James W. Ellsworth was born in Hudson, Ohio on October 13, 1849 and died in Palmieri, Italy on June 2, 1925. He was a multi-millionaire with extensive business interests, including coal mining. He was married to Eva Francis Butler on November 4, 1874 and she died in 1888. The couple had a son, Lincoln Ellsworth, who participated in the Amundsen-Ellsworth Polar Flying Expedition, which his father helped finance. James Ellsworth died during the 25-day period that his son was missing after a crash landing on the polar ice. James remarried to Julia Fincke on April 22, 1895 and she died in 1921. James Ellsworth was an exhibitor at the 1914 ANS Numismatic Exhibition. His collection was sold to Wayte Raymond for $100,000, with half the money coming from John Work Garrett who selected coins he needed, including a Brasher Doubloon.