Born in Russian Empire, Ellison was brought to the United States by his parents as an infant.
He represented the fourth council district and served from May 1923 until December 1942 when he resigned to take his seat in Congress.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1944 to the Seventy-ninth Congress, losing to his former Baltimore City Council Colleague George Hyde Fallon.
In 1946 he was elected to the Maryland Senate representing Baltimore's fourth legislative district.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress