GILMER COUNTY, GA - BIOS Ellington, Coke Asbury ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jacqueline King COKE ASBURY ELLINGTON, the oldest pioneer citizen of Gilmer county, was born in Jackson county, Ga., Sept. 21, 1812. He was the son of Rev. William Ellington, one of the early Methodist preachers in Georgia. He came to Gilmer county Feb. 12, 1834, and on Dec. 17, 1835, he was united in marriage to Mary, daughter of Benjamin Griffith, a wealthy planter. He identified himself with the commercial interests of the then young town of Ellijay, and for some time was engaged in the mercantile business, his principal customers being Cherokee Indians. During this period he availed himself of his opportunity to study the manners and customs of the Indians and to learn their language, which he did. He was personally familiar with White Path, the famous Cherokee chief, who was one of Jackson's allies at the battle of the Horse-shoe. In the year 1838, having been appointed a captain in the local militia, and having assisted in the removal of the Indians in this region, he ran for the state senate on the Whig ticket, defeating the Hon. Neal Cooper, who was then senator, by only one vote. In 1839 he was re-elected to the senate, but was unseated on a contest. Retiring for a time from active politics he was for many years a justice of the peace, devoting his time to the improvement of his farm. In 1850 he was the census enumerator for Gilmer, Pickens and Fannin counties. In 1852 Mr. Ellington was again called into prominence, and was elected a delegate to the constitutional convention. Upon the dissolution of the old Whig party he allied himself with the Republican party. He was a Union man and bitterly opposed secession. He was a refugee during the war, but at its close returned home and was a member of the famous "Johnson Convention" in 1865. In the same year (1865) he was elected a member of the general assembly without opposition, and served two years, during the most stormy period of reconstruction. While a member of this legislature he gained much notoriety by his courage in daring to vote for the "fifteenth amendment". Only two members dared vote for it, so great was the popular predjudice against the measure. The other one so voting was William Humphrey of Fannin county. For his vote he received the editorial endorsement of Horace Greeley. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1868 and was a member of the judiciary committee of that body. Since that time he has been out of active politics, though taking great interest in passing events. In 1873 he was appointed by President Grant commissioner of United States internal revenue, which office he held for three years, doing very little or no businss on account of his dislike of the revenue laws. In 1872 he was a delegate to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which met in Brooklyn, New York. In later years Mr. Ellington has lived a life of peace and quietude, residing on his estate near Ellijay, at which he has lived continuously for more than half a century. His domestic relations have always been of the pleasantest. Thirteen children were born to him and his wife, nine of whom are now living, useful citizens of the commonwealth. Two of his sons are prominent Methodist ministers: Rev. A. F. Ellington, of Atlanta, Ga., and Rev. L. D. Ellington, of Dupont, La. Mr. Ellington is now in his eighty-fifth year and his mind is singularly clear on past events. His wife died March 27, 1894, having lived with him fifty-nine years. He was always prominent in church affairs and is an upright Christian gentleman of the old school. His aim has always been in life to protect his escutcheon from dishonor rather than to accumulate riches. Source: Memoirs of Georgia, published 1895 by the Southern Historical Association