James Ellison II was born in Mansfield, NJ on September 20, 1757. He married Nancy Elizabeth Farley in 1777. Nancy was born in Ft. Farley, VA in 1758. She was the daughter of Francis Farley Jr. and Nancy Blankenship. Their children are listed below:

Elizabeth Ellison, b: 1782 in VA
Matthew Ellison, b: 1784
Joseph Ellison, b: 1786 in Ft. Farley, Greenbrier Co., VA
Jonathan Francis Ellison, b: 1792
Ruth Ellison, b:1794 in Ft. Farley, Greenbrier Co., VA
Mary "Polly" Ellison, b: 1796 in Ft. Farley, Greenbrier Co., VA
Marcey Massey Ellison, b: October 20, 1816 in Ft. Farley, Monroe Co., VA

James registered to pay taxes in Greenbrier Co., VA in 1783 and also on June 18, 1793.
According to "Virginia's Colonial Soldiers" by Lloyd Dewitt Bockstruck, James Ellison was listed as a member of Capt. John Lewis' company in a document dated September 1774. It is said that James was an Indian scout during the Revolutionary War. The book, "History of Summers County, West Virginia" tells about his capture by Indians. "He was captured by Indians on Crump's Bottom, after being shot in the shoulder. The Indians chewed dogwood bark and spit in the wound, and carried him on the trail to Ellison's Ridge, in Jumping Branch District. He lagged behind when darkness overtook them, when he ran over a bank and hid under a cliff, being pursued and passed in his hiding place, they passing on below. His hands being tied with thongs of rawhide, he rubbed them against the stones until they were freed, and the thongs cut loose by the rubbing, and thus he made his escape, and made his way back to the settlement. This capture was on the last raid on the Indians on the trails by the Lower Bluestone and west of New River, in this region of the county. There is a field on Crump's Bottom now owned by Mr. G.W. Harmon, known as 'Fort Field', because it was in this field there was in aboriginal times a fort constructed and maintained for the protection of the first settlers. It was in this crude fort that James Ellison was captured."

Other information I have received indicates he was a minister. His service records during the Revolutionary War list him as Rev. James Ellison Jr.. It gives the following information: June 1774 as Indian spy under Capt. John Henderson and Samuel Lewis, June 1, 1776, 5 months under Capt. John Henderson, 1778, 5 months under John Henderson and Samuel Lewis. James Ellison, Francis Farley (father-in-law), and Richard Blankenship are all listed as participants in the first battle of the American Revolution--the Battle of Point Pleasant.

Will of James Ellison
Dated December 22, 1838
Presented at Court February 18, 1839
Recorded at Monroe County, VA
Will Book 3, page 411.

He mentions his wife, Elizabeth Ellison, and gives her "the whole of my estate both real and personal during her natural lifetime..."

He gave his two servant girls Jeanny and Barsheba "their freedom together with the use and sole control of the dwelling house I now live in including two acres of land which is to include the garden spring and as much of the best ground near the house as can be included in a respectable form..." Also
"the privilege of firewood and pasture for a cow on the place that I live on forever...provided they continue to live on it but no power to sell or convey to any person or any way." He also gave them, after the death of his wife "one featherbed, bedstead and furniture and one yearling heifer and heifer calf, one ewe and lamb to each and to Barsheba I give my loom and weaving utensils; to each I give a trunk now called their own."

He gave "my son Francis," after the death of his mother, all the land he owned in "the old survey supposed to be two hundred and twenty acres..." [except the privileges granted to the servants and 3 acres sold to Johnson McPherson].

He gave "my grandson" Abraham Ellison land "supposed to contain one hundred and eight acres joining the old survey..."

Gave "my daughter" Massy Cantly twenty dollars; "my daughter Nancy Halsted" twenty dollars; "one dollar to my daughter Elizabeth Shumate;" "one dollar to my son Joseph Ellison;" "one dollar to my daughter Ruth Smith;" "one dollar to my daughter Polly Wilson;" "one dollar to my son Francis Ellison."

Appointed "my son Francis Ellison and Abraham Ellison to be executors..."

Signed "this 22nd day of December 1838."
Test. Benjamin B. Peck, James Harvey
Presented in court 18th February 1839; James Ellison was "dec'd;" proven by the oaths of Benj. B. Peck and James Harvey.

James Ellison died in 1838 in Monroe County, WV at 80 years of age.

• Married: 1777

1. Jonathan Francis ELLISON b: 1792 in Hans Creek, Greenbrier Co., VA
2. Elizabeth ELLISON b: 1782
3. Matthew ELLISON b: 1784
4. Ruth ELLISON b: 1794
5. Mary Polly ELLISON b: 1796