James Ellsworth

James Ellsworth (Hudson, Ohio, October 13, 1849 – June 2, 1925 at Villa Palmieri in Florence, Italy) was an American coal mine owner and banker.

His Hudson legacy

Ellsworth returned to Hudson in 1907 to find the town in disarray. A series of fires at the turn of the century had destroyed many buildings downtown and his beloved Western Reserve Academy had closed its doors in 1903 due to financial problems. Ellsworth vowed to restore the town to its former glory by reconstructing downtown, overhauling utilities, re-opening Western Reserve Academy (as an all-boys institution) and beginning construction of new academic and dormitories on campus (including 'Ellsworth Hall'). Ellsworth's strong belief in prohibition led to rather unusual arrangements with the city such as a 50 year ban on alcohol sales, for which he agreed to upgrade the sewer system throughout the city.

Related Topics:
Western Reserve Academy - Prohibition

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Ellsworth is buried in Hudson, Ohio at the Markillie-St Mary's Cemetery. His grave-marker has the following inscription "His life was like a star....and dwelt apart."

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