Elizabeth Bernice Tomlinson was born 1843 in Smithfield, Johnston Co, NC, the 5th of 7 known surviving children (4 boys/3 girls) born to farmers Bernice "Buck" Harris Tomlinson and his wife, Elizabeth Walton.

She was the paternal grandchild Harris Tomlinson & Edith Lockhart of Smithfield; and the paternal grandchild of John Walton and Polly Norris of Wake County, NC.

Elizabeth was born at "Tanglewood", the Tomlinson homestead, in the house erected by her father when he married in 1835. The house is said to be the third oldest still in existence in Johnston County, located on Cleveland Road, about 8 miles west of Smithfield, and believed to still be owned by family descendants (ca 2009).

She was 18 years old when Civil War broke out, and her 3 older brothers (John Harris, James Milton and Nathaniel) all enlisted in the CSA. Only two of the brothers would return from the war, as James Milton Tomlinson was killed May 4, 1862 following the battle of Williamsburg.

In about 1866, Bettie married Lt. Joseph C. Ellington of Clayton, Civil War veteran from the NC 50th, Co. C. They were both about age 23 at the nuptials.

The couple began farming in Clayton and the family would eventually include 10 known surviving children. (See husband's memorial.)

Sometime between 1880-1900, the family moved to Raleigh, where Joseph C. Ellington was Surveyor for the city, while Bettie managed a boarding house where they also lived. It was here that Bettie was widowed after 41 years of marriage, when her husband passed in 1905. She was 62. Bettie continued to live in Raleigh another 15 years, until her passing in 1920, at age 77. She was buried next to her husband and his family in Clayton City Cemetery.

Of her children, two remained in Clayton. Lena married Ernest Linwood Hinton, and had children. Elizabeth "Lizzie became the 2nd wife of John Moseley Turley, had children, and is also buried in Clayton City Cemetery.