Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-28
BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
a short Biography Touching Events Il
His Varied Career.

Henry Keeling Ellyson was born in
: Richmond July 81, 1923, in house that
stood on what is now the site Of the
electric-light and power plant. on south
Seventh street He was the son of Mr.,
%. EliysoD. a practical wheelwright,
iwho was industriously following his
trade here at tho time of tho deceased's
birth. His mother was Miss Annie huot,
lady of French descent. Mr.. Ellyson
was named after Rev. Henry Keeling, q
iwell-known Baptist preacher OF Nir-
ginia.
I His father being poor the deceased was
{denied the benefits of liberal educa-
tion-in other words, he did not receive
n collegiate or classical education.
3 When six years old lin 1929 he was
sent TO school and continued there fol
several years.
4 With the meagre and unsatisfactory
advantages afforded by this precarious
schooling he managed in six or eight
years to enter higher and more practi-
3 cal school of learning and art-the cart
spreseryatiye Of all asts"-practical print
ing,
4 AS PRINTER.
] When about fourteen years of age
gGS30 Henry was duly initiated into
the mysteries of printing -oilice-that
iof the Southern ChurchmGn, published
In Richmond, and then as now the organ
fof the Episcopal Church of Virginia.
He had TO carry out the papers and
serve the city subscribers with the same,
which he did faithfully.
4 While learning his trade he had the
misfortune to lose his father. Com
paratiyely thrown upon his own re-
sources before, he was now more than
ever called upon 10 plan for himself and
earn his bread by the sweat OF his brow.
4 Having served his apprenticeship Mr.
3Ellyson in 1871 started small job
sprinting Office. and by the strict methodi-
cal business habits, patient industry,
yand incorruptble integrity which
marked his entire life he soon acquired
a profitable business and the confidence
and esteem of the city.
: IN PUBLIC LIFE.
I In the wear 1854 Mr.. Ellyson was
nominated as delegate TO the General
Assembly and was elected to the House
of Delegates from Richmond, and served
3by successive elections two terms
5lS54I I55 and 1S55-'56 Declining re-
4election TO the Legislature he was
nominated for the important, RESPONSE.
bic, and lucrative Office OF Sheriff oi
( Richmond in 1857 and elected by q
handsome majority. Mr.. Eilyson, 10y
subsequent elections, held the Office with
much satisfaction until 1868 He wa;
then appointed by Governor Pierpoin'
to collect the SPECIAL license-tax.
3 Shortly after the fall OF Richmond MIR
5 Ellyson united with Mr.. James A. Co
wardin. whose friendship he had formed
in tho Legislature, where they were first
thrown together, in resuscitating and re-
establishing the DAILY DIsPATCH news
paper, whose plant had been totally con-
sumed in the great conhagration OF April
%. 1865. The cO-partnership existed until
about ten wears ago, when the Dispatch
COMPANY was formed, with Mr.. james
"a. Cowardin as president and Mr.. Ely
son as secretary and treasurer. At the
death of Mr.. CowarJin Ia 1882 he wa:
succeeded by Mr.. Charles O'B. Cowar-
din. who is still president OF the com
pany.
4 Mr.. Fllyson was gentleman Of un'
assuming manners, plain habits, and was
strictly temperate in all things. Tie
was keen and shrewd in his bust
ness calculations and management,
and withal man OF undoubted
integrity. When an estate had TO
sbe settled up he was very frequently
elected by the legatees or appointed by
the courts to administer thereon. He
was one of the few men who could give
the required bonded security, 81, COO, 900,
in 1865. TO administer on the large es-
tate of Thomas Jones, who died IN Kali
fax, n. 8. He was weighed and not
found wanting.
MAYOR OF RICHMOND.
: When the Conservative party came IN
TO power by the election of July ., 1862,
lthe General Assembly passed the en-
sbling act to provide temporary gov
sernment for the cities and towns until
{the next regular election. Under TIL:
law Mr.. Elly9on was on the 10Th OF
March. 1870, elected Mayor by the Clty
Council. The constitutionahty OF the
4 act was tested by the military appointee,
! lGeorge Chahoon, and for some time
.there was dual city government and po'
lice force. The matter was finally submit
ted to the decision Of the Supreme Courl
'oi Appeals, and its opinion thereon
was 10 have been rendered April ~, 1870,
when owing TO the collection OF the
great crowd OF people in the courtroom
+. in the Capitol the floor was broken down,
and the accident was accompanied by
great loss OF life. The opinion was sub
soquently rendered in favor OF Mr. ELY
son. AT the ensuing election IN May
Messrs. ELyson and Chahoon were can
didstes before the people. and the 70
turns showed the former TO have beer
elected by small majority. Ths cleo
a - Ia Ia A<1yn