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Frank Ellis papers

 Collection
Identifier: S0420

Scope and Contents

The collection contains professional and personal correspondence including letter regarding state and local Republican party politics; letters from his daughter while she was a student at the University of Chicago (1909); and a small number of letters regarding his legal affairs. Also included are papers regarding the Society of the Army of the Cumberland, a Civil War veterans organization to which he belonged; various political campaign materials and clippings; and receipts and subscription information.

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

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 was apprenticed at aprinting office at the age of sixteen. When the 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 (Sept. 20, 1863), and Ellis was then appointed Captain to succeed his father. In 1864, Ellis 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 re-elected 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 1898-1910. 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. He died on July 12, 1918.

Sources:

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 & 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.
Title
Frank Ellis papers
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671