A lifelong resident of Cape Cod, Mr. Ellis is a direct descendant of no fewer than 17 of the passengers on the Mayflower. Ellis has written four books either wholly or partly about Cape Cod history, and he has authored numerous comparable articles in regional magazines such as Cape Cod, Cape Cod Life, On the Water, and Coastal Lifestyle: Cape Cod and the Islands. He has lectured on historical matters including a slide presentation on Thoreau's Cape Cod. Following Thoreau's keen interest in wildflowers, Ellis has conducted wildflower inventories and led wildflower walks for the local land trust. He has been active in local historical societies and organizations, and he is a member of the Thoreau Society.Mr. Ellis published A Ruinous and Unhappy War with Algora in 2009. His first book, Mad Jack Percival: Legend of the Old Navy, came out in 2002.