Samuel Ellis, the man who purchased the island in the 1770s. He attempted to sell the island to no avail, but eventually sold it to the state of New York.
Samuel Ellis was the last owner of Ellis island before the government took it by procolamation.
When he died in 1794 the US purchase from his family for $10,000.
Originally called Little Oyster Island, Ellis Island acquired its name from Samuel Ellis, a colonial New Yorker, possibly from Wales
One can "buy" a SAVE ELLIS ISLAND T-shirt for $25 (the money goes to Ellis Island, Inc., charity raising money to rehabilitate the buildings on the south side.) at: weareellisisland.org
Ellis island was a former federal immigration process station which processed over 12million third class and steerage immigrats between 1892-1954.It was named after the last private owner of the island Samuel Ellis
Samuel Ellis was born in 1851.
Ellis Island is an immigration station, where immigrants from mostly Europe went. It opened in 1892, and closed in 1954. It was named after Samuel Ellis. New York bought it for $10,000 in 1808. (I know, I went a little beyond your question.)
Samuel Burdon Ellis was born in 1787.
Samuel Burdon Ellis died on 1865-03-10.
The Ellis of Ellis Island was named after Ruby Ellis who was the first immigrant from Russia.
Until late 1954, Ellis Island was the first stop for immigrants coming to America by way of ship. Now-a-days, however, the island serves a tourist attraction, and is an excellent place to learn about America's golden age of immigration.