Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 17.djvu/309

Ellman took a leading part in the institution of the Smithfield Cattle Show, and on the death of Richard Astley was made 'father' of the show, an office he held for many years. He was a frequent prize-winner both in London and Sussex, and won with such ease that he presently refrained from exhibiting or withdrew his sheep while the judging was in progress, so that they might not detract from the appearance of the others. He was also successful with his cattle, and in 1819 the board of agriculture awarded him the gold medal for the best cultivated farm in Sussex. In 1800 a silver cup was presented to him by the landowners of Sussex, and five years later the Duke of Bedford gave him a silver vase as a mark of his personal esteem. To the board of agriculture Ellman rendered considerable service, and several contributions by him will be found in their 'Transactions.' He also largely gave assistance to Arthur Young in compiling his voluminous 'Annals of Agriculture,' contributed frequently to the 'Farmers' Journal,' and corresponded with an agricultural association at Rouen, some of his communications to which were published by the Société d'Amélioration des Laines. He wrote the article 'Sheep' in Baxter's 'Library of Agricultural and Horticultural Knowledge,' and revised other papers in the same work. Outside of agriculture Ellman interested himself largely in county affairs. He was a commissioner of taxes, and as expenditor of Lewes and Laughton levels, he carried out a difficult scheme for the improvement of navigation on the Ouse. The reconstruction of Newhaven harbour was also largely due to his energy. In his own village of Glynde he maintained a school for labourers' children at his own expense, and he refused to allow the licencing of any public house there. He strongly insisted, however, on the vital importance of beer to farm labourers, and afforded facilities for home brewing. The unmarried labourers in his employ he lodged in his house, and on their marriage was accustomed to provide them with a plot of grass land for a cow and pig, and a certain amount of arable; but he was opposed to any allotment system on a larger scale. In 1829 Ellman retired from active work, and his celebrated flock was sold by auction. The rest of his life he resided alternately at High Cross, Uckfield, a small estate of his own, and in Albion Street, Lewes, where he died on 22 Nov. 1832. He was twice married on 27 Jan. 1783 to Elizabeth Spencer, by whom he had one son John, also a very successful farmer; secondly to Constantia Davies, daughter of the vicar of Glynde, who had a numerous family, and survived him. Ellman's portrait was painted by Lonsdaile for presentation to his wife on his retirement from the farm, and has been engraved.

 ELLWOOD, THOMAS (1639–1713), quaker and friend of Milton, born at Crowell, Oxfordshire, in October 1639, was younger son of Walter Ellwood, by his wife, Elizabeth Potman,' both well descended but of declining families.' He had two sisters and a brother, all older than himself. From 1642 to 1646 the family lived in London. At seven Thomas went to the free school at Thame and proved himself 'full of spirit' and fond of a waggish prank.' He was removed at an early age to save expense, became an expert in all field sports, and afterwards reproached himself with much thoughtless dissipation. But his worst crime seems to have been an endeavour to run a ruffian, who insulted his father, through the body with a rapier. His brother and mother both died in his youth. In the autumn of 1659 a change came over him. He and his father paid a visit to Isaac Pennington, son of Alderman Isaac Pennington, the regicide, who lived at the Grange, Chalfont St. Peters, Buckinghamshire. Pennington's wife, Mary, widow of Sir William Springett, had been intimate with the Ellwoods while they lived in London, and her daughter Gulielma had often been Thomas's playmate in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Young Ellwood and his father found that the Penningtons had lately become quakers—a sect of which little had then been heard. Desirous to learn something of the quaker doctrine, a second visit of some days' duration was paid in December 1659, when Thomas attended a quakers' meeting at a neighbouring farmhouse and made the acquaintance of Edward Burrough [q. v.] and James Nayler [q. v.] Burrough's preaching conquered Ellwood, and after attending a second quakers' meeting at High Wycombe he joined the new sect and adopted their modes of dress and speech. His father strongly resented his son's conversion, thrashed him for wearing his hat in his presence, and kept him a prisoner in his house through the winter of 1660. At Easter the Penningtons managed to remove him to Chalfont St. Peters, where he stayed till Whitsuntide. He attended quakers meetings with great assiduity, and late in 1660 was divinely inspired, according to his own account, to write