A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Ellman, John Spencer
ELLMAN. (Commander, 1845. f-p., 17; h-p., 5.)
John Spencer Ellman, born in 1811, in the parish of West Firle, co. Sussex, is eldest son of John Ellman, Esq., of Glynde, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant for that co.
This officer entered the Navy, 31 March, 1825, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Aurora 46, Capts. John Maxwell and Chas. John Austen, of which frigate, employed on the Lisbon and West India stations, he became Midshipman 23 May, 1826. In 1829, having in the mean time returned to England, he again sailed for the West Indies, on board the Galatea 42, Capt. Chas. Napier; and from April, 1830, until June, 1833, he served, nearly the whole time as Mate, in the Hyperion 42, and Tyne 28, commanded on the Home and South American stations by Capts. Wm. Jas. Mingaye and Chas. Hope. He then, in consequence of his promotion, which had taken place 4 Oct. 1832, came home, and was subsequently appointed, in North America and the West Indies – 22 Nov. 1833, to the Ringdove 16, Capt. Wm. Fred. Lapidge – 18 March, 1836, to the Cornwallis 74, Capt. Robt. Worgan Geo. Feshing, flag-ship latterly of Hon. Sir Chas. Paget – 19 Jan. 1838, to the command of the Harpy 10 – and, 6 Nov. 1840, as Senior Lieutenant, to the Tweed 20, Capt. Hugh Donald Cameron Douglas. He was promoted (while serving on the south-east coast of America, as First of the Cyclops steam-frigate, Capt. W. F. Lapidge) to the rank he now holds, 15 Nov. 1845; and since that period has been unemployed.