Levi Ellis 1783-1880

ELLIS, KELLEY, DOW

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 2/7/2012 at 13:01:53

An Old Citizen Gone
Levi Ellis, of Post Township, Allamakee Co. Iowa, departed this life Dec. 11th, 1880. He was born in New Hampshire, Jan. 31, 1783. About seven months, before peace declared in the Revolutionary war, and was therefore nearly ninty-eight years old at the time of his death.

He served as a soldier in the war of 1812.

He was married in N.H. about 1811, and his wife died in 1820. Of the four children by this marriage, Dea. Ellis, with whom he has lived for many years, is the only survivor.

He was married again in Canada East to his now bereaved widow whom he lived about 60 years.

He moved from Canada to Vermont, where in 1837, he embraced the Christian religion, and united with the M.E. church. From Vt. he moved to N.Y.; thence to Ohio. From there he came with Dea. Ellis to Postville, Iowa, in 1855. Subsequently he was baptized and received into membership in the F.W. Baptist church in Postville.

Five children came to him from his second marriage, and his descendants to the fifth generation, are now living in this immediate vicinity. He was the oldest person in the community, and bore his age well, retaining his physical and mental faculties in a remarkable degree to the very last.

He has always conscienciously performed his duties as a citizen. His last vote was cast for Gen. Garfield.

He has come down to the grave, venerable in years, and honored and respected in his character, by all who knew him. God satisfied him with long life, and at last his spirit was released without a struggle. The funeral services were held last Monday at the F.W. Baptist church.

~Postville Review, Saturday, December 18, 1880

~Notes:
-Levi Ellis is buried in the Postville cemetery.
-On the 1880 US census, he is age 97 and living with his son Johnathan Ellis, age 67. Also in the household are:
Lydia A. Ellis, age 39 (wife of HOH)
Delia B. Ellis, age 12 (daughter)*
Gertrude R. Ellis, age 5 (daughter)
Jay P. Ellis, age 1 (son)
Eunice Ellis, age 85 (stepmother of HOH) and Comfort Dow, age 74 (mother-in-law of HOH)

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Added by Connie Ellis 12/11/2018:

*re: Delia B. Ellis, age 12 (daughter)

Her name on the census is listed as "Ellis" but her name was Delia B. Kelley. Delia was the daughter of Lydia A. (Dow) Ellis (2nd wife of Jonathan Ellis) so she was the step-daughter to Jonathan Ellis. Lydia was previously married to a Daniel Kelley who was the father to Delia and her older sister Flavia.