Ellis - William Russell - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Ellis, William Russell (1850-1915) -- also known as William R. Ellis -- of Heppner, Morrow County, Ore. Born near Waveland, Montgomery County, Ind., April 23, 1850. Republican. U.S. Representative from Oregon 2nd District, 1893-99, 1907-11; defeated, 1898, 1910; circuit judge in Oregon, 1900-06. Died in Portland, Multnomah County, Ore., January 18, 1915. Cremated.(The Political Graveyard) ELLIS, William Russell, 1850-1915 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress ELLIS, William Russell, a Representative from Oregon; born near Waveland, Montgomery County, Ind., April 23, 1850; moved with his parents to Guthrie County, Iowa, in 1855; attended the district schools and the Iowa State Agricultural College at Ames; was graduated from the law department of the University of Iowa at Iowa City in 1874; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Panora, Iowa; mayor of Panora for one term; moved to Hamburg, Iowa, where he continued the practice of law, and also engaged in newspaper work; served two years as city attorney; mayor of Hamburg in 1880 and 1881; moved to Heppner, Oreg., in 1884; superintendent of schools of Morrow County in 1885 and 1886; district attorney of the seventh judicial district of Oregon 1886-1892; elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, and Fifty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1893-March 3, 1899); chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Justice (Fifty-fourth Congress), Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands (Fifty-fifth Congress); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1898; circuit judge of the sixth judicial district of Oregon from July 10, 1900, to July 1, 1906; moved to Pendleton in 1901 and practiced law; elected to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses (March 4, 1907-March 3, 1911); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910; resumed the practice of law in Pendleton, Oreg.; in July 1914 moved to Portland, Oreg., where he died January 18, 1915; interment in a mausoleum in Portland Crematorium.

Note: Nice memorial on findagrave.com

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Ellis&GSfn=William&GSmn=R&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1915&GSdyrel=in&GSst=39&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=15556823&df=all&

A new law firm in Heppner is that of Ellis, Dawson & Lyons. The two last named are new comers and will be known in future by their merits. The senior member is the efficient member-elect of congress for the newly-formed 7th judicial district of Oregon. Mr. Ellis is a man of pleasing address, and is young enough, being only 43 years of age, to make for himself a great name, entering congress, as he does, at an earlier age than the great majority of national representatives. He is the son of James Ellis and was born near Moreland (sic - Waveland), Montgomery County, Indiana, April 23d, 1850. His mother's maiden name was Susan Stone. Both father and mother were Kentuckians. His father died in November 1851, and four years later his mother married Joseph Roberts in January 1855. In April of the same year the family removed to Guthrie County, Iowa. Here Mr. Ellis was brought up on the farm, doing farm work and going to school four months during each year until 18 years of age, after which time he taught school and worked on the farm until he was of age. He then entered Iowa Agricultural College where he remained almost two years. He entered the law department of the Iowa State Univeristy in September 1873, and graduated in the class of 1874. In January 1875, he began the practice of law at Panora, Iowa and was elected and served as mayor the town during that year. In June 1876, he removed to Hamburg, Iowa where he followed his profession and engaged in newspaper work. He was elected city attorney in 1878 and served two years. Immediately after the expiration of the term he entered upon the duties of mayor to which office he had been previously elected. He was married March 31, 1880 to Miss Jennie B. Edwards who died in January 1882. In March 1883, he came west and taught school in Walla Walla County, Wash until 1884. He then went to Heppner as principal of schools. In April 1885 he began the practice of law again. In March of the same year, upon the formation of Morrow County he was appointed first school superintendent. In December of the same year he was appointed by Gov. Moody as District Attorney of the newly formed 7th Judicial District, was elected to the same position in 1886 and re-elected in 1886. He was nominated by the republican party in 1892k, and elected as a member of the 53rd congress. He married his present wife, Mrs. Ida J. Scott at Walla Walla June 16, 1885. They have one child, a son, Edgar B. Ellis. - transcribed by kbz

The following from the Eagle, of Long Creek, Oregon, will be of interest in this county. It gives a biography of the next congressman from Oregon’s second district who once was a native of this county and who has proved himself worthy in all things. The Eagle says:

W. R. Ellis, Republican nominee for Congress for the second congressional district, was born in Montgomery County, Indiana, April 23, 1850. At 18 months of age, he was left fatherless, and with his family resided on the home farm until reaching majority, at times teaching school and also working on the farm. At 21 years of age he entered the Iowa agricultural college, graduating from the law department of the State University in 1874.

In 1883 he came to Heppner, Morrow County, where he has since resided following his profession as a lawyer. In 1885 he was appointed prosecuting attorney of the seventh judicial district by Governor Moody and in 1885 was elected again to that office, and again in 1889 was re-elected to the same position by a handsome majority, retiring from official duties on the expiration of his term of office.

Mr. Ellis is in accord with the administration and the Republican majority in congress on silver and the tariff. He has always been a Blaine man, as long as the man from Maine was in the field, but now favors the re-nomination of Harrison.