Billy Northcross Ellis
By "Billy" Northcross Ellis
Billy Northcross Ellis Reads to Children
About Billy Northcross Ellis
Margaret (“Billy”) Northcross Ellis was the first teacher and a founder of North Cross School, which opened in a Salem basement in 1944. She supervised the school’s growth and stayed on as head of the lower division after the high school was added. She continued teaching when the school moved to Roanoke, then retired in 1979.
Billy was born in Elliston in 1910 where she lived for her entire life. She married Lion Ellis of Shawsville, grandson of President John Tyler. Billy was known for keeping children spellbound with her stories. She died in 1995.