William Ellis

William Ellis (1758) was an English farmer of Little Gaddesden, near Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire, known as writer on agriculture. Biography Ellis is supposed to have been born about 1700, received an ordinary education, and began life as a plain farmer. For nearly fifty years he held a farm at Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, on which, however, he made no pretense to scientific agriculture. He was evidently a person of intelligence, and had travelled much both in this country and on the continent. His early works brought him into 'repute,' and many applications were made to him by landed proprietors in all parts of the country to visit and report on their farms. Thus he traveled over the north of England in order to give those who complied with his terms the benefit of his experience.