William Wallace Ellis (1840-1903)

November 3, 2026

William Wallace Ellis (1840-1903)

I came across William Ellis’s unique grave while in the Villisca Cemetery visiting the graves of the Moore Family back in 2024.

March 18, 1840

William is born in Wilkes-Barre, PA to Emmor and Mary Ann aka Polly. He’s the oldest of four children with younger siblings Thomas, Emmor Jr., and Sarah.

Later, his Veteran Card File would describe him as being 5’8″ tall with dark hair & eyes and a light complexion.

1850

Census records have him living in Wilkes-Barre.

His father is listed as being a hatter.
He’s noted as having attended school, along with Thomas & Emmor Jr; Sarah was only four years old.
They also had someone named Hannah Gilman living with them; she was 19.

I thought Hannah may have been a relative of William’s mother, but her maiden name was Jagger. Hannah was likely a boarder or a housekeeper. Boarder seems more likely because housekeeper would probably have been listed under occupation on the census.

William is noted as being 11, though he would have only been 10 at this time.

January 1, 1861

William marries Tamzen Spry.

They would have four children together:

William Arthur
Emmor III
Walter Spry
Maude Tamzen

I’m listing his children here rather than in the timeline because while they are listed in multiple sources verifying they are his children, the dates of birth vary in censuses and family trees. They also don’t line up for who their mother is, particularly the youngest two. They are all listed in military records as being his children with Tamzen and Tamzen is listed on Maude’s marriage license as her mother. It also makes most sense for Tamzen to be the mother of the youngest two as well because Walter’s middle name is her maiden name and Maude’s middle name is Tamzen. However, some family trees have them being born after he’s married to his second wife. They may have been infants when their mother died (some family trees have Walter and Maude being twins) and that contributed to mistakes in record keeping. His marriage license for 1861 with Tamzen is above but his obituary says that he was married to his second wife that year; because the obituary was in Iowa they may not have known about his first wife in Pennsylvania.

April 21, 1861

He enlisted in the army.

From his obituary:

“He was a soldier in the war for the Union, and was in some of the hardest fought battles. He was wounded in the shoulder at Fair Oaks and in the left leg at Fredericksburg. His first enlistment was as a private and at the expiration of that term was acting quartermaster. He came home, raised a company and went back into the army as captain. On account of his youth he was known as the “Boy Captain.” He was severely wounded at Fredericksburg in 1863 wile taking part in the famous charge of the Light Division, the 61st Pennsylvania regiment. He was take to Washington and after convalescing from his wound was transferred to the veteran reserve corps by order of the president, where he remained until discharged in 1866.”

Civil War Draft Registration, bottom of the image

Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, side 1

Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, side 2

1867/1868 (depending on the tree)

Tamzen passes away

January 30, 1869

William marries Esther Margaret Sleppy; most records have her going by Margaret or Maggie.

Their names appear at the bottom of this image.

Their witnesses and the marriage date are recorded at the bottom of this image.

1870

Census records have him living in Jackson Township, IA. His obituary has him moving to Villisca this year. Both are in Montgomery County and are next to each other.

His profession is listed as farmer.
Maggie is noted as keeping house.
William is “at school” while the other three children were “at home.”

Map showing Villisca and Jackson Twp in relation to each other. Reference: “Map of East and Jackson Townships”. Cadastral maps, maps (documents), Plats (Maps), Township maps. Atlas of Montgomery County, Iowa, 1919 2 Township Maps. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/node/885107.

Maude appears to be recorded by her middle name Tamzen; *this may have been what she went by*.

1880

Census records have him living in Villisca, IA.

He’s noted as a “dealer in grain.” Per his obituary, “He moved to Villisca in 1870, and has been engaged in the grain business.”
Margaret is noted as “keeping house.”
The youngest three children, Emmor, Walter & Maude, are noted as being in school.
The oldest, William, is noted (in the words of the census) with a checkmark under “idiocy.”
- Per census.gov, at that time, “An idiot is a person the development of whose mental faculties was arrected in infancy or childhood before coming to maturity.”

Census Reference

1893

September 16, 1903

William passes away at home.

Per his obituary:

“Col. Ellis died at his home on west Third street Wednesday morning, September 16, 1903. For several years he had been an invalid, but was able to [cut off] and take daily rides in his car until about two weeks ago before his [cut off] when he was stricken with neuralgia which confined him to his bed.”

“He was universally respected and highly esteemed, one of the leading citizens of this city.”

“The funeral was from the Presbyterian church, of which he was a member, Friday, September 18, conducted by Rev. T.K. Hunter. Interment was in the Villisca Cemetery.”