In the hills near Joppa, Tennessee, a remarkable farmhouse stands. The Judge Charles K. Ellis Home began as a modest cabin in the 1840s. It became the home of Judge Charles and Bertha Ellis. Over the years, Ellis served as a judge in Grainger County, chaired the county school board, and held roles as a merchant, bank board member, and founder of one of the region’s earliest fire insurance companies. He was also a successful farmer. Charles and his wife Bertha remained in the home until 1970, when they relocated to a convalescent facility in Knoxville.
