Ellis Mitchell was born January 13, 1915. He was the first-born son of Charlie Robert and Amie (Wyche) Mitchell. A quiet, shy child, he attended Northampton County schools for a while before quitting to help his family on the farm. Ellis never strayed too far from home, preferring instead to stay close to his mother, especially after the death of his father in 1943. He was soft-spoken and never argued with anyone.

Ellis loved to show his nieces and nephews how to dance and they all tried to imitate him at family gatherings. No one could point two fingers on each hand and hop around quite like him. He teased us with warnings that your current new beau was also your cousin! He knew absolutely everyone, who their parents were - including when and where they were born. Ellis used to fondly say that he was going to take himself a vacation -- he was going "down Jackson, Seaboard, Margarettsville and Gumberry." He never owned a car, preferring to walk everywhere he wanted to visit. His one known fear was of granddaddy long-leg spiders.

A little known fact about Ellis is that he sang bass in a neighborhood quartet, where he performed at schools, churches and community events. He was a faithful member of the Mt. Mariah Religious Civic Club, also. As an adult, Ellis attended night classes where he learned to read and do math. All day he worked in the field and practiced spelling his words for class.

He had many friends, including the ladies but he never married. The family were all hoping that Miss Lizzie might be the one. He lived most of his life with his baby brother John, until he became too ill for home-care. In the last few months of his life, Ellis was a resident at Hampton Woods nursing home in Jackson until his death in 1992. He was a joy to all and was truly missed after he went home to be with the Father.