Henry L. Ellis was born 15 December 1846 in Batavia, Clermont County, Ohio and died 27 August 1896 at Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois. He was the second son of the Rev. John Samuel Ellis, born 1 May 1822 N. C., and Maria Leonard born, 2 July 1827 in Ohio. John and Maria were married at Batavia Ohio on 1 May 1844. They had two children: William Jesse, born in 1845 and Henry Le Aldas, born 1846. Maria died of cholera on 29 January 1849 at the age of 25.

His father, John, married Martha Eliza Pavey on 21 February 1850 and they had four more children, but Martha was a loving mother to William Jesse and Henry Le Aldas. Through the years his father married four additional times and fathered 11 more children and acquired several step children in the process.

Henry came to Mt Vernon Illinois with his parents in 1860. After learning the printing business in Mt.Vernon he removed to Cincinnatti, Ohio and secured a position on the Commercial-Gazette, where he remained for twelve years. He later spent ten years at the Register News in Mt Vernon IL. While in Ohio he met and married his first wife:

1. Zella Mae Applegate on 23 January 1877 in Cincinnatti ,Hamilton Co, Ohio. She was born 17 May 1860 a daughter of Andrew Jackson Applegate (born 1833) and Mary Ann Chambers (born 1831) and died at age 22 of cholora on 26 August 1882 at Pleasant Hill, Ohio.

Zella Mae and Henry had three daughters in the short time they were married:

A Hattie Marie, born 12 November 1877 at Batavia Ohio
B Mabel born 31 October 1878 in Ohio, died 25 February 1884, age 5
C. Elizabeth born 12 June 1879 in Ohio. died 27 January 1883, age 2

After the death of his wife Henry returned to Mt.Vernon, IL with his three children, two of whom died shortly after his return. The surviving daughter Hattie Marie married Elmer Frances Strattan on 26 February 1896 in Mt Vernon, IL.

In 1887 Henry was elected city clerk without opposition. Having been a soldier during the Civil War, serving in the 100 day service in the 136th IL, he received a military pension. He was a member of the G.A.R. and the Knights of Pythis.

A Tornado tore through the heart of Mt.Vernon on February 20,1888. Thirty eight people were injured and 300 perished in the storm that destroyed the town square and much of the surrounding area. Henry and his brother Charles were on the injured list. We do not know the extent of their injuries.

Henry married secondly:

Henry died 27 October 1896 at 50 years old. He had been in ill health for many months and suffered from sciatic rheumatism, but the disease did not assume a dangerous aspect until two weeks before his death when he gradually faded away. Ida Mae was not mentioned in his obituary, though she lived to be eighty.

Submitted by: Nancy E. Davis