 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Ellis akaberekerwa muNixburg, muCoosa County, Alabama. Akawana dhigirii reB.Ped. kubva kuTroy Normal School muna 1907, uye Bachelor of Law degree kubva kuYunivhesiti yeAlabama muna 1909. Ellis aidzidzira mutemo muColumbiana, Alabama. Akashanda seneta wenyika kubva muna 1927 kusvika muna 1931, mumiriri muAlabama Legislature kubva muna 1936 kusvika muna 1943, uye meya weColumbiana kwematemu maviri. Muna 1948, Ellis akashanda senhume yeAlabama paDemocratic National Convention. Mushure mekutaura kwaHubert Humphrey, Ellis akatungamira nhengo gumi nenhatu dzevamiriri veAlabama iyo yakabatanidzwawo nevamiriri veMississippi vese mukubuda, zvichitungamira mukugadzirwa kweDixiecrat bato rezvematongerwo enyika risingapfuure. 