JAMES NORRIS ELLIS was born in what is now Collingswood, New Jersey on June 4, 1881 which at the time of his birth was a part of Haddon Township. His parents were Aerson and Caroline K. Ellis. The family, which included older sister Ida, appears to have moved to Camden in the mid-1880s. The 1887 Camden City Directory shows the family at 742 Cherry Street, with Aerson Ellis then working as a laborer. The 1888-1889 edition shows the family at the same address. Aerson Wllis was by then working as a night watchman. The 1893-1894 Directory shows the family at 704 Spruce Street. They moved to 976 South 8th Street by the following year and stayed there for at least one year. The Ellis family is listed in the 1897 Camden City Directory at 745 Walnut Street. By 1899 they had moved to 753 Walnut Street, where they were still residing when the Census was taken in 1900. James Norris Ellis was then working as a day laborer.

James Norris Ellis married around 1901. His wife, Elizabeth was at least a dozen years his senior, and the couple never was blessed with children. The 1906 City Directory shows him working as a driver and living at 821 Mount Vernon Street. The 1910 Census Census shows the couple at the same address. He was then working as a laborer at an iron works. The couple was still living at that address when the 1914 City Directory was compiled.  James Norris Ellis had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department by August of 1912. He served for four years, then went over to the police department, where he served for 17 years before retiring on pension in 1933 October of 1932

In 1916 James Norris Ellis had been appointed to the Camden Police Department. James and Elizabeth Ellis were still living at 821 Mount Vernon Street. The 1920 Census shows that they had moved to 776 Walnut Street. They were still living at that address in April of 1930. By that time he had been promoted to the rank of detective. He retired from the police department on October 1, 1932.

During the 1930s Elizabeth Ellis passed away, and James Norris Edward remarried. He was living with his second wife, Marie, at 1119 Princess Avenue when the 1940 Camden City Directory was compiled.

On January 13, 1937 James Norris Edwards' father, Aerson Ellis, last a resident of 720 Berkley Street, passed away. His mother, Caroline K. Ellis, died on July 29, 1940. They were both buried at Harleigh Cemetery.

By 1942 James and Marie Ellis had moved to 1315 Princess Avenue. He had gone to work as a guard at Cooper Hospital. He was still employed at Cooper Hospital and living with his wife at the Princess Avenue address when the 1947 City Directory was compiled. James Ellis died on June 27, 1949.