Ellis was born on June 15, 1864,[1] in Victoria, Texas,[2] to Charles Ellis and Margaret Nelson Ellis, former slaves.[1] He later claimed that his parents were Cuban or Mexican, rather than African, and styled himself as "Guillermo Enrique Eliseo".[1][2] Ellis was fluent in Spanish.[1] He first worked on a ranch, assisted in leather dealing, and later inspecting customs, trading cattle, and growing cotton.[2]
Career and activismedit
In 1888 he started farming cattle in Mexico.[1] In the late 19th century he was a member of the Republican Party, particularly supporting Norris Wright Cuney. Ellis also became close to Henry McNeal Turner. Both Turner and Cuney supported the back-to-Africa movement, while Ellis supported colonizing African-Americans to Latin America, specifically Mexico.[1][3] While living in San Antonio, Ellis became known as an advocate for Black representation in Texas politics.[4]
After this he became involved in an attempt to create a colony of Black people from the southern United States in Mexico.[2] The country's president, Porfirio Díaz, approved the plan in 1888 and granted Ellis some land. By 1894 an agreement was signed for funding and Ellis agreed to provide as many as 20,000 Black people as workers in the Tlahualilo Municipality. Ellis hired R. A. “Pegleg” Williams, and in 1895, 816 emigrants were transferred from Alabama. Although some sources say this was the only trip, others list there as being at least 2,000 emigrants. The southern press criticized the colony and reported poor living conditions. After an investigation, the conditions were found to be poor but not as bad as had been reported. The colony failed, and the US federal government funded the return of all involved families.[1] Ellis became involved in the brokerage business, leading a water company that supplied The Bronx and was valued at $10,000,000. He eventually sold this to New York City.[1][2][3][5]
In 1904, Ellis sought to become the king of the Ethiopian Empire, in what was later known as the "Abyssinia affair". He worked with the United States Department of State, specifically Robert Peet Skinner, to make a treaty between Menelik II and the United States. After Frederick Kent Loomis, one of Ellis's collaborators, disappeared, Ellis took the treaty to Menelik and was made a duke in the kingdom. The treaty itself was described by the Handbook of Texas as creating "an impetus for forging an official relationship between the two countries."[1][2] He returned to the US in 1904, living in Mount Vernon, New York. Ellis also purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange and was involved with organizations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Personal lifeedit
He married Ida Lefferts Sherwood in 1903; the two had four children.
In 2016, Karl Jacoby wrote The Strange Career of William Ellis: The Texas Slave Who Became a Mexican Millionaire. In 2019 Phillip Rodriguez announced that he would make a documentary based on the book.[6][7]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijHales, Douglas. "Ellis, William Henry". Handbook of Texas. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
^ abcdefg"Who Would Be King". Time. October 8, 1923.
^ abHales, Douglas (2003). A Southern Family in White and Blanck: The Cuneys of Texas. Texas A&M University Press. p. 55. ISBN978-1-60344-683-9.
^Blitzer, Jonathan. "A Tale of Racial Passing and the U.S.-Mexico Border". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
^Jacoby, Karl (June 5, 2016). "When Mexicans Feared American Immigration". POLITICO Magazine. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
^"El esclavo de Texas que se hizo millonario haciéndose pasar por mexicano". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). August 2, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
^Jacoby, Karl (June 13, 2016). The Strange Career of William Ellis: The Texas Slave Who Became a Mexican Millionaire. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN978-0-393-25386-3.
External linksedit
Obituaries
January 01, 1970
william, henry, ellis, businessman, william, henry, ellis, also, known, guillermo, enrique, eliseo, june, 1864, september, 1923, american, businessman, william, henry, ellisbornjune, 1864victoria, texas, diedseptember, 1923, 1923, aged, mexico, city, mexiconat. William Henry Ellis also known as Guillermo Enrique Eliseo June 15 1864 September 24 1923 was an American businessman William Henry EllisBornJune 15 1864Victoria Texas U S DiedSeptember 24 1923 1923 09 24 aged 59 Mexico City MexicoNationalityAmericanOccupationbusinessman Contents 1 Early life 2 Career and activism 3 Personal life 4 Death and legacy 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editEllis was born on June 15 1864 1 in Victoria Texas 2 to Charles Ellis and Margaret Nelson Ellis former slaves 1 He later claimed that his parents were Cuban or Mexican rather than African and styled himself as Guillermo Enrique Eliseo 1 2 Ellis was fluent in Spanish 1 He first worked on a ranch assisted in leather dealing and later inspecting customs trading cattle and growing cotton 2 Career and activism editIn 1888 he started farming cattle in Mexico 1 In the late 19th century he was a member of the Republican Party particularly supporting Norris Wright Cuney Ellis also became close to Henry McNeal Turner Both Turner and Cuney supported the back to Africa movement while Ellis supported colonizing African Americans to Latin America specifically Mexico 1 3 While living in San Antonio Ellis became known as an advocate for Black representation in Texas politics 4 After this he became involved in an attempt to create a colony of Black people from the southern United States in Mexico 2 The country s president Porfirio Diaz approved the plan in 1888 and granted Ellis some land By 1894 an agreement was signed for funding and Ellis agreed to provide as many as 20 000 Black people as workers in the Tlahualilo Municipality Ellis hired R A Pegleg Williams and in 1895 816 emigrants were transferred from Alabama Although some sources say this was the only trip others list there as being at least 2 000 emigrants The southern press criticized the colony and reported poor living conditions After an investigation the conditions were found to be poor but not as bad as had been reported The colony failed and the US federal government funded the return of all involved families 1 Ellis became involved in the brokerage business leading a water company that supplied The Bronx and was valued at 10 000 000 He eventually sold this to New York City 1 2 3 5 In 1904 Ellis sought to become the king of the Ethiopian Empire in what was later known as the Abyssinia affair He worked with the United States Department of State specifically Robert Peet Skinner to make a treaty between Menelik II and the United States After Frederick Kent Loomis one of Ellis s collaborators disappeared Ellis took the treaty to Menelik and was made a duke in the kingdom The treaty itself was described by the Handbook of Texas as creating an impetus for forging an official relationship between the two countries 1 2 He returned to the US in 1904 living in Mount Vernon New York Ellis also purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange and was involved with organizations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Personal life editHe married Ida Lefferts Sherwood in 1903 the two had four children Death and legacy editOn September 24 1923 Ellis died in Mexico City 1 2 In 2016 Karl Jacoby wrote The Strange Career of William Ellis The Texas Slave Who Became a Mexican Millionaire In 2019 Phillip Rodriguez announced that he would make a documentary based on the book 6 7 References edit a b c d e f g h i j Hales Douglas Ellis William Henry Handbook of Texas Retrieved May 9 2021 a b c d e f g Who Would Be King Time October 8 1923 a b Hales Douglas 2003 A Southern Family in White and Blanck The Cuneys of Texas Texas A amp M University Press p 55 ISBN 978 1 60344 683 9 Blitzer Jonathan A Tale of Racial Passing and the U S Mexico Border The New Yorker Retrieved May 9 2021 Jacoby Karl June 5 2016 When Mexicans Feared American Immigration POLITICO Magazine Retrieved May 9 2021 El esclavo de Texas que se hizo millonario haciendose pasar por mexicano BBC News Mundo in Spanish August 2 2020 Retrieved May 9 2021 Jacoby Karl June 13 2016 The Strange Career of William Ellis The Texas Slave Who Became a Mexican Millionaire W W Norton amp Company ISBN 978 0 393 25386 3 External links editObituaries Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Henry Ellis businessman amp oldid 1219149808, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
