Nancy Ellen and William Sam Ellis

Information comes from census records, death and oral histories as well as the research done by Robin Gee.

Nancy Ellen Ellis was born in March 1825 in Shelby County Kentucky. Her mother was Matilda Roberts and unknown father Booker. She had at least two known siblings, Simon and Woodson. She married William Sam Ellis about 1854 in Shelby Co Ky.

In the 1870 census William and Nancy were living in Floydsburg in Oldham Co Ky. William was born about 1825 in Kentucky and was working as a blacksmith.

In the 1900 census Nancy was living in Bellevue with her children. Nancy indicates that she had 14 children. She owned a home at 141 Covert Run Pike in Bellevue. According to research and an interview that Robin Gee did with a Bellevue resident, she learned that the resident heard that the community did grudgingly accept the Ellis sisters and that when the local sundown Black Laws were written, Bellevue had written in an exception for them. He also said that both sisters were teachers and worked at the colored school in Newport. Information from the Education book at the Historical society shows that Lavina A Ellis was a teacher in the Southgate School from 1900 until 1936 teaching the first, second and third grades.

Kentucky Post 1926 Article about Nancy Ellis

Children of Woodson Booker (1834-1889) and Anna Amelia (May 1842-25 July 1900)

Bennett Booker b-1861 in Shelby Co Ky.
Edward Willie Booker b-Sep 1863 in Shelby Co Ky. m-Julia Stewart 13 July 1898 in Bingham Co Idaho
Georgiana Booker b-1865 in Shelby Co Ky.
Milton Booker b-Jan 1868 in Shelby Co Ky. d-5 Mar 1901 in Seymour, Jackson Co. Indiana
James H Booker b-Aug 1871 in Shelby Co Ky.
Ballard Booker b-1875 in Seymour Indiana
Amy Booker b-Dec 1877 in Seymour
Aurolia Booker b-Sep 1879 in Seymour
Jeanette Booker b-Nov 1881 in Seymour

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Children of Nancy Booker and William Sam Ellis

1-Matilda Ellis b-12 Aug 1855 in Allen Co Ky.
2-William Ellis b-1857 in Ky.
3-Preston Ellis b-1859 in Oldham Co Ky.
4-Amanda Ellen Ellis b-Sep 1865 in LaGrange, Oldham Co Ky. d-15 May 1941 at 727 Covert Run Pike in Bellevue; br-19 May in Evergreen
5-John E Ellis b-1867 in Ky.
6-James Ellis b-1869 in Oldham Co Ky.
7-German L Ellis b-1874 in Ky.
8-Cordelia Ellis b-1876 in Ky.
9-Lavina A Ellis b-Nov 1877 in Ky. d-10 Aug 1945 at Speers Hospital in Dayton Ky. br-Evergreen; Lavina was in the first graduating class from the Southgate Street School in Newport in 1893. She then went to work in that school teaching grades first, second and third for 36 years.
10-Leona Ellis b-Mar 1881 in Ky.
11-Nancy L Ellis b-1882 in Ky. d-9 Nov 1954 in Bellevue at 727 Covert Run from burns; death certificate states that her clothing caught fire near a coal grate; br-Evergreen; she married Charles May 26 Feb 1913 in Cincinnati
12. Samuel Ellis b-15 Mar 1884 in Bellevue Ky. d-22 June 1934 in Cincinnati; br-Hill Crest Cemetery; m-Blondena
12-Lida Ellis b-1888 in Bellevue.

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Since Nancy was listed as a widow in the 1900 census, records at Evergreen show a William Ellis buried there in February 1, 1889. William Ellis 1889 obituary. Nancy died 27 Oct 1932 in Newport and lived at 341 Covert Run Pike. She was buried in Evergreen.

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