J. Boyd and Clifford B. Ellis photographs, approximately 1945-1970

John Boyd Ellis was born July 25, 1894 in Perry, Iowa. He moved to Olympia, Washington with his family. He attended the University of Washington and Western Washington University. After graduation J. Boyd became the principal of Marysville High School, Washington until 1921 when he began photographing his state and purchased a photography studio in Arlington, Washington. His business was mainly tourism postcards and was called the Ellis Post Card Company.

J. Boyd had a son, Clifford B. Ellis who was born March 1919 and who joined the photography business. In 1959 J. Boyd retired from the business and Clifford continued to operate the studio. The Ellis studio produced around 5,000 postcards both by John Boyd and Clifford. J. Boyd died in 1983 and Clifford died in 1992.