William T. Ellis, born in Daviess County, Ky., July 24, 1845, was a son of Luther L. and Mary M. (Kallam) Ellis, natives of Shelby and Daviess counties, Ky. His father died in March, 1855, and his mother in March, 1856, leaving two children – William T. and J.W. Ellis, now of Masonville. William T. was reared and educated in Daviess County. Before he was sixteen years old he enlisted in the Confederate army, in the First Kentucky Cavalry; was mustered in Oct. 5, 1861, and served during the war, surrendering April 21, 1865. At the close of the war he was a non-commissioned officer, in command of scouts. After the war he returned home and attended school the rest of the year 1865 and 1866, working during vacation to pay his board and tuition. The latter part of 1865 and till the spring of 1867 he taught school near Whitesville in connection with his studies. During the years 1867-’69 he read law during his leisure time while engaged in teaching. In the spring of 1869 he received his license to practice law, and entered Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass. Returned home in the spring of 1870, and in August of that year was elected County Attorney of Daviess County, and re-elected in 1874. In 1876 he was Democratic elector for this district on the Tilden and Hendricks ticket. Feb. 11, 1871, he formed a partnership with William T. Owen, under the name of Owen & Ellis, which is now one of the prominent law firms of the county. Oct. 20, 1871, Mr. Ellis married Alice, daughter of C.R. Coffey, who died a little more than a year later. Nov. 2, 1876, he married Mattie B., daughter of Dr. W.F. Miller, of Louisville, Ky.

Source: History of Daviess County, Kentucky. Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co., 1883. Print.