Jesse W. Ellison
Arizona, The Youngest State, 1913, pg 304

Jesse W. Ellison, now living retired in Phoenix, was 
born in Brazos County Texas and has spent all of his 
life in this part of the country in the stock business.  
His birth occurred September 22, 1841 and he is a son of 
Jesse and Isabelle (Steward) Ellison, who removed from 
Alabama to Texas in 1836.  There the father turned his 
attention to the stock business and at the time of his 
death he owned more than five thousand acres of land.  
The estate was divided among his children after his 
demise, which occurred in 1849.  His wife survived him 
many years, dying in 1878.  Of their children eight grew 
to maturity all being now deceased except the subject of 
this review and one sister Louisa, who resides in 
Shackelford County Texas.

Jesse W. Ellison began his independent career going to 
Mexico in 1858 and there engaging in the horse and sheep 
business in the employ of others for one year.  He 
received ten dollars per month for his services. In 
1860 he resigned and went to the Texas frontier as a 
member of a ranging company which in February 1861 
captured Camp Copper, a United States government post.  
He continued in the service until July 1861, when he 
was mustered out at Lampasas Texas and from there 
went to McLennan County that state where on the 12th 
of August 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate Army.  
He was sent in the following spring to Mississippi 
with an infantry regiment and took part in the 
battle of Corinth.  In October he was transferred 
to a cavalry regiment and served in Georgia, 
Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi.  He was detailed 
for scout duty and with nine others tore up the 
railroads throughout the state.  At one time the 
wrecking party carried the rails a quarter of a 
mile to a pond where they were sunk to the bottom 
with the expectation that this would effectually 
stop the transportation of rations to General 
Sherman's army.  However, on the following morning 
the road was found to be again in perfect order and 
the train came through with rations and ammunition 
and as Mr. Ellison often afterward remarked, the 
joke was on himself and his companions.  Her served 
with credit and ability for four years during the 
Civil War and after receiving his honorable discharge 
went to Texas where he engaged in the cattle business 
in McLennan County until 1876.  From 1869 to 1874 he 
drove cattle through to Kansas which was then the 
principal market for that section of Texas.  In 1876 
he sold a portion of his herd and drove the remainder 
into Shackelford County Texas where he continued in 
business until 1885 when he again disposed of his 
stock and went to Globe Arizona.  He afterward shipped 
eighteen hundred head of cattle to Bowie Arizona and 
from there drove them across the mountains to the Salt 
River Valley, locating with his family near Payson 
Arizona where he remained until 1891 when he moved 
fifty miles northeast of the Roosevelt dam and sixty 
miles north of Globe.  There he conducted an extensive 
and profitable stock business managing over twenty 
five thousand acres of fine grazing land which was 
fenced and improved.  In 1915 Mr. Ellison disposed 
of his ranch interests and located in Phoenix where 
he is now retired.

On February 14, 1864, Mr. Ellison married Miss Susan M. 
Smith, who was born in Rusk County, December 17, 1844 and 
is a daughter of Henry M. and Sarah (Hall) Smith.  Mr. and 
Mrs. Ellison became the parents of eight children: Pearl G., 
who with his wife and four children resides in Globe; Helen 
D., who is the wife of Governor Hunt of Arizona and has one 
daughter, Lena, at home; Rosa who married R. Campbell and 
died leaving two children, Minnie, widow of J.C. Ellison 
and the mother of five children: Mattie who became the 
wife of Ben Nail and at her death left three sons, all of 
whom reside in Globe; Jesse T. who with his wife and two 
children resides on a ranch in Gila County; and Denia who 
is the wife of F.I. Kline of Phoenix by whom she has four 
children.


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