Elmer Ellsworth Page - The Bard of Phenix

Elmer Ellsworth Page was born on 27 March 1861 in Stoughton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States. His parents were William Thomas Page, a bootmaker, and Harriet Jones Page. He was apparently named after Elmer Ellsworth, the Civil War hero who died just before Elmer Page's birth.

Elmer (age 9) appeared in the census on 19 July 1870 in Stoughton, Norfolk, Massachusetts. At that time, he lived with his parents, two sisters (C. Avis age 20 and M. Alice aged 16), and his brother (Warren E. age 11). Elmer's grandfather (Samuel Page a farmer at age 79), his grandmother (Deborah Curtis Page age 77), and his aunt (Hannah L. Page age 41 who worked for a woolen mill) lived next door. At this time his father, William worked as a grocers clerk.

On 12 June 1880, Elmer (age 19) lived with his family at West Stoughton Village in Stoughton, Norfolk, Massachusetts. His family consisted of his father (William Thomas age 63 and a farmer), his mother (Harriet age 61), his brother (Warren E. a student age 21), his sister (Alice age 26) and her family (husband James C. Chase a blacksmith and son Arthur J. age 2).

On 25 Jan 1886, Elmer (age 24) married his sweetheart, Annie Burnside Henry (age 23).

In June of 1889 he was living in Riverside, Rhode Island according to probate records for his father's estate. He worked as a machinist and electrician and founded the Phenix Electric Company at 748 Main Street in Phenix, Rhode Island. On 22 May 1892 Elmer was a Machinist in Providence, Providence, Providence, Rhode Island. On 14 June 1900 Elmer (age 40) was a "machinist iron" in Coventry, Kent, Rhode Island. At that time his family consisted of his wife Annie (age 38), his daughter Edith (aged 12), his son Lester C. (age 9), and his son Raymond H. (age 8). Elmer and his family lived next door to his brother Warren and Warren's wife Ida (older sister of Elmer's wife).

In 1905, Elmer and Annie's son, Frank Wales Page, died at the age of 3 years.

On 26 February 1910, Elmer and Annie arrived at Ellis Island aboard the ship Mauretania. Their port of departure is listed as Liverpool. On 15 April 1910 he lived with his family in Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island. Elmer ran an electric hardware store. His household, at the time, consisted of his wife Annie (age 47), his son Lester C. (age 18), and his son Raymond H. (age 17), and daughter Dorothy G. (age 9).

On 13 April 1915, Elmer's wife Annie died of paresis (some sort of paralysis).

On 6 January 1920 lived with his daughter, Dorothy, at 23 Lippitt Avenue in West Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island. At that time he was an Electrical Contractor at West Warwick Township in West Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island. In 1920 the Phenix Business Men's Association was formed, the president of the new group being Elmer Page. This group later became the West Warwick Chamber of Commerce.

He appeared in the census on 22 April 1930 at 43 North Pleasant Street in Phenix, Kent, Rhode Island. At that time, Elmer was a Proprietor Retail Electrical Shop in Phenix.

Elmer died on 4 November 1948 at the age of 87 in West Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island. He was buried on 7 November 1948 in Coventry, Kent, Rhode Island. He was known as the Bard of Phenix.  He wrote over 300 poems and prose writings. At the time of his death, he had been a deacon at the Phenix Baptist Church for 53 years and Sunday school superintendent for 40 years.