# Powhatan Ellis

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American judge

Powhatan Ellis Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Mississippi In office July 14, 1832 – January 5, 1836 Appointed by Andrew Jackson Preceded by Peter Randolph Succeeded by George Adams United States Senator from Mississippi In office March 4, 1827 – July 16, 1832 Preceded by Thomas Buck Reed Succeeded by John Black In office September 28, 1825 – January 28, 1826 Appointed by Walter Leake Preceded by David Holmes Succeeded by Thomas Buck Reed Personal details Born Powhatan Ellis (1790-01-17)January 17, 1790 Amherst County, Virginia, U.S. Died March 18, 1863(1863-03-18) (aged 73) Richmond, Virginia, U.S. Resting place Shockoe Hill Cemetery Richmond, Virginia Party Jacksonian Education Washington and Lee University Dickinson College (BA) College of William & Mary

**Powhatan Ellis** (January 17, 1790 – March 18, 1863) was a justice of the [Mississippi Supreme Court](/source/Mississippi_Supreme_Court), [United States senator](/source/United_States_senator) from [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi), and a [United States district judge](/source/United_States_federal_judge) of the [United States District Court for the District of Mississippi](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_District_of_Mississippi).

## Education and career

Born on January 17, 1790, at [Red Hill Farm](/source/Red_Hill_Farm_(Pedlar_Mills%2C_Virginia)) in [Amherst County](/source/Amherst_County%2C_Virginia), [Virginia](/source/Virginia),[1] Ellis graduated from Washington Academy (now [Washington and Lee University](/source/Washington_and_Lee_University)) in 1809, received an [Artium Baccalaureus](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree in 1810 from [Dickinson College](/source/Dickinson_College) and graduated from the [College of William & Mary](/source/College_of_William_%26_Mary) in 1814,[2] where he studied law.[1] He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in [Lynchburg](/source/Lynchburg%2C_Virginia), Virginia from 1813 to 1814 and from 1815 to 1816.[2] He was a lieutenant in the Prevost Guards of Virginia in 1814.[2] He resumed private practice in [Natchez](/source/Natchez%2C_Mississippi), [Mississippi Territory](/source/Mississippi_Territory) in 1816.[2] He continued private practice in [Winchester](/source/Winchester%2C_Mississippi), Mississippi Territory (State of [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi) from December 10, 1817) from 1816 to 1817.[2] He was a justice of the [Mississippi Supreme Court](/source/Mississippi_Supreme_Court) from 1817 to 1818 and from 1818 to 1825.[2]

## Congressional service

Ellis was appointed as a [Jacksonian Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) to the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) from Mississippi to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of [United States Senator](/source/United_States_Senator) [David Holmes](/source/David_Holmes_(politician)) and served from September 28, 1825, to January 28, 1826, when a successor was elected and qualified.[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to fill the vacancy.[1] He was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1827, to July 16, 1832, resigning to accept a judicial position.[1]

## Federal judicial service

Ellis was nominated by President [Andrew Jackson](/source/Andrew_Jackson) on July 13, 1832, to a seat on the [United States District Court for the District of Mississippi](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_District_of_Mississippi) vacated by Judge [Peter Randolph](/source/Peter_Randolph_(judge)).[2] He was confirmed by the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) on July 14, 1832, and received his commission the same day.[2] His service terminated on January 5, 1836, when he resigned.[2]

## Later career and death

Ellis was appointed [charge d'affaires](/source/Charge_d'affaires) to [Mexico](/source/Mexico) for the [United States Department of State](/source/United_States_Department_of_State) by President Jackson, serving from January 1836 to December 1836 when he closed the [legation](/source/Legation).[1] He was appointed [Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary](/source/List_of_ambassadors_of_the_United_States_to_Mexico) to Mexico for the United States Department of State by President [Martin Van Buren](/source/Martin_Van_Buren),[2] serving from February 1839 to April 1842.[3] He resumed private practice in Natchez starting in 1842 and continued private practice in [Richmond](/source/Richmond%2C_Virginia), Virginia until 1863.[2] He died on March 18, 1863, in Richmond.[2] He was interred in [Shockoe Hill Cemetery](/source/Shockoe_Hill_Cemetery) in Richmond.[1]

## Heritage and family

One account in [*The Green Bag*](/source/The_Green_Bag_(1889%E2%80%931914)) stated that Ellis was a descendant of [Pocahontas](/source/Pocahontas).[4] In 1833, he married Eliza Rebecca Winn who died in the spring of 1835. Together, they had two children.[5]

## Legacy

The city of [Ellisville](/source/Ellisville%2C_Mississippi), Mississippi is named in Ellis's memory.[6]

## See also

- [List of justices of the Supreme Court of Mississippi](/source/List_of_justices_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_Mississippi)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-auto1_1-6) United States Congress. ["Powhatan Ellis (id: E000136)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000136). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-auto_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-auto_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-auto_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-auto_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-auto_2-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-auto_2-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-auto_2-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-auto_2-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-auto_2-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-auto_2-11) [Powhatan Ellis](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1380461) at the *[Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_Federal_Judges)*, a publication of the [Federal Judicial Center](/source/Federal_Judicial_Center).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Powhatan Ellis"](https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/ellis-powhatan). *[Office of the Historian](/source/Office_of_the_Historian)*. Retrieved August 26, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Somerville, Thomas H. (November 1899). [Fuller, Horace W.](/source/Horace_W._Fuller) (ed.). ["A Sketch of the Supreme Court of Mississippi"](https://archive.org/details/sim_green-bag-an-entertaining-magazine-of-the-law_1899-11_11_11/page/504/mode/2up). *[The Green Bag](/source/The_Green_Bag_(1889%E2%80%931914))*. **XI** (11): 504. ...and said to be a descendant of Pocahontas

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Hon. Powahatan Ellis of Mississippi"](https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moajrnl/acf2679.0037.004/254:7?page=root;rgn=full+text;size=100;view=image). *[Southern Literary Messenger](/source/Southern_Literary_Messenger)*. **37** (4): 250. April 1863.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Gannett, Henry](/source/Henry_Gannett) (1905). [*The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States*](https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ). [United States Government Publishing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Publishing_Office). pp. [117](https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n116).

U.S. Senate Preceded by David Holmes U.S. senator (Class 1) from Mississippi 1825–1826 Served alongside: Thomas Hill Williams Succeeded by Thomas Buck Reed Preceded by Thomas Buck Reed U.S. senator (Class 1) from Mississippi 1827–1832 Served alongside: Thomas Hill Williams, Thomas Buck Reed, Robert H. Adams, George Poindexter Succeeded by John Black Legal offices Preceded by Peter Randolph Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Mississippi 1832–1836 Succeeded by George Adams Preceded by Newly established court Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi 1818–1825 Succeeded by Isaac Caldwell

v t e United States senators from Mississippi Class 1 Leake Holmes Ellis Reed Ellis Black Trotter T. Hickman Williams Henderson Speight Davis McRae S. Adams Davis Ames Pease Bruce George Money J. Williams Stephens Bilbo Stennis Lott Wicker Class 2 T. Hill Williams Reed R. Adams Poindexter Walker Chalmers Foote Brooke Brown Revels Alcorn Lamar Walthall McLaurin Walthall Sullivan McLaurin Gordon Percy Vardaman Harrison Eastland Doxey Eastland Cochran Hyde-Smith

v t e United States ambassadors to Mexico Minister Shaler Robinson Wilkinson Poinsett Butler Slacum Ellis Greenhow Ellis Lawrence W. Thompson Beach G. Thompson Shannon Slidell Conner Clifford Letcher Greenhow Goss Slacum Smith Conkling Cooper Ward Gadsden Spofford Forsyth Churchwell Mordecai Green Porter McLane De la Reintrie Weller Corwin Shufelt Campbell Otterbourg Rosecrans Nelson Foster Morgan Jackson Manning Bragg Ryan Gray Ransom Clayton Ambassador Clayton Conger Thompson Wilson Fletcher Warren Sheffield Morrow Clark Daniels Messersmith Thurston O'Dwyer White Hill Mann Freeman McBride Jova Lucey Nava Gavin Pilliod Negroponte Jones Davidow Garza Pascual Wayne Jacobson Landau Salazar Johnson

Authority control databases International VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States Israel People US Congress Other SNAC Yale LUX

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