Although David Ellis’ wife Lucy Ann (Storms) Ellis and many of their children moved to Illinois and then Kansas, nothing appears to have ever been said about what happened to David. Why?
Who Was David Ellis?
David Ellis is my 3rd great grandfather. He was born approximately 1808 in or near Shelbyville, Shelby, KY to Roger and Susannah (Lewis) Ellis. His surname was sometimes written Elless or Elles.
Roger and Susannah moved their family from Kentucky to Brown Township, Ripley, Indiana in 1818. Read more about the family in Roger Ellis’ Mystery Parents.
April 3, 1834, David married Lucy Ann Storm(s)(es). They had 8 known children with the first child born in 1836 and the last in 1851. Their children included: Joseph Lewis, Ellen, James W., Stephen E., Wesley W., Henry D., Amanda (Elizabeth), and Susannah “Susan” Ellis.
David is in the 1850 census and the 1860 census. Those records tell us that David is a farmer near Cross Plains, Brown Township, Ripley County, Indiana. In 1860, he has $300 in his personal estate, but does not own any real estate. Additionally, both David and his wife Lucy Ann could read and write.
Family Moves
In 1870, David’s wife Lucy is living in Rutland, La Salle, Illinois along with their children Henry, Susan, and Stepen. Henry was listed as the head of the household. Stephen was older than Henry. However, he was disabled. Read more about Stephen.
Their son James was already in Erie, Neosho, Kansas near where his mother and the siblings later settled.
Meanwhile, Joseph, Ellen and their families remained in Ripley County, Indiana. Joseph owned $250 of real estate and had a personal estate of $500. Amanda (Elizabeth) also wasn’t with the family in Indiana or Illinois. However, she would rejoin them by 1880.
Wesley has not been found in the 1870 census. Some people claim that he died in 1864. The specific date varies and no proof of the death has been found.
By 1880, Lucy and children minus Henry and Wesley were in Kansas. Henry spent some time in Indiana before finally settling in South Dakota.
This leaves us with the question of “Where was David?”
The Civil War
Saying that David was killed during the Civil War is a convenient answer, but it is the right answer?
Records do show a David Ellis who died in the Civil War in Tennessee on May 10 or May 11 of 1863. That man was a private in Company H of the 23 Kentucky Infantry. He died of chronic diarrhea and was buried at Stones River National Cemetery in Tennessee.
Many people have associated this record with our David. However, I have not found evidence that he actually fought in the war. If this is him, he would have been approximately 55 at the time of his death. Back then it was more common for middle-aged men to fight in wars. So, it was possible that this is our David. However, there were multiple men named David Ellis. Thus, it is also possible that this was not him.
Killed When Troops Marched Through
Another possibility was that he died during John Morgan’s Raid in 1863 that went through the area near where the Ellis family lived. During this raid in 1863, over 2,000 men marched through the area, looting homes and businesses, and clashing with locals.
The main path of the march seems to have been a few miles to the west of the Ellis homes. However, soldiers still could have come through the country side looking for horses and other goods that they could use in the war. It is also possible that David was killed in one of the clashes between local militia men and the Confederate soldiers.
If he did die there, it is unknown where he was buried. However, there are said to be some Ellis graves across the road from Benham Cemetery. Could he be buried there? Read about the graves across from Benham Cemetery.
Other Possibilities
Of course, there are other possibilities including: natural causes, a farm accident, an accident or illness when moving to Illinois, or an incident of some other nature.
It is also possible that David and his son Wesley were killed at the same time.
Why?
No matter what happened, to David, why didn’t it ever get documented or verbally passed down in the family? It just seems like there has to be a story behind David being MIA in family stories and notes.
No record, even if it states what happened to David, is likely to answer the question of why David was never mentioned in family records.
Featured Image: By Auluz via pixabay.com
Prompt: A Question the Records Can’t Answer
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