A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ellis, John
ELLIS. (Retired Commander, 1839. f-p., 25; h-p., 43.)
John Ellis,[1] born 26 June, 1775, at Great Yarmouth, is eldest son of the late John Ellis, Esq., R.N., who, after assisting at the capture of Quebec in 1759, and serving throughout the war of independence in America, died, a Lieutenant of 18 years’ standing, in 1798.
This officer entered the Navy 17 June, 1779; served for some time in the Downs on board the Dromedary and Dunkirk; and, on joining Sir Chas. Henry Knowles, in the Daedalus 32, was for six months, during the year 1794, blocked up by a French squadron at Norfolk, in Virginia. The Daedalus had previously been dismasted in a storm, and had put into that port to be repaired. Following Sir C. H. Knowles into the Edgar and Goliath 74’s, Mr. Ellis ultimately proceeded to the Mediterranean, where, in 1796, immediately after passing his examination, he joined the Victory 100, bearing the flag of Sir John Jervis. From that ship he soon removed, as Acting-Lieutenant, to the Virago gun-boat, employed in the protection of Corsica; after the evacuation of which island by the British, he took her to Gibraltar. He then rejoined Sir C. H. Knowles on board the Goliath, in time to act a part in the battle off Cape St. Vincent, 14 Feb. 1797. As Lieutenant of the same ship (commission dated 29 April, 1797), we subsequently find him sharing, under Capt. Thos. Foley, in much hard boat-service off Cadiz, and participating with Lord Nelson in the bombardment of that town. Until the peace of Amiens, Mr. Ellis next served in the Namur 98, Capts. Thos. Sotheby and Wm. Luke, and in the Solebay 32. At the recommencement of hostilities, he was employed for about 12 months in the Sea Fencible service at Yarmouth; after which he appears to have successively joined, chiefly on the Home station, and generally as First-Lieutenant, the Constance 24, Capt. Anselm John Griffiths, Monmouth 64, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Thos. Macnamara Russell, Elephant 74, Capt. Geo. Dundas, Alert, Capt. Williams, part of the force employed in the attack on Copenhagen in Sept. 1807, and Dauntless 18, Capt. Dan. Barber. He invalided from the latter vessel in 1812; and does not appear to have been further employed. Commander Ellis, who had been on the Junior List of Retired Commanders since 26 Nov. 1830, was placed on the Senior List 20 Nov. 1839.
- ↑ Commander Ellis, himself the son of a Naval officer, as above stated, has had three brothers in the service of their country: – 1. Samuel Burdon Ellis of the R.M., now a Lieut.Colonel and C.B., who, entering his profession in 1804, served in Sir Robert Calder’s action and in the battle of Trafalgar, was on board the Ajax when she took fire and blew up off the Dardanells, accompanied the expedition to the Walcheren, contributed to the reduction of Guadeloupe, was in the Pomone at the capture of the American ship President and officiated as Senior Marine Officer throughout the whole of the late operations in China; – 2. George Archer Ellis, Purser R.N., who lost the use of his right arm in the Cruizer’s [errata 1] action with the French flotilla, near Ostend, in 1804, was afterwards for six years a prisoner of war in France, and died, 1 Jan. 1843, from paralysis induced by his sufferings; – and 3. Francis Wilson Ellis, Lieut. R.N., whose services we have already recorded. Two of his brothers-in-law, Richard Dalton, Purser R.N., and Robert Johnstone, Surgeon R.N., died, the former Secretary to Admiral Sotheby, the latter Surgeon to the Hospital at Madras. One of his nephews, George H. Ellis, is a passed Clerk, and another, Samuel Burdon Ellis – both sons of Lieut-Colonel Ellis – a First Lieutenant R.M. On 4 April, 1844, in commemoration of the naval services of their family, an honourable augmentation was granted to the arms and crest of the four brothers and their descendants.