Josiah was a merchant, of the firm of "Ellis and Higgenbotham", Richmond, VA. He died at his home "The Wilderness" in Amherst County, VA.
Below is a copy of an essay in the collection of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The author is not named, but refers to the subject as his uncle.
Thomas Harding Ellis (1814-1898), the genealogist, was Josiah Ellis' nephew.
The Mr. Ellis mentioned in the "Letters from Paris," "Notes and Queries" column of The Standard April 10, 1880, was my uncle, Josiah Ellis, merchant, of the city of Richmond. He was the fourth son of Major Josiah Ellis, of Red Hill, in the county of Amherst; was born January 5, 1777, and died April 20, 1836 – never having married. He was a man of the utmost gravity of countenance and deportment, yet of a sweet face and rare humor. The portrait of him, painted by Jarvis, which I have out here, is often much admired.
From 1796 to 1801, he acted as deputy sheriff for his father, who was then sheriff of his county under the old County Court system. In the summer of 1801 he visited Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia on business for his father, performing the journey on horseback and the greater part of it alone. He returned to Virginia the ensuing summer with the intention of going back to settle in Kentucky, but finally declining this, accepted an offer from Major Joseph Scott, United States marshal for the Eastern district of Virginia, to become a deputy for him. Commencing in the summer of 1803, he continued as such until Major Scott's death in November, 1810. While acting in this capacity he several times made journeys of a thousand miles and more on horseback. Upon such occasions he kept an itinerary, two of which are in my possession, showing the places he visited, their distance from each other, and his expenses. It devolved upon him, also, as deputy marshal, to have the personal custody of Aaron Burr during the principal trial of Colonel Burr in Richmond.
In 1812 he entered into partnership with a young man who had lived some years as a clerk with Ellis & Allan. This young man, belonging to one of the best families in the State, possessed unusual talent for business and skill as an accountant. Their partnership was successful, and in the year (1816 I think,) my uncle left Hampton roads with a cargo of tobacco and flour for Spain and Portugal, intending after disposing of it to spend twelve months in Europe. He left Virginia considering himself a wealthy man. But during his absence his partner fell into habits of gambling and dissipation, wasted the partnership effects, and, in the spring of 1818, my uncle, summoned by this intelligence, returned home to find himself overwhelmed with debt. After submitting various propositions to his partner for winding up their affairs and settling all accounts on such principles as might be fair and just – which offers were declined – upon his application to the Chancery Court of Richmond for the appointment of a receiver he was himself appointed to take charge of the debts and effects of the co-partnery, and on the 25th of June, 1818, entered into bond, with my father as security, in the penalty of $75,000. He acted as such until March, 1822, when at his request Colonel John Rutherford was appointed substitute receiver.
After devoting the larger part of a year personally to his duties as receiver, he left Virginia in the spring of 1819 with a view to the relief of his feelings, which were greatly harassed, and journeyed through Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. He traveled on horseback, (he was ever very proud of a fine horse, and on this occasion had a superb one,) accompanied only by a servant, sleeping often in the wilderness, and sometimes coming in contact with Indians who were by no means friendly to the whites. I have in my possession a letter of thirty-off pages written by him to his uncle William Shelton, of Amherst, dated Danville. KY, September 8, 1819, giving a detailed instructive, and most interesting account of this trip.
In 1822, relinquishing all business care in Richmond, he returned to Amherst and took up residence with his sister, Mrs. Eubank, the mother of Colonel John L. Eubank, of the Warm Springs.
He represented his native county in the Legislature at the important session of 1830-31, the first under the reformed constitution, and was frequently afterwards solicited to serve in the same capacity, but declined.
In May, 1830, having gone to Philadelphia for the purpose, he had a tumor removed from his neck by Dr. Physick, which was near resulting in his death. The operation was performed when he was on the verge of a bilious fever without his surgeon being aware of this fact, and it caused him protracted and severe illness and suffering. After rallying sufficiently, he made an excursion along the Lakes and through the Northwestern Territory as far as the falls of St. Anthony, traveling sometimes on horseback and at other times in a canoe, with an Indian guide, to who he became strongly attached. They passed through many perils together, and their parting, though somewhat Indian in character, must have been, from what I have heard of it, truly affecting. This excursion was made before the war with the Winnebago and other Indian tribes (commonly called the Black Hawk war,) and before the removal of the Potawatomie from the very site upon which the city of Chicago, with its five hundred thousand inhabitants, now stands.
In January, 1832, Mr. Ellis was commissioned a justice of the peace in Amherst, the duties of which position he performed with a high sense of its obligation and special assiduity.
One of the services rendered by him to his native county was the obtaining from the Legislature an act authorizing the construction of a turnpike road over the Blue Ridge and an appropriation for that purpose. If I mistake not, he was himself appointed by the Board of Public Works the superintendent of its construction; and profiting by what he had learned in Europe, instead of going straight up the acclivities by steep grades, according to the old Virginia plan, he wound around them by easy grades, and so made a delightful carriage drive over a mountain pass which would have otherwise been nearly impracticable for a vehicle. This improvement was afterwards bought by the James River Kanawha Company.
The last time, as well as I can recall, that I ever saw him was on that mountain road in the summer of 1835. I was on horseback going to make my first visit to the Natural Bridge; he was there, also on horseback, directing some finishing work in connection with the road. My recollection is very distinct of his manly form as we dismounted and stood together upon the summit of the Ridge, conversing and looking over and beyond the Balcony Falls, which were as literally at our feet as is the New River at the feet of one who stands upon the Hawk's Nest.
He was a man of large frame, great muscular power, regular features, fine head, and remarkable for his firmness and self-control. The late Mr. John G. Mosby, (whose name you will find on the catalogue of William and Mary College for the year 1804, in the class with Richard Clough Anderson, Branch T. Archer, William Leigh, William H. Roane, John Robertson, Winfield Scott, and others honorably known,) with whom he boarded the winter he was in the Legislature, used to inquire of me about him as long as he lived, saying that he was one of the most remarkable men he knew and always delightful to him as a companion.
During his southern trip in 1819, while he was at Natchez on a visit to his brother Powhatan, who was at that time one of the Circuit judges of Mississippi, the Circuit judges were all there sitting in bank; they had their private table at the principal tavern in the place, and the rest of them, out of compliment to their associate Judge Ellis invited his brother Josiah to mess with them. My uncle Powhatan more than once told me in his lifetime that those judges seemed never to tire of referring to the jokes with which his brother entertained them.
Contributor: Anonymous (50147175)
Note: The original grave of this Ellis family member was located in the Ellis Family Cemetery at Red Hill Plantation in Western Amherst County. In the 1930's, Rev. Josiah Richard Ellis had all of the remains of the family members removed and re-interred at Amherst Cemetery. The grave is unmarked.
Below is a copy of an essay in the collection of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The author is not named, but refers to the subject as his uncle.
Thomas Harding Ellis (1814-1898), the genealogist, was Josiah Ellis' nephew.
The Mr. Ellis mentioned in the "Letters from Paris," "Notes and Queries" column of The Standard April 10, 1880, was my uncle, Josiah Ellis, merchant, of the city of Richmond. He was the fourth son of Major Josiah Ellis, of Red Hill, in the county of Amherst; was born January 5, 1777, and died April 20, 1836 – never having married. He was a man of the utmost gravity of countenance and deportment, yet of a sweet face and rare humor. The portrait of him, painted by Jarvis, which I have out here, is often much admired.
From 1796 to 1801, he acted as deputy sheriff for his father, who was then sheriff of his county under the old County Court system. In the summer of 1801 he visited Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia on business for his father, performing the journey on horseback and the greater part of it alone. He returned to Virginia the ensuing summer with the intention of going back to settle in Kentucky, but finally declining this, accepted an offer from Major Joseph Scott, United States marshal for the Eastern district of Virginia, to become a deputy for him. Commencing in the summer of 1803, he continued as such until Major Scott's death in November, 1810. While acting in this capacity he several times made journeys of a thousand miles and more on horseback. Upon such occasions he kept an itinerary, two of which are in my possession, showing the places he visited, their distance from each other, and his expenses. It devolved upon him, also, as deputy marshal, to have the personal custody of Aaron Burr during the principal trial of Colonel Burr in Richmond.
In 1812 he entered into partnership with a young man who had lived some years as a clerk with Ellis & Allan. This young man, belonging to one of the best families in the State, possessed unusual talent for business and skill as an accountant. Their partnership was successful, and in the year (1816 I think,) my uncle left Hampton roads with a cargo of tobacco and flour for Spain and Portugal, intending after disposing of it to spend twelve months in Europe. He left Virginia considering himself a wealthy man. But during his absence his partner fell into habits of gambling and dissipation, wasted the partnership effects, and, in the spring of 1818, my uncle, summoned by this intelligence, returned home to find himself overwhelmed with debt. After submitting various propositions to his partner for winding up their affairs and settling all accounts on such principles as might be fair and just – which offers were declined – upon his application to the Chancery Court of Richmond for the appointment of a receiver he was himself appointed to take charge of the debts and effects of the co-partnery, and on the 25th of June, 1818, entered into bond, with my father as security, in the penalty of $75,000. He acted as such until March, 1822, when at his request Colonel John Rutherford was appointed substitute receiver.
After devoting the larger part of a year personally to his duties as receiver, he left Virginia in the spring of 1819 with a view to the relief of his feelings, which were greatly harassed, and journeyed through Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. He traveled on horseback, (he was ever very proud of a fine horse, and on this occasion had a superb one,) accompanied only by a servant, sleeping often in the wilderness, and sometimes coming in contact with Indians who were by no means friendly to the whites. I have in my possession a letter of thirty-off pages written by him to his uncle William Shelton, of Amherst, dated Danville. KY, September 8, 1819, giving a detailed instructive, and most interesting account of this trip.
In 1822, relinquishing all business care in Richmond, he returned to Amherst and took up residence with his sister, Mrs. Eubank, the mother of Colonel John L. Eubank, of the Warm Springs.
He represented his native county in the Legislature at the important session of 1830-31, the first under the reformed constitution, and was frequently afterwards solicited to serve in the same capacity, but declined.
In May, 1830, having gone to Philadelphia for the purpose, he had a tumor removed from his neck by Dr. Physick, which was near resulting in his death. The operation was performed when he was on the verge of a bilious fever without his surgeon being aware of this fact, and it caused him protracted and severe illness and suffering. After rallying sufficiently, he made an excursion along the Lakes and through the Northwestern Territory as far as the falls of St. Anthony, traveling sometimes on horseback and at other times in a canoe, with an Indian guide, to who he became strongly attached. They passed through many perils together, and their parting, though somewhat Indian in character, must have been, from what I have heard of it, truly affecting. This excursion was made before the war with the Winnebago and other Indian tribes (commonly called the Black Hawk war,) and before the removal of the Potawatomie from the very site upon which the city of Chicago, with its five hundred thousand inhabitants, now stands.
In January, 1832, Mr. Ellis was commissioned a justice of the peace in Amherst, the duties of which position he performed with a high sense of its obligation and special assiduity.
One of the services rendered by him to his native county was the obtaining from the Legislature an act authorizing the construction of a turnpike road over the Blue Ridge and an appropriation for that purpose. If I mistake not, he was himself appointed by the Board of Public Works the superintendent of its construction; and profiting by what he had learned in Europe, instead of going straight up the acclivities by steep grades, according to the old Virginia plan, he wound around them by easy grades, and so made a delightful carriage drive over a mountain pass which would have otherwise been nearly impracticable for a vehicle. This improvement was afterwards bought by the James River Kanawha Company.
The last time, as well as I can recall, that I ever saw him was on that mountain road in the summer of 1835. I was on horseback going to make my first visit to the Natural Bridge; he was there, also on horseback, directing some finishing work in connection with the road. My recollection is very distinct of his manly form as we dismounted and stood together upon the summit of the Ridge, conversing and looking over and beyond the Balcony Falls, which were as literally at our feet as is the New River at the feet of one who stands upon the Hawk's Nest.
He was a man of large frame, great muscular power, regular features, fine head, and remarkable for his firmness and self-control. The late Mr. John G. Mosby, (whose name you will find on the catalogue of William and Mary College for the year 1804, in the class with Richard Clough Anderson, Branch T. Archer, William Leigh, William H. Roane, John Robertson, Winfield Scott, and others honorably known,) with whom he boarded the winter he was in the Legislature, used to inquire of me about him as long as he lived, saying that he was one of the most remarkable men he knew and always delightful to him as a companion.
During his southern trip in 1819, while he was at Natchez on a visit to his brother Powhatan, who was at that time one of the Circuit judges of Mississippi, the Circuit judges were all there sitting in bank; they had their private table at the principal tavern in the place, and the rest of them, out of compliment to their associate Judge Ellis invited his brother Josiah to mess with them. My uncle Powhatan more than once told me in his lifetime that those judges seemed never to tire of referring to the jokes with which his brother entertained them.
Contributor: Anonymous (50147175)
Note: The original grave of this Ellis family member was located in the Ellis Family Cemetery at Red Hill Plantation in Western Amherst County. In the 1930's, Rev. Josiah Richard Ellis had all of the remains of the family members removed and re-interred at Amherst Cemetery. The grave is unmarked.
Josiah was a merchant, of the firm of "Ellis and Higgenbotham", Richmond, VA. He died at his home "The Wilderness" in Amherst County, VA.
Below is a copy of an essay in the collection of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The author is not named, but refers to the subject as his uncle.
Thomas Harding Ellis (1814-1898), the genealogist, was Josiah Ellis' nephew.
The Mr. Ellis mentioned in the "Letters from Paris," "Notes and Queries" column of The Standard April 10, 1880, was my uncle, Josiah Ellis, merchant, of the city of Richmond. He was the fourth son of Major Josiah Ellis, of Red Hill, in the county of Amherst; was born January 5, 1777, and died April 20, 1836 – never having married. He was a man of the utmost gravity of countenance and deportment, yet of a sweet face and rare humor. The portrait of him, painted by Jarvis, which I have out here, is often much admired.
From 1796 to 1801, he acted as deputy sheriff for his father, who was then sheriff of his county under the old County Court system. In the summer of 1801 he visited Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia on business for his father, performing the journey on horseback and the greater part of it alone. He returned to Virginia the ensuing summer with the intention of going back to settle in Kentucky, but finally declining this, accepted an offer from Major Joseph Scott, United States marshal for the Eastern district of Virginia, to become a deputy for him. Commencing in the summer of 1803, he continued as such until Major Scott's death in November, 1810. While acting in this capacity he several times made journeys of a thousand miles and more on horseback. Upon such occasions he kept an itinerary, two of which are in my possession, showing the places he visited, their distance from each other, and his expenses. It devolved upon him, also, as deputy marshal, to have the personal custody of Aaron Burr during the principal trial of Colonel Burr in Richmond.
In 1812 he entered into partnership with a young man who had lived some years as a clerk with Ellis & Allan. This young man, belonging to one of the best families in the State, possessed unusual talent for business and skill as an accountant. Their partnership was successful, and in the year (1816 I think,) my uncle left Hampton roads with a cargo of tobacco and flour for Spain and Portugal, intending after disposing of it to spend twelve months in Europe. He left Virginia considering himself a wealthy man. But during his absence his partner fell into habits of gambling and dissipation, wasted the partnership effects, and, in the spring of 1818, my uncle, summoned by this intelligence, returned home to find himself overwhelmed with debt. After submitting various propositions to his partner for winding up their affairs and settling all accounts on such principles as might be fair and just – which offers were declined – upon his application to the Chancery Court of Richmond for the appointment of a receiver he was himself appointed to take charge of the debts and effects of the co-partnery, and on the 25th of June, 1818, entered into bond, with my father as security, in the penalty of $75,000. He acted as such until March, 1822, when at his request Colonel John Rutherford was appointed substitute receiver.
After devoting the larger part of a year personally to his duties as receiver, he left Virginia in the spring of 1819 with a view to the relief of his feelings, which were greatly harassed, and journeyed through Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. He traveled on horseback, (he was ever very proud of a fine horse, and on this occasion had a superb one,) accompanied only by a servant, sleeping often in the wilderness, and sometimes coming in contact with Indians who were by no means friendly to the whites. I have in my possession a letter of thirty-off pages written by him to his uncle William Shelton, of Amherst, dated Danville. KY, September 8, 1819, giving a detailed instructive, and most interesting account of this trip.
In 1822, relinquishing all business care in Richmond, he returned to Amherst and took up residence with his sister, Mrs. Eubank, the mother of Colonel John L. Eubank, of the Warm Springs.
He represented his native county in the Legislature at the important session of 1830-31, the first under the reformed constitution, and was frequently afterwards solicited to serve in the same capacity, but declined.
In May, 1830, having gone to Philadelphia for the purpose, he had a tumor removed from his neck by Dr. Physick, which was near resulting in his death. The operation was performed when he was on the verge of a bilious fever without his surgeon being aware of this fact, and it caused him protracted and severe illness and suffering. After rallying sufficiently, he made an excursion along the Lakes and through the Northwestern Territory as far as the falls of St. Anthony, traveling sometimes on horseback and at other times in a canoe, with an Indian guide, to who he became strongly attached. They passed through many perils together, and their parting, though somewhat Indian in character, must have been, from what I have heard of it, truly affecting. This excursion was made before the war with the Winnebago and other Indian tribes (commonly called the Black Hawk war,) and before the removal of the Potawatomie from the very site upon which the city of Chicago, with its five hundred thousand inhabitants, now stands.
In January, 1832, Mr. Ellis was commissioned a justice of the peace in Amherst, the duties of which position he performed with a high sense of its obligation and special assiduity.
One of the services rendered by him to his native county was the obtaining from the Legislature an act authorizing the construction of a turnpike road over the Blue Ridge and an appropriation for that purpose. If I mistake not, he was himself appointed by the Board of Public Works the superintendent of its construction; and profiting by what he had learned in Europe, instead of going straight up the acclivities by steep grades, according to the old Virginia plan, he wound around them by easy grades, and so made a delightful carriage drive over a mountain pass which would have otherwise been nearly impracticable for a vehicle. This improvement was afterwards bought by the James River Kanawha Company.
The last time, as well as I can recall, that I ever saw him was on that mountain road in the summer of 1835. I was on horseback going to make my first visit to the Natural Bridge; he was there, also on horseback, directing some finishing work in connection with the road. My recollection is very distinct of his manly form as we dismounted and stood together upon the summit of the Ridge, conversing and looking over and beyond the Balcony Falls, which were as literally at our feet as is the New River at the feet of one who stands upon the Hawk's Nest.
He was a man of large frame, great muscular power, regular features, fine head, and remarkable for his firmness and self-control. The late Mr. John G. Mosby, (whose name you will find on the catalogue of William and Mary College for the year 1804, in the class with Richard Clough Anderson, Branch T. Archer, William Leigh, William H. Roane, John Robertson, Winfield Scott, and others honorably known,) with whom he boarded the winter he was in the Legislature, used to inquire of me about him as long as he lived, saying that he was one of the most remarkable men he knew and always delightful to him as a companion.
During his southern trip in 1819, while he was at Natchez on a visit to his brother Powhatan, who was at that time one of the Circuit judges of Mississippi, the Circuit judges were all there sitting in bank; they had their private table at the principal tavern in the place, and the rest of them, out of compliment to their associate Judge Ellis invited his brother Josiah to mess with them. My uncle Powhatan more than once told me in his lifetime that those judges seemed never to tire of referring to the jokes with which his brother entertained them.
Contributor: Anonymous (50147175)
Note: The original grave of this Ellis family member was located in the Ellis Family Cemetery at Red Hill Plantation in Western Amherst County. In the 1930's, Rev. Josiah Richard Ellis had all of the remains of the family members removed and re-interred at Amherst Cemetery. The grave is unmarked.
Below is a copy of an essay in the collection of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The author is not named, but refers to the subject as his uncle.
Thomas Harding Ellis (1814-1898), the genealogist, was Josiah Ellis' nephew.
The Mr. Ellis mentioned in the "Letters from Paris," "Notes and Queries" column of The Standard April 10, 1880, was my uncle, Josiah Ellis, merchant, of the city of Richmond. He was the fourth son of Major Josiah Ellis, of Red Hill, in the county of Amherst; was born January 5, 1777, and died April 20, 1836 – never having married. He was a man of the utmost gravity of countenance and deportment, yet of a sweet face and rare humor. The portrait of him, painted by Jarvis, which I have out here, is often much admired.
From 1796 to 1801, he acted as deputy sheriff for his father, who was then sheriff of his county under the old County Court system. In the summer of 1801 he visited Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia on business for his father, performing the journey on horseback and the greater part of it alone. He returned to Virginia the ensuing summer with the intention of going back to settle in Kentucky, but finally declining this, accepted an offer from Major Joseph Scott, United States marshal for the Eastern district of Virginia, to become a deputy for him. Commencing in the summer of 1803, he continued as such until Major Scott's death in November, 1810. While acting in this capacity he several times made journeys of a thousand miles and more on horseback. Upon such occasions he kept an itinerary, two of which are in my possession, showing the places he visited, their distance from each other, and his expenses. It devolved upon him, also, as deputy marshal, to have the personal custody of Aaron Burr during the principal trial of Colonel Burr in Richmond.
In 1812 he entered into partnership with a young man who had lived some years as a clerk with Ellis & Allan. This young man, belonging to one of the best families in the State, possessed unusual talent for business and skill as an accountant. Their partnership was successful, and in the year (1816 I think,) my uncle left Hampton roads with a cargo of tobacco and flour for Spain and Portugal, intending after disposing of it to spend twelve months in Europe. He left Virginia considering himself a wealthy man. But during his absence his partner fell into habits of gambling and dissipation, wasted the partnership effects, and, in the spring of 1818, my uncle, summoned by this intelligence, returned home to find himself overwhelmed with debt. After submitting various propositions to his partner for winding up their affairs and settling all accounts on such principles as might be fair and just – which offers were declined – upon his application to the Chancery Court of Richmond for the appointment of a receiver he was himself appointed to take charge of the debts and effects of the co-partnery, and on the 25th of June, 1818, entered into bond, with my father as security, in the penalty of $75,000. He acted as such until March, 1822, when at his request Colonel John Rutherford was appointed substitute receiver.
After devoting the larger part of a year personally to his duties as receiver, he left Virginia in the spring of 1819 with a view to the relief of his feelings, which were greatly harassed, and journeyed through Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. He traveled on horseback, (he was ever very proud of a fine horse, and on this occasion had a superb one,) accompanied only by a servant, sleeping often in the wilderness, and sometimes coming in contact with Indians who were by no means friendly to the whites. I have in my possession a letter of thirty-off pages written by him to his uncle William Shelton, of Amherst, dated Danville. KY, September 8, 1819, giving a detailed instructive, and most interesting account of this trip.
In 1822, relinquishing all business care in Richmond, he returned to Amherst and took up residence with his sister, Mrs. Eubank, the mother of Colonel John L. Eubank, of the Warm Springs.
He represented his native county in the Legislature at the important session of 1830-31, the first under the reformed constitution, and was frequently afterwards solicited to serve in the same capacity, but declined.
In May, 1830, having gone to Philadelphia for the purpose, he had a tumor removed from his neck by Dr. Physick, which was near resulting in his death. The operation was performed when he was on the verge of a bilious fever without his surgeon being aware of this fact, and it caused him protracted and severe illness and suffering. After rallying sufficiently, he made an excursion along the Lakes and through the Northwestern Territory as far as the falls of St. Anthony, traveling sometimes on horseback and at other times in a canoe, with an Indian guide, to who he became strongly attached. They passed through many perils together, and their parting, though somewhat Indian in character, must have been, from what I have heard of it, truly affecting. This excursion was made before the war with the Winnebago and other Indian tribes (commonly called the Black Hawk war,) and before the removal of the Potawatomie from the very site upon which the city of Chicago, with its five hundred thousand inhabitants, now stands.
In January, 1832, Mr. Ellis was commissioned a justice of the peace in Amherst, the duties of which position he performed with a high sense of its obligation and special assiduity.
One of the services rendered by him to his native county was the obtaining from the Legislature an act authorizing the construction of a turnpike road over the Blue Ridge and an appropriation for that purpose. If I mistake not, he was himself appointed by the Board of Public Works the superintendent of its construction; and profiting by what he had learned in Europe, instead of going straight up the acclivities by steep grades, according to the old Virginia plan, he wound around them by easy grades, and so made a delightful carriage drive over a mountain pass which would have otherwise been nearly impracticable for a vehicle. This improvement was afterwards bought by the James River Kanawha Company.
The last time, as well as I can recall, that I ever saw him was on that mountain road in the summer of 1835. I was on horseback going to make my first visit to the Natural Bridge; he was there, also on horseback, directing some finishing work in connection with the road. My recollection is very distinct of his manly form as we dismounted and stood together upon the summit of the Ridge, conversing and looking over and beyond the Balcony Falls, which were as literally at our feet as is the New River at the feet of one who stands upon the Hawk's Nest.
He was a man of large frame, great muscular power, regular features, fine head, and remarkable for his firmness and self-control. The late Mr. John G. Mosby, (whose name you will find on the catalogue of William and Mary College for the year 1804, in the class with Richard Clough Anderson, Branch T. Archer, William Leigh, William H. Roane, John Robertson, Winfield Scott, and others honorably known,) with whom he boarded the winter he was in the Legislature, used to inquire of me about him as long as he lived, saying that he was one of the most remarkable men he knew and always delightful to him as a companion.
During his southern trip in 1819, while he was at Natchez on a visit to his brother Powhatan, who was at that time one of the Circuit judges of Mississippi, the Circuit judges were all there sitting in bank; they had their private table at the principal tavern in the place, and the rest of them, out of compliment to their associate Judge Ellis invited his brother Josiah to mess with them. My uncle Powhatan more than once told me in his lifetime that those judges seemed never to tire of referring to the jokes with which his brother entertained them.
Contributor: Anonymous (50147175)
Note: The original grave of this Ellis family member was located in the Ellis Family Cemetery at Red Hill Plantation in Western Amherst County. In the 1930's, Rev. Josiah Richard Ellis had all of the remains of the family members removed and re-interred at Amherst Cemetery. The grave is unmarked.
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