Ellis Lewis Orvis and Mary Lowrie Lyon

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Husband Ellis Lewis Orvis ^{1 2}

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           Born: 16 Nov 1857 - Lock Haven, Clinton Co, PA 1 2
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         Father: Hon. John Holden Orvis (1835-1893) 1 3
         Mother: Caroline Elizabeth Atwood (1833-      ) 1

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       Marriage: 25 Dec 1884 1

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Wife Mary Lowrie Lyon ^{4 5}

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           Born: 19 Sep 1863 - Spring Twp, Centre Co, PA 4 5
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         Father: Samuel Stewart Lyon (1822-      ) 6 7
         Mother: Ann Valentine (1829-1885) 6 7

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Children

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1 F Anne Valentine Lyon Orvis ¹

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           Born: 5 Feb 1886 1
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2 F Caroline Elizabeth Orvis ¹

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           Born: 24 Mar 1890 1
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General Notes: Husband - Ellis Lewis Orvis

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He prepared for college at the Belle-fonte Academy, and in the fall of 1872 entered the freshman class of Pennsylvania State College, in which institution he took the classical course, in 1875 carried off the Kaine prize for the best English oration, and was graduated in 1876. He subsequently took a post-graduate course for one year in chemistry and modern languages. For a number of years after graduation he engaged in surveying, becoming quite an efficient surveyor, and while so engaged he studied law.
In the fall of 1880 he was admitted to the Bar of Centre County, but he still continued surveying until the winter of 1883-84, when he purchased an interest in the Centre Democrat, and became associated with the late S. T. Shugert as junior editor of that paper. Soon after his connection with that journal his health failed, and he was compelled to abandon the newspaper business.
The summer and fall of 1884 Mr. Orvis spent in the Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific coast, traveling as far north as British Columbia. While visiting the National Park he had a narrow escape from falling into the hands of a band of highway robbers. The people in the carriage just ahead of the one in which he and party were traveling were attacked and "held up," and had Mr. Orvis' party not scattered so that the bandits could not surround them, they would undoubtedly have met the same fate that befell those ahead of them.
On January 1, 1885, Mr. Orvis became the junior member of the law firm of Orvis, Bower & Orvis, and engaged in the practice of law, giving his entire time to his profession. After the death of Judge Orvis, which occurred in November, 1893, the business of the firm was continued by Mr. E. L. Orvis and Mr. Bower, the remaining members, and they retained the extensive practice that they had prior to the death of Judge Orvis.
Mr. Orvis, although young in years, was one of the leading lawyers of Pennsylvania. He was strong in the trial of cases before the jury, and, in the presentation of questions of law to the court, had no equal among the members of the Bar of his county. In the trial of a case, and in presenting questions of law to the court, he was extremely courteous, but forceful and convincing.
Politically he was a Democrat, but was never an office-seeker. In 1883 he was unanimously tendered the nomination of his party for the office of County Surveyor, and was elected by the handsome majority of over nine hundred. Of his nomination the Watchman said:
Ellis Orvis, our nominee for county surveyor, is the only son of Judge Orvis-a young man of talent and education, and already well versed in the art of surveying, having had considerable practical experience by association with the best surveyors. He understands the business theoretically, too, and will make an excellent official. He is an attorney by profession, and studious, and careful in all he does. His nomination is quite a compliment to him, and he will do it no discredit.
Again, in 1891, he was honored by a nomination and election by a decisive majority in this Senatorial District as a delegate to the proposed
Constitutional Convention. In both instances these nominations came to him unsolicited. The following complimentary notices appeared at the time of his election as delegate:
Ellis L. Orvis, Esq., who was selected as the choice of the county for delegate to the Constitutional Convention, is the junior member of the law firm of Orvis, Bower & Orvis, and is well fitted for the honorable and important position. He is a gentleman of quite studious habits, has keen discern-ment and clear ideas, is conservative in his views and careful and considerate in his actions. There would be no danger, if men like Mr. Orvis are elected delegates, of rash and radical changes in the Constitution to the detriment of the people or injury to one's business interests in the Commonwealth.- Watchman, August 14, 1891.
At the conference at Lock Haven last week Ellis L. Orvis, Esq., was chosen as one of the two Democratic nominees of this district as delegate to the proposed Constitu-tional Convention. This is a decided compliment to our young legal friend and a fitting recognition of his ability. Should the Convention be established, Mr. Orvis would serve in that august body with distinction and credit to his constituency. Though the Convention may receive little indorsement in this district, we predict for him a handsome vote.-Centre Democrat, October 1, 1891.
He was identified with the Christian Church, his wife with the Presbyterian denomination.
He was of a literary turn, and had an extreme fondness for books. His residence, situated on East Linn street, was filled with a well-selected and magnificent library. Much of his time was spent among his books, and he was recognized as one of the best informed and most cultured men of Bellefonte.

1 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 407.

2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 14.

3 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 8.

4 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 401.

5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 15.

6 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 396.

7 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 71.