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1883 Dec 25 Born at Ballydavey, County Down, the third of nine children of labourer James Ellison and his wife Martha (nee Breeze (or Keenan)).
1901 census at Welland Sr, Victoria, Belfast,
1906 Apr 14 . he married Abigail Doyle at the Presbyterian Church, Belmont, Co Down. At the time he was working as a labourer and living at 13 Stoneyford Street, Belfast. Over the next eight years the couple had five children, two of whom died before their second birthdays
1911 census at 18 Dundela St, Belfast (as on MIC)
Ellison’s ship prior to Titanic had been the Olympic. He joined Titanic at Belfast for the delivery trip to Southampton where he then disembarked.
1912 Ellison was a signatory of the Ulster Covenant, a petition signed by nearly 500,000 citizens opposing Irish Home Rule.
In seems likely that Ellison had some pre-war military experience, perhaps in the North Irish Horse or its predecessor the North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry.
1914 Aug 20 . Ellison enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Belfast between 17 and 20 August 1914 (No.1017). Landed in France 20 Aug 1914 with C Squadron seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
Belfast Evening Telegraph. On another occasion Trooper Ellison, also of Belfast, rode by mistake into a Uhlan camp, but happily for him the night was so dark that he had discovered his mistake before he was recognised, and was almost clear of the camp again before the Uhlans were aware that he was not one of themselves. Just as he came to the high wire fence surrounding the camp one of the Uhlans struck a match to light his pipe, and Ellison stood revealed. Putting spurs to his horse, he attempted to jump the fence, but his mount baulked and threw him over its head into a drain on the outside. Amid a hail of bullets Ellison managed to run along the drain and escape in safety to the high road. Here he fell in with a motorist despatch rider, who gave him a "lift" behind him for some miles. Two weeks later he rejoined his troop, little the worse for his experience.
1916 Jun. C Squadron was combined with F Squadron and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps until August 1917, when orders came that the regiment would be dismounted and the men transferred to the infantry. Ellison was one of 70 men given the job of conducting the regiment's horses to Egypt. They embarked from Marseilles on board HMT Bohemian on 25 August. After a month at Alexandria they returned to France, through Italy
1917 Oct 5, they arrived at the 36th (Ulster) Division Infantry Base Depot at Harfleur for infantry training. After just a few days they were posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion, joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt on 12 October. Ellison was issued regimental number 41566. He retained his sergeant's rank.It is likely that he saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
1918 Sep 25. Commissioned 2nd Lt R.Inniskilling Fusiliers. WS/1/10498.
1920 Jan 20. R. Innis. Fus. Temp. 2nd Lt. J. Ellison relinquishes his commission on completion of service, and retains the rank of 2nd Lt.
1921 Apr 9. Accepted in Ireland. Joins ADRIC with service no 1885. Posted to I Coy
1922 Jan 17. Discharged on demobilisation of ADRIC
1937 Aug 12 He was widowed when wife Abigail passed away.
1945 May 19. Died. At the beginning of the Second World War Ellison was appointed lieutenant in the National Defence Companies, serving on home defence duties in the Royal Ulster Rifles.