American Life Histories
Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project
1936-1940

Contents

Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Louisiana
Missouri
South Carolina
Utah
Washington

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Crawford Ellis
(Alabama)

In 1893 a small Norweigian steamship cast off from Mobile. It was bound for Nicaragua and with it an eighteen year old Dallas County boy. In the pocket of his trousers he clinked one twenty dollar gold piece against another twenty dollar gold piece. Forty dollars! and as he looked over the stern rail of this steamship this lad was looking into one of the most brilliant careers of any Alabamian.

Crawford Ellis was born in Selma in 1875 and educated here. When still a boy he moved with his family to Orrville. Here he remained until he set sail for Nicaragua where he took a job with the United Fruit Company for twelve dollars a month.

By 1899 be had risen rapidly and was given the place of auditor. Steadily going up, he became one of the three vice presidents of the United Fruit Company. He organized the Pan American Insurance Company with himself as president.

Thus one Selmian made a place for himself in a Company by beginning at scratch and looking forward to the future as he gazed over the stern rail of a chugging Norweigian steamer.

Dallas County
Mildred Thrash

Text from: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection