John Willis Ellis, student 1836-1837, governor of North Carolina in 1861

JOHN WILLIS ELLIS, governor of North Carolina from 1859-1861, presided over his state when it seceded in May 1861. Ellis died of consumption shortly after, in July, 1861. His famous response to President Lincoln's call for troops from North Carolina was “I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina.” Ellis attended R-MC for one year, 1836-1837, before transferring to the University of North Carolina.