IRA ELLIS, AN OLD MERCHANT OF TYLER, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@home.com 22 May 2001 ***************************************************************** IRA ELLIS, AN OLD MERCHANT OF TYLER. "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter LXXIII - Pages 301-302 Ira Ellis was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and moved to Texas, in 1838, from Franklin county, in his native State. He first settled in San Augustine, Texas, and remained there a prominent business man until 1849, when he removed to Smith county, and settled in Tyler, living here up to his death, which occurred on the 25th of April, 1878. He was a leading merchant in Tyler before the civil war. After the war he was county surveyor for a number of years. He was held in high esteem as a business man; noted for his intelligence, energy and industry, winning the confidence of the people, keeping it to his death. He left behind him an intelligent family, who are among the best people. He was thoroughly a Southern man; although too old during the civil war to be an active participant in the front, he gave the cause his aid and means to advance the Southern arms. The writer kindly remembers him and his good wife for several articles of highly prized clothing while a Confederate soldier boy. Ira Ellis built the first brick house built in Tyler, and lived in it for years. It now stands as a monument to his business enterprise---a land mark to the memory of one of the best men Smith county ever had. Mr. Ellis' name and good deeds appear often in other chapters.