Frank Ellis papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: S0420
Scope and Contents
The collection contains professional and personal correspondence, papers, campaign materials, clippings, receipts, and ephemera from Frank Ellis and family in Delaware County, Indiana and Illinois, ranging from 1843-1910, regarding his family, legal affairs, the Society of the Army of the Cumberland, local and state Republican Party politics and political elections, and his daughter's time as a student at the University of Chicago in 1909.
Correspondents include John A. M. Adair, John Gillett, James P. Goodrich, Isaac H. Gray, Nathan P. Hawkins, James A. Hemenway, and General Washington Harrison Kemper.
Correspondents include John A. M. Adair, John Gillett, James P. Goodrich, Isaac H. Gray, Nathan P. Hawkins, James A. Hemenway, and General Washington Harrison Kemper.
Dates
- 1843-1910, bulk 1906-1910
Creator
- Ellis, Frank, 1842-1919 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Frank Ellis was born on February 12, 1842, in Muncie, Indiana. He apprenticed at a printing office at the age of sixteen. When the U.S. Civil War began, Ellis enlisted and became a member of his father’s company in the 84th Indiana Regiment. His father, John, was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga on September 20, 1863, and Ellis was then appointed captain to succeed his father. In 1864, he was elected treasurer of Delaware County, Indiana despite being absent from the county due to his military service. He took office following the war and was reelected for an additional term. After leaving the office of treasurer, Ellis served on the Muncie City Council and as city attorney. He also practiced law with Orlando J. Lotz and John T. Walterhouse. In May 1871, he married Mary E. Martindale with whom he had two daughters, Ethel Joy and Elizabeth.
Ellis served as the mayor of Muncie from 1883 to 1891, U.S. postmaster in Muncie from 1891 to 1894, and as U.S. commissioner from 1898 to 1910. He was then elected judge of the 46th Judicial Circuit, a position he held until November 17, 1916. He returned to private practice after leaving the bench. Frank Ellis died on July 12, 1918.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. Accessed April 7, 2006. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Monks, Leander J. Courts and Lawyers of Indiana, volume III. Indianapolis: Federal Publishing Co., 1916.
Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting of the Indiana State Bar Association Held at Indianapolis Indiana. Indianapolis, Indiana, July 9-10, 1919. Indianapolis: Harrington and Folger, 1919.
Ellis served as the mayor of Muncie from 1883 to 1891, U.S. postmaster in Muncie from 1891 to 1894, and as U.S. commissioner from 1898 to 1910. He was then elected judge of the 46th Judicial Circuit, a position he held until November 17, 1916. He returned to private practice after leaving the bench. Frank Ellis died on July 12, 1918.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. Accessed April 7, 2006. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Monks, Leander J. Courts and Lawyers of Indiana, volume III. Indianapolis: Federal Publishing Co., 1916.
Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting of the Indiana State Bar Association Held at Indianapolis Indiana. Indianapolis, Indiana, July 9-10, 1919. Indianapolis: Harrington and Folger, 1919.
Extent
0.05 Cubic Feet (5 folders)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject and chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the Vigo County Historical Society on 1967/07/25.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2006/04 by Christina Baich. EAD finding aid created 2015/11/16 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid revised 2025/05/02 by Brittany Kropf.
- College students
- Correspondence
- Delaware County (Ind.)
- Family
- Illinois
- Indiana -- Politics and government
- Indiana -- Societies and clubs
- Judges
- Judges -- Indiana
- Lawyers
- Lawyers -- Indiana
- Military veterans
- Muncie (Ind.)
- Political parties -- Indiana
- Practice of law -- Indiana
- Receipts (Acknowledgements)
- Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Veterans
- United States. Army of the Cumberland
- Universities and colleges -- Indiana
- University of Chicago
- Veterans -- Societies, etc.
Creator
- Ellis, Frank, 1842-1919 (Person)
- Title
- Frank Ellis papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
