Ellis, Hon. F. E.

ELLIS

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 3/7/2008 at 07:31:38

Jackson Sentinel, Centennial Edition-1938.

Senator F. E. Ellis

The story of the Ellis insurance agency and of the Ellis museum is the story of a far-seeing father and an energetic son who followed in his footsteps. James W. Ellis started his fire insurance and real estate business in 1889; nearly 50 years later, this agency is propering under the direction of his son, Frank E. Ellis. The father was interested in collecting various specimens for his museum; the son built a fireproof museum which houses many fine and rare stones and historic specimens. To carry the "like father, like son" analogy even farther, both James W. and Frank E. have been elected by the Democrats of Jackson County to serve in the state legislature.
Frank E. Ellis has followed many of the same ideas laid down by his father. He was born March 12, 1879, and at an early age taught school for two years. On October 2, 1900, he was married in Chicago to Miss Lydia Cook, of Grant Township, Clinton County, Iowa. To this union fur children were born. His wife and two children passed away in a period of 17 months. His son John has a wife and two daughters and lives in Seattle, Washington. His daughter Lydia Marie married Dr. L. R. Maxwell and they, with their daughter and son, live in Washington, D. C.
On February 19, 1908, he was married in Dubuque to Miss Alice Lynch, of Butler Township, Jackson County. Their son, Frank V. Ellis, is now an attorney in Manchester, Iowa, and has a wife and a son.
Frank has followed the insurance and real estate business for forty years, having entered the business with his father at an early age.
The outstanding achievement of Frank is the collecting, owning and housing in a fireproof building the Frank E. Ellis Museum of Archeology and Anthropology which contains some of the finest and rare stone age specimens in this country and of which the largest museums of America would be proud to possess.
In 1936 Frank was elected to the state senate on the democratic ticket, a position which he still occupies. He was instrumental in organizing the Izaak Walton League here and in obtaining improvements at the Maquoketa Caves State Park.

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