John Millott Ellis
Encyclopedia
John Millott Ellis was a 19th century Abolitionist minister and intellectual who served as acting President of Oberlin College
in 1871. He was a Professor of Philosophy at Oberlin from 1866 to 1896.
Born in rural New Hampshire
, Ellis moved with his family to Oberlin, Ohio
, in 1840. There he apprenticed at his father's planing mill
until he entered Oberlin College in 1847. A spectacular student, Ellis graduated at the top of a class which included Charles G. Finney Jr., son of Charles Grandison Finney
, the father of the Second Great Awakening
. Ellis went on to teach at the Academy at Lapeer, Michigan
, and at Mississippi College
. In 1855 he returned to Oberlin for two more years of theological study. He received a degree from the Oberlin Seminary in 1857. In 1858 he joined the faculty at Oberlin as a Professor of Greek. He organized the Second Congregational Church in 1860.
In August 1862, in the midst of the American Civil War
, Ellis delivered a speech at the local chapel arguing that the immediate emancipation of Negro slaves across the country was essential to victory in the war. His speech was published in newspapers throughout Ohio
and the nation at large. The chapel speech predated President Abraham Lincoln
's Emancipation Proclamation
by a mere three weeks, leading to speculation at the time that Ellis's speech may have given President Lincoln the confidence he needed that there was popular support for his Proclamation. In 1865, Ellis was ordained a minister. In 1866 he began teaching Mental philosophy and Rhetoric
at Oberlin. He was one of the most popular lecturers in his day. In 1871, Ellis became Oberlin College's 10th President. He served only one year in this capacity as he felt that the administrative obligations the job entailed took too much time away from his academic work.
Ellis was a prominent member of the Oberlin community for his entire life, serving as Chief of the Fire Department for several years. In 1861, Ellis became mayor of the town of Oberlin. He successfully petitioned for the construction of railroads through nearby Lorain
. He founded the now-dormant Oberlin Arboricultural Association. In 1875 he delivered the eulogy at the funeral for another Oberlin President, Charles Grandison Finney. One year before his death in 1894, Ellis received the first honorary D.D. given by Oberlin in its history.
His home was purchased by the college in 1906 and used as a female dormitory called the Ellis Cottage until 1949. He had 5 children by his wife, Minerva E. Tenney. He is the great-great-grandfather of present-day political activist, Theo Ellis.
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in 1871. He was a Professor of Philosophy at Oberlin from 1866 to 1896.
Born in rural New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Ellis moved with his family to Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, to the south and west of Cleveland. Oberlin is perhaps best known for being the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students...
, in 1840. There he apprenticed at his father's planing mill
Planing mill
A planing mill is a facility that takes cut and seasoned boards from a sawmill and turns them into finished dimensional lumber. Machines used in the mill include the planer and matcher, the molding machines, and varieties of saws...
until he entered Oberlin College in 1847. A spectacular student, Ellis graduated at the top of a class which included Charles G. Finney Jr., son of Charles Grandison Finney
Charles Grandison Finney
Charles Grandison Finney was a leader in the Second Great Awakening. He has been called The Father of Modern Revivalism. Finney was best known as an innovative revivalist, an opponent of Old School Presbyterian theology, an advocate of Christian perfectionism, a pioneer in social reforms in favor...
, the father of the Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
. Ellis went on to teach at the Academy at Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba...
, and at Mississippi College
Mississippi College
Mississippi College, also known as MC, is a private, Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi. Mississippi College comprises the main campus in Clinton, as well as satellite campuses in Brandon and Madison, Mississippi, and the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson...
. In 1855 he returned to Oberlin for two more years of theological study. He received a degree from the Oberlin Seminary in 1857. In 1858 he joined the faculty at Oberlin as a Professor of Greek. He organized the Second Congregational Church in 1860.
In August 1862, in the midst of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Ellis delivered a speech at the local chapel arguing that the immediate emancipation of Negro slaves across the country was essential to victory in the war. His speech was published in newspapers throughout Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and the nation at large. The chapel speech predated President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
by a mere three weeks, leading to speculation at the time that Ellis's speech may have given President Lincoln the confidence he needed that there was popular support for his Proclamation. In 1865, Ellis was ordained a minister. In 1866 he began teaching Mental philosophy and Rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
at Oberlin. He was one of the most popular lecturers in his day. In 1871, Ellis became Oberlin College's 10th President. He served only one year in this capacity as he felt that the administrative obligations the job entailed took too much time away from his academic work.
Ellis was a prominent member of the Oberlin community for his entire life, serving as Chief of the Fire Department for several years. In 1861, Ellis became mayor of the town of Oberlin. He successfully petitioned for the construction of railroads through nearby Lorain
Lorain, Ohio
Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
. He founded the now-dormant Oberlin Arboricultural Association. In 1875 he delivered the eulogy at the funeral for another Oberlin President, Charles Grandison Finney. One year before his death in 1894, Ellis received the first honorary D.D. given by Oberlin in its history.
His home was purchased by the college in 1906 and used as a female dormitory called the Ellis Cottage until 1949. He had 5 children by his wife, Minerva E. Tenney. He is the great-great-grandfather of present-day political activist, Theo Ellis.