township. Here he and his w ife spent the remainder of their long lives in the vicinity in which they first located, he farming until his death, which occurred in 1845, when he w as cighty-two years old. H e married Eleanor (o r M a iy ) Cunningham, like himself a native o f Ireland, who survived him a few years, and they were buried in the Episcopal graveyard at Exchange. T hey were the f« rents o f twelve children. William Ellis, second son o f this large fam­ ily, was bom in Anthony township M ay 8, 1800. and died in i860. In 18 33 he married Sarah M urray, o f Lew is township, Northum­ berland county, daughter o f John and M ary (W atts) M urray. T hey then bought and cleared up a tract o f land in the woods of M urray Hill, now in Madison township. Co­ lumbia county. Upon this (hey lived and car­ ried on the pursuit o f agriculture, finally be­ coming possessed o f several other tracts o f land in adjoining counties. M r. Ellis w as a member of the Episcopal Church at Exchange, at which place he is buried. H is w ife sur­ vived him until Jan. 2 1, 1892. T hey were the parents o f three children: Andrew, John D. and Stephen M., John D. being the only suraivor. •Andrew Ellis, father of Jam es Franklin