Orleans

ELLSWORTH, John Clark

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 122-123 
(portrait p 122)

John Clark ELLSWORTH, late of Greensboro [Orleans County, Vermont], was born 
22 February 1793 in Chatham [now Portland, Middlesex County], Connecticut, 
son of John and Sarah (STRONG) ELLSWORTH. His great grandfather, Capt. John 
ELLSWORTH, of East Windsor [Hartford County], Connecticut, married Anna, 
daughter of Timothy EDWARDS, and sister of the celebrated Jonathan EDWARDS. 
John C. ELLSWORTH, the fourth of his name, and his father were the first of 
the family to emigrate to Vermont, arriving in 1798, and the father was the 
first judge of probate in Orleans County. They settled on a farm in 
Greensboro, and here John Clark ELLSWORTH eagerly availed himself of the 
limited educational privileges open to him, attending the public schools and 
Peacham Academy, then under charge of his uncle, Ezra CARTER, who was the 
first principal of that institution. He also was instructed to some extent 
by his father, who was a man of much literary ability for that time.

At the outset of his active life he served as a clerk in the employment of 
his uncle, Deacon STRONG, at Hardwick [probably Hardwick in Caledonia County, 
Vermont, but could be Hardwick, Worcester County, Massachusetts], but in the 
fall of 1821 he accepted a call to missionary work among the Cherokee Indians 
and in the company of Rev. [Stephen] Austin WORCESTER and others he proceeded 
to Brainerd, Georgia [Tennessee?], continuing his labors among the [Indians] 
until 1836, when he returned to Greensboro on account of the ill health of 
his wife and the removal of the Cherokees from Georgia [1838] by Gen. Andrew 
JACKSON. Mr. ELLSWORTH purchased a farm adjoining that of his father; 
previous to his death he purchased a farm near the village, and in the 
cultivation of this property employed himself until the time of his [John 
Clark ELLSWORTH's] death, 11 July 1861.

In his experience as an Indian missionary he encountered many hardships and 
obstacles, but these he cheerfully and laboriously overcame, being assisted 
in his unselfish work by his noble wife, who was the matron of the Indian 
school, of which he was the superintendent. Those interested in Indian 
mission work will obtain valuable information by a perusal of the letters of 
Mr. ELLSWORTH in the "Missionary Herald" from 1821 to 1836. He early became 
attached to the cause of abolition and while in Georgia with his companion, 
Mr. WORCESTER, suffered much persecution for righteousness' sake, being 
arrested and narrowly escaping imprisonment on account of their active 
sympathy with the downtrodden Indian, and their labors in the cause of 
Christianity and the welfare of the aboriginal race received little or no 
encouragement from the white portion of the surrounding community.

Mr. [John Clark] ELLSWORTH first married Eliza, daughter of Thomas TOLMAN, a 
soldier of the Revolution, later a Congregational minister, who died [Eliza 
ELLSWORTH died] 18 April 1856. On 17 March 1857 he [John Clark ELLSWORTH] 
married his second wife, Mary E., daughter of Charles B. BAILEY and Abigail 
(COBB) FIELD of Greensboro, but formerly residents of Peacham [both in 
Orleans County, Vermont]. The greater part of Mr. ELLSWORTH's long and 
peaceful life was devoted to study and literary pursuits, and "far from the 
busy hum of men" he tranquilly enjoyed the pleasures afforded him by the 
perusal of his books. He was the representative of Greensboro to the 
Legislature at an early period, but though much interested in politics as a 
stanch Republican, he never took an active part in public life.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly