Sources & Information:
In the Beginning the Ellis’s

Ancestry.com > ELLIS NAME MEANING AND HISTORY:
English and Welsh: from the medieval personal name Elis, a vernacular form of elijah (see Elias). In Wales this surname absorbed forms derived from the Welsh personal name Elisedd, a derivative of elus ‘kindly’, ‘benevolent’.
Dictionry of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4.

Research and obstacles are ever present in a family genealogical search, even back for a period of 100 to 200 years. This frustration may even cause one to reflect on the comic strip entitled “Alley Oop” where he is Time Machined back and forth to other time periods of his life. Man has now further set up telescopes, established in outer space, that can and are looking back in time toward what Science is saying the beginning of time concerning the universe we live in. It would be nice to observe back in time that which has become lost, strayed, stolen, disintegrated or just not available in our present search.

This brings us to the two (2) John Ellis’s that has become blurred as to dates and places of birth, marriage, death and children in families. There travels from England, Holland and to America. There are other’s doing and having researched this very Ellis topic, who have or will have spent hours working over the available material.

The following is a collection of notes compiling genealogical material that goes back to 1935 and my senior year in High School. It was then that questions were directed to parents, grandparents and members of the family which then followed a number of numerous trips to Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, 4201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202. As I look back today in 2008, at age 91 and then to my High School year of 1935, at age 18 my biggest wish would have been. The now experience in 2008 when asking questions in 1935.

You will find when tracking the history of Yorkshire, England, on the web pages, a reference to a John Ellis as follows: “John was born in London England in 1596. He married a Miss Masterson and moved his family to Massachusetts in the 1640’s. His son John, married Elizabeth Freeman, daughter of Edmund Freeman.” This is interesting since the Freeman family names comes into play, as known to this genealogical effort, but the dates become mirrored by a decade or so. This is listed as an interesting note for future following and unfolding of events that can be substantiated.

This search has been on the hot and cold burner from time to time but just prior to retirement in April 1981 I really got back on top of it again. This required several trips around the country looking in at Libraries, Historical Collections, Township, County and State Vital Records, Newspapers, visiting with present owners of old Ellis farm in Vermont, finding new relations in Minnesota,Texas and W. Virginia, getting old pictures that could be photographed with a macro lens and reproduced and then followed by the writing an untold number of letters. The response in most cases were excellent, however, in some the dentist would have had a hard time pulling it out. It has been most exciting to meet new relations, see old family members and make many new friends through the effort of helping others do the same. There are those in the past that felt a need to preserve family heritage and recorded the information in letters.

There have been numerous family histories, articles, private records and statistical information recorded on the early beginnings of this family. It is stated that the Ellis name is very common in England, Ireland and Wales, but not known until the time of William the coinqueror’s conquest of England in the eleventh century. The name has had various spellings projected in Doomsday Survey, such as Alis, Halis, Helis, Hellys, Halys, Hillis, Ealis, Ellis, Elias, Elys, etc.

The old and new letters located and/or received were from: Ebenezer Burt Ellis, Susan Snow Ellis, Abiathar Parkhurst Ellis, John Gilmore Ellis, Jennie Mary Ellis, Emma Newell Gould, Edith Adeline Ellis, Florence Harriet Ellis, and Francis Allen Ellis. To our new found connections, in Minnesota, Texas and W. Virginia, thanks to Fannie Mary Gridley, Lt. Lee Kirk Carr and Evelyn Elizabeth Powell. Publications such as, Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson, of Duxbury, MA. and MacLean W. McLean, of Pittsburgh, Pa., authors of Lt. John 1 Ellis and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich, MA., study that ran in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

None of this would have been completed, to the extent that it has, except for the exceptional moral support of my wonderful wife Kathleen Annabelle Hartman (McCorkle) Ellis. Many a mile was traveled together, cemeteries searched, records poured over, situations discussed, her dedication to help and above all encouragement.

Much of this beginning portion is taken from others, with mention given, during the process of putting the manuscript together. Thus genealogist researching this family will recognize portions of the document, however, to give a reasonable accounting of the facts certain records and statistics from many sources are converged. This opens the door for future genealogist who wish to make additions or changes as they should become known during their research.

Very Early Historical Information

If one is interested in Heraldry, the following is given from Ellis genealogy, by Capt. Caleb H. Ellis: William Smith Ellis, a barrister of the Middle Temple, London, England, author of a "A Plea for the Antiquity of Heraldry", who very thoroughly investigated the early record of the Ellise's of France, England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, in the book entitled "Notices of the Ellises of England, Ireland, and Scotland", and the four supplements that have since appeared.
He presents much evidence in support of the belief in England, that the Ellis and other synonymous families of France are descendants from the early kings of that country, an origin countenanced by the Fleur-de-lis, to be found in the arms of these families, the name being originally Eliasor Louis.
Mr. Ellis says: "A bearing like the Fleur-de-lis, having little intrinsic importance or meaning, but obtaining its celebrity from the eminence of its first bearer, and his descendants, and jealously guarded from usurpation, is not likely to have been adopted in any of its numerous forms and positions, by any but those who a legitimate right to do so, according to the laws of heraldry".
In Wales, the name is met as early as A.D. 815. "Griffin, son of Cyngen, son of Cadell, was slain through the treachery of his brother Eliss". It is supposed that Roderick, (Theodoric) the great King of Wales, 847-876, had a grandson named Elis, who in the words of Mr. Ellis, "not improbably was the prototype of the numerous Louises and Ellises to be found in that country".
It is supposed that Roderick was descended from the early Kings of France, and this had originated the coat of arms with the device of the Fleur-de-lis. In Wales, a descendant of Roderick Gwymnedd, King of the North Wales in the twelfth century is said to be progenitor of the Elisses of Glasfryn Country of Caemaran.
It is here proper to remark, that the Fleur-de-lis, Lily, has a form that fit it for the terminal decoration of a scepter and the ermine of a crown. It has also a heraldic bearing and identified with the royal arms and adornment of France. The name of Ellis is common in English literature for several centuries past. Before 1850, forty by the name of Ellis had obtained sufficient distinction to have their names placed in the English Biographical Dictionary.

Early English Origination

In the army, ministry, upon the bench, in fact in all professions, the name has had a prominent place. Sir Henry Ellis was principal librarian in the British Museum. Rev. John Ellis was Master at Merchant Taylor's School, London for forty years. John Ellis in 1503, was Sheriff of Yorkshire. Sir Thomas Ellis, 1600, was elected sixteen times Mayor of Doncaster. In 1606, John Ellis was born in Kiddall Hall. He was an Episcopal clergyman. An old Sir John Elys of Kiddall Hall died in 1398. Robert Elys was his son. Successive members of the family were Thomas Henry and William Elys, then followed Richard Elys, then Rev. John Ellis, and William Ellis, who was a bishop in the Episcopal Church, in 1705. The latter had a son Wilborne Ellis.
For more than five centuries the family of Ellises at Kiddall Hall were among the honored names in English history. A careful review of history shows that a large place in the social, political, educational, and religious world has been filled by this ancient and honorable family.
William Smith Ellis in his last number of "Notices of the Ellises of Great Britain", issued in 1881, states that "the Ellis family of Kiddall Hall endured upwards of five centuries, and the Ellises of Stoneacre, nearly four centuries. His inquiries have been widely extended, and he arrives at the conclusion that many of the Ellises of the present day may feel that "They are not of those whose ignoble blood has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood". John Ellis of Sandwich, MA., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Edmund Freeman in 1645, and who came over in the ship "Abigail" in 1635, was probably of the Kiddall Hall family.

Leyden, Holland stop over

John '0' Ellis went to Holland and was a member of Rev. John Robinson's Separatist Church, in Leyden where he worked as a woolcomber. He married Blandina Masterson, a sister of Richard Masterson, before Easter 1606. She apparently was the mother of one indicated as John Ellis, Jr., who became known as Lt. John Ellis. Richard is referred to as his uncle. John Ellis, Sr. was in Leyden as late as 20 March 1619 when he knowledged Richard Masterson as his brother-in-law. He was a witness to the betrothal of Richard Masterson to Mary Goodale 8 November 1619. He removed to England when about to marry again, giving his house in Barbarasteeg, Leyden, Holland, to his son Christopher on 18 June 1629. He gave nothing to his daughter, Mary, she having received much more from her mother's estate.
Dr. William Avery Ellis, Jr. descends from John '0' Ellis, father of Lt. John Ellis, through Joseph Thompson Ellis and Charles Leonard Ellis. This genealogy starts with John Ellis, Sr. and follows the line down to Josiah Thompson Ellis, taken from "The Family of Lt. John and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich, Ma." Starting with Charles Leonard Ellis, a son of Josiah Thompson Ellis, the data comes from the research of Dr. Ellis. Dr. Ellis employed Jane Fiske, Editor of New England Historical and Genealogical Register, as his research specialist.
John Ellis's name does not appear in any Mayflower list published in this country as far as is known, but in a list which was copied from the English records, C. B. Tillinghast of New York and Albany states that his name appears as No 102 of the Mayflower Company. Another person says: "If John Ellis came over in the Mayflower, it was not the first trip, but he was in Sandwich previous to 1643".

C. B. Tillinghast further says: "I have not carried the line back to Leyden, Holland, having lately come across a book which gives a list of the whole company of the Mayflower by name, including one Ellis, first name unknown, but in the records of Sandwich, MA., twice refer to John Ellis Jr., who came over in the Mayflower. (He is called Jr., we know not for what reason. He must, we think, have been Sr. of Sandwich.)
The first authority refers to John Ellis and to one Stoffel, son of John Ellis, as being in Leyden about the time the Mayflower sailed. Stoffel Ellis purchased the house of Dominie Robinson in Leyden, after Robinson's death, and undoubtedly, remained in Holland.
Referring to the 1st John Ellis, in "The Story of the Pilgrim Fathers", by E. Arber, it is stated in two places that a man by the name of Ellis was a sailor on the Mayflower. ---- There were also two other seamen hired to stay a year in the country, William Tresore, a sailor, ---- Ellis, a sailor, "but when their time was out they returned". Again it says: There were some who came to America afterward; but they were not reckoned among the first-comers". "Richard Masterson, wool carder, young man of Sandwich, England, accompanied by William Talbot and John Ellis, his brother-in-law.

Massachusetts, New England and America

Among the Ellises that came to New England at an early day, ws William Ellis, who came over in the ship Fortune in 1621. Arthur Ellis came to New England in 1630. John Ellis of Dedham became a Freeman in 1641, and removed to Medfield, where his wife died in 1653. Farmer’s “Genealogical Record” says: “Nine by the name of Ellis graduated from New England Colleges before 1828.”

John ‘O’ Ellis is reported by James Geer Jr., Columbia, S. C. as having come to America first in 1620 as a sailor on the Mayflower, then sailed back to England on the ship Fortune after a year’s stay in Plymouth, only to again return to Sandwich on the ships Ann and Little James. This during the 8th through 26th Novembe 1623.

John Ellis was the ancestor of all that name in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Many early records of Barnstable County were burned, so that it is difficult to trace families, and records of births, marriages, and deahs of Sandwich are not complete. Much may be learned of this family by consulting records -- town, church, and probate of Sandwich, Massachusetts, Andover and Hebron (including Gilead, Connicutt, also such books as “Davis’s Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth and Arber’s Story of the Pilgrim fathers.”

There is data in the Family History and memorabilia of some descendants of John Ellis of Sandwich, MA., such as the History of Buckner Ellis and Allied Families in America as follows:

Of particular interest to this family is the emigrant, John Ellis, who came to Sandwich, MA. in the ship "Abigail" in 1635. The New England Historical & Genealogical Register in its July 1965 issue carried a well researched account of John, by Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson, of Duxbury, MA. and Maclean W. McLean, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and much of what is given here.

Records show there were as early as 1658 two landholders of Sandwich -- one John Ellis, Senior. and the other Jr. Both died intestate and the widow Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis presented both inventories on the same date and had the same appraisers. Their Sandwich land had adjoining boundaries. Lt. John Ellis is believed to have been John Ellis, Sr. One theory given is that John had a first wife whose name does not appear, and who died in England, by whom he had one child, John Jr. born perhaps about 1635. It is believed John Jr. of Sandwich was a seaman, and unmarried. Very possible he was a cousin of John Ellis, Sr. It may also be true that Lt. John Ellis was the Jr., and John Sr., his father.

John Ellis married in Sandwich, 4 June 1644-5, Elizabeth, daughter of Edmond and Bennet (Hodsoll) Freeman. Elizabeth bapt. 11 April 1624 in the Parish of Billingsworth, Sussex County, England. John died 1677 intestate, and Elizabeth after 24 June 1692, and probably not long before 20 April 1714, when her son William recorded a number of deeds perhaps in connection with the settlement of her estate.

John Ellis is thought to have been born about 1620 and before 1627 (which would rule out a son John born 1635). "In 1677 Mr. John Ellis, the ancestor of those of the name in this town; one of the oldest and first settlers, died this year". Inventory of his estate taken 23 May 1677, presented by his widow, Elizabeth. He may have been a casualty of King Philip's War. He is listed in the Index of the Colonial Wars for militia service in King Philip's War; serving in 1677, the year he died. Elizabeth pioneered in the settlement of Sepican which land was part of the grant made by the General Court to veterans of King Philip's War.

The first child of Elizabeth and John was born about 1644-5, and yet the first recorded birth, that of Bennet Ellis, took place in 1648-9.

John Ellis served 5 June 1651 on the Grand Inquest. With others he was appointed by the Court "to lay out the convenient way from Sandwich unto Plymouth on February 24th, 1652. June 9, 1653 John Ellis was approved by the Court to be Leftenant of the military company at Sandwidge". An agreement dated December 13, 1653, orders that "Richard Chadwell, Thomas Dexter, John Ellis; these three men are to have ye whales . . . come up with in ye limits and bounds of Sandwige and for ye said whales they are to pay to ye town 16 pounds apiece . . . provided any of them have notice given them by any man that hath seen ye whale ashore or aground and returns to ye whale staying one ower by ye whale, and this on oath is to be taken for the truth and certainty of ye thing, to make these three persons above mentioned liable to pay . . . in case one of them does not goe along with him that brings the word there is a whale cast up but if any of them returns with him that give them notice, then the person yet gives them notice, he shall help to seize the whale and ye person whoever he be yet will doe accordingly to give notice in ye towne's behalf shall have paid him for his pains and care herein twenty shillings . . . ."
Signed by James Skeff, William Swift, and the mark of John Ellis.

A year earlier it was ordered "that Edmund Freeman, Edward Perry, George Allen, Daniel Wing, John Ellis and Thomas Tobey, shall take care of all the fish that the Indians shall cut up within the limits of the town . . . and shall dispose of the fish for the town's use (referring to the larger fish yearling oil)."

On March 2, 1657-8, Peter Gaunt, Daniel Wing, Ralph Allen, Jr. and William Allen were summoned before the Court "to answer for a tumultuous carriage at a meeting of the Quakers at Sandwich." They were admonished and fined 20s. each, but upon examination at the same time "Leftenant Ellis, Steven Wing and Thomas Butler . . . found not soe faulty as was supposed" were admonished and cleared.

In 1659 John Ellis was licensed to keep "an ordinary and sell strong waters and wines, only not to let town dwellers stay drinking unnecessarily at his house".

From 1659 until his death in 1677, Lt. John Ellis is named in a number of the town records. On February 28, 1675, a meeting was called by Lt. John Ellis and Benjamin Hammond, the Constable, and liberty granted that "families be necessitated to repair the town garrison for safety".

March 23, 1676-7, his widow presented to the probate court two inventories, one for Lt. John Ellis, and one for John Ellis, Jr. The inventory for Lt. John follows for possible interest to descendants of the valued possessions in those times, and shows:


Impr: his wearing cloathes.
3 Beds and bedsteads with what belongs to them.
3 Brass kettles, 2 small kettles, a warming pan and a skimmer.
Puter, tin and spoones. The iron instrements belong to ye fier.
3 sheets, powder, bullets, sum linnine and other things in them.
1 table, tubbs, barrells, trayes, pailes and other lumber.
His books.
4 cowes and other, young calves.
1 Bullock
1 Bullock in the woods that cannot be found.
5 swine that are small ones and 1 piece of a Barrel and pike.
3 chairs, tackling and old iron.
Some timer for a dwelling house att 30ft. and 18ft wide.
18 bushels of corn and some iron things for lead.
1 cobber staying att Mr. Freeman’s house.

Signed Richard Bourne
John Smith
Thomas Tobey

A similar inventory was submitted the same date for John Ellis Jr. By Mistress Elizabeth Ellis and witnessed by the same three as above:

Impr: His wearing cloathes
1 saddle & bridle & pistols with holsters: 1 gun.
1 Bed, rugg and blanket.
2 Bullicks & 1 cow, 2 horses: 1 yearling Colt.
More horse flesh in the woods, not certainly known.
2 cartes, 1 pair wheels -- 1 of sheels halfe made.
2 yokes with ye irons, plow with ye plow irons.
2 Augers, hand saw & other tools.
Pr a boat, that which belonged unto him.
3 caskes & an old skiffe.
A yard & a halfe of red cotton.

One theory on the relationships not heretofore mentioned is that the landholders John Ellis Sr. and John Ellis Jr. in 1658 were in fact father and son -- Lt. John Ellis being John Ellis Sr. and John Ellis Jr. his son, also that both died in King Philip's War.

In the Ellis Cousins Newsletter, Fall 1996, pg 74 is the following source material: WAS THERE AN ELLIS ON THE MAYFLOWER, By Harold D. Ellis, 38379 Cherrywood Dr., Murrieta, CA 92562. Maybe! To his list of passengers on the Mayflower, William Bradford adds: "There were also other two seamen hired to stay a year here in the country, William Trevore and on Ely. But when their time was out they both returned." Now, Ely may not be Ellis, but if you sound it El-lee it may be close. George F. Willison, in his book Saints and strangers, the story of the Mayflower and the Plymouth colony, is unequivocal. Under "Hired Hands" he shows: "Ellis,______( ) sailor. Engaged to remain a year in the colony, returned to England on 'FORTUNE.' TREVOR, William ( ) sailor. Returned to England with Ellis and spread lavish tales about richness of Plimouth Plantation." (pg. 275-6). Where the transition from Ely to Ellis came about, I do not know. His book contains an extensive bibliography and lends authority to his statements in it. The book was published by HEINEMANN, London, 1966.

Mayflower Seamen gives the following <http://members.aol.com/caleyj/seamen.html > as a follow up to the above" "Mr. Ely"
The existence of this individual as a seaman is known to historians by only one statement made in William Bradford's History, Of Plymouth Plantation. "There were also other two seamen hired to stay a year here in the country, William Trevor, and one Ely. But when their time was out they both returned."
It has been suggested that this "Ely" could have been either Joh or Christopher Ellis, who in some records are called Ely. John and Christopher were brothers of English origin that lived in Leyden, Holland at the same time the Pilgrims were living there. However, Ely is not an uncommon English name, and it is more probable that the seaman is some unidentified English mariner.

Family Group Record <familysearch.org>, John Ellis, birth, marriage to Blandina Masterson, her birth, and son John born 1620, England, his death 1677.

See further notes under Lt. John Ellis.

Edward D. Ellis @ <edwarde@ellisgen.com> Effective August 12, 2008..