Part of the American History & Genealogy Project

Margaret Dye Ellis

Mrs. Margaret Dye Ellis, daughter of Dr. Clarkson and Margaret Dye was born in the city of New York. Her parents, who were members of the Anti-Slavery Society, were foremost also in benevolent and philanthropic endeavor. At the age of eighteen years, Margaret married Jonathan T. Ellis, a business man of New York but a native of Maine, and during their forty odd years of married life, in every possible way did he second his wife's efforts for the betterment of the world.

Four children were born to them, two of whom with their father have passed on. During 1873-18741 Mrs. Ellis with her family were sojourning for a time in California. The great "temperance crusade" which had started in Ohio, found its way to the Pacific coast, and Mrs. Ellis, with other women, united in a movement to bring about better conditions in that western state. Upon their return to New Jersey in 1876, she identified herself with the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of that state, and in 1880 was elected corresponding secretary of the state union, a position she held for fifteen years.

In 1895 she was appointed legislative superintendent for the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, a position she still holds. For sixteen years she has spent her winters, or the time during the sessions of Congress at Washington, D. C, looking after the interests of temperance legislation. Mrs. Ellis has done much platform work, also, having spoken at Chautauqua's, conventions, etc., in nearly every state in the union.

Mrs. Ellis was appointed by President Taft as delegate to the Thirteenth International Non-Alcoholic Congress which met at The Hague in September, 1911, an official certificate from the department of state making her a representative of this government.

Women of America

Source: The Part Taken by Women in American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.