Ellis County Named for...

Ellis County

1936 Centennial Highway Marker

Location: U. S. Hwy 77 about 5 miles north of Waxahachie

Created December 20, 1849 from Navarro County. Organized august 5, 1850. Named in honor of Richard Ellis, 1781-1846 a Virginian by birth and education jurist and statesman in Alabama 1813-1825. Moved to Texas in 1825. President of the Constitutional Convention, March 1836. Member of Congress of the Republic of Texas. Waxahachie, the county seat.

Yes, Ellis County was carved from what was originally North Navarro County. The man it is named after was a Virginian by birth named Richard Ellis. Quite a politician's resume! Ellis was selected as one of 5 delegates from Pecan Point, Texas to join the world changing Texas constitutional convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Then,

Ellis was unanimously elected president. On March 2, 1836, he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence as president of the convention.

It also appears his wife was related to two First Ladies. But it doesn't appear he ever lived in Ellis County.