Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-07-17
Death of Gov. Ellis.

Death of Gov. Ellis.
Having received no official or positive informatona
other than the rurnor of dispatches received in this
city, of the death of Gov. Ellis, up to the issue of
the last Standard we hesitated to prepare suitable
sketch of the departed and to put our columns in2
mourning, because of the uncertainty recently at
tending rumors and dispatches Subsequent eventsI
prove that the melancholy announcement was, alas
too true, and therefore append such notice now,
as the occasion demands, and as our scanty mate
rials furnish US.
JOHN WILLIS ELLIS was born in 1920 in the Jer
sey settlement, in Davidson County, in this State,
of highly respectable parents. After the usual pre-
paratory studies, he entered Randolph Macon Col
ege Va, and from thence to the Un:vereity of this
State where he graduated in 1S41. He subsequent
" studied law under the present Chief Justice :
Pearson and commenced its practice in the town of
Salisbury, in 1912 or 43. In 1914 he was elected
to the House of Commons from Rowan. DuringE
this year he was married to an excellent lady, the
accomplished daughter of Pho White, Esq, then &
Of Brooklyn n. Y, who lived but short time after
her marriage He continued to represent the county
of Rowan in the House Of Commons until 1s4s,
when he was elected one of the Judges of the Supe
rior Courts then in his a9th year, and the youngest
man at that time, who had been called to that postE
in our State He continued to fill the office of Judge
until he elected Governor of the State in 1858,
dscharging his duties with commendable zeal and /
ability.
Subsequently to his election to the gubernatorials
bo n;kod -
ham Dawes, of Newbern, one of the amiabe and &C
complshed daughters OF the late John P. Dawes off
that town.
Pending his first term of service as Governor but
little occurred beyond the usual routine of duty, to
excite public interest In 1860 he passed through
an exciting and arduous campaign with an able CON-
petitor, John Pool, ESQ.,, and reelected by al
handsome majority. But his naturally delicates
frame, we think, received shock from this labo-
rons task-one demanding more sacrifice of healtht
and life than ordinary prudence should demandH
from any man-from which it never recovered. Z
The succeeding Legislature was long one, andj
it bordered upon exciting and melancholy events.
In his Annual Message, among other important sug
gesons, he called the attention of the Legislature
to the necessity of recognizing the militia ands
arming the State and the imminent hazard of delay.
In this view his suggestions harmonized with thel
views of this paper and they were frankly andi
promptly endorsed. The Legislature adopted hisI
views and it is to be regretted that the plan adopt
ed should, from any cause, have failed Of prompts
and full execution. So far as we know, the faurei
was not any fault of his. Virginia may we'll bewal|
similar failure.
The pressure of business was too severe for him.
and the close of the Legislature found him emacated
and worn A trip to Newbern and Wilmington
served to brace up his system, and he returned to
his duties with renewed energy.
1t has been often said, that Gov. Ellis early SYM
pathized with the South in her present struggle
This is no doubt strictly true. But it may be re-
corded with equal truth to his honor that whatever
might have been his convictions and feelings, he
held them in allegiance far his public acts are
concerned to the omnipotent will Of the people of
the State, so strongly and emphatically expressed
by them at the ballot-box in February in the cleo
ton of delegates to the Convention. The crisis in
our National affairs was rapidly approaching its
climax, and the Governor, though feeble and wan,
was bracing himself for the task imposed on him
by his position. On the 18th of April last, the da-
boical proclamation of Lincoln fell like thunder
bolt from clear sky upon the country. Then came
the insulting demand from Lincoln for her quota of
troops to subugate the South, from North. Carolina
The Governor seemed at this to rally his remaining
strength and calamity flung back the insult, in
those burning words "You can get no troops from
North-C Carolina!" He promptly caused the occupa-
ton of Forts Caswell and Macon, and in good time,
without the loss of blood, effected the taking of the
Arsenal at Fayetteville He called on the volunteer
troops Of the State, and our citizens from Cherokee
to Currtuck responded with alacrity These several
acts met the hearty and general appreciation of his
fellow-citizens of the State and of the South and
by none more hearty than by this journal and its
editor. Anxious to do what he could in repelng
the invader of Southern soil, he doubtless taxed his
strength far beyond what ordinary prudence direct
ed. Hoping still to live, he started with his family
on the 2lst of June, from this city, when unable to
sit up, to the Red Sulphur Springs. Monroe county
Va, where we learn he breathed his last on Sunday
the 7th inst, in the 4lst year of bis age, leaving
deeply bereaved widow, two interesting children,
and numerous friends to lament his untimeIy end.
Dispatches to the Military department in this
City, announcing the death Of Gov. Ellis, were,fe-
ce'ved we learn, on Monday, 10 o'clock, A. NJ. I'm
mediate preparations were made for the proper re.
cepton of the remains. The melancholy tidings
were received with profound sorrow and sympathy
0y our citizens, though not unexpected Two
companies were detailed from sCol. Fishers reg
~en1 to proceed to Petersburg to meet the body,
anu escort it to the city. On Tuesday, the Mayor,
Root, ESQ.,, called meeting of the citizens at
'nch he presided A large crowd assembled, sew.
ss gentlemen made appropriate remarks, suitable
.eS0'utlons were passed. and committee appointed
:" meet the remains at the Depot. On Wednesday
n.Ofn'ng' Mr.. Speaker Clark, the acting Governor,
a'i"ed. little after o'clock, large crowd re-