Rowland Ellis
- Born: 12 Jan 1721/22, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 5,29,37,65
- Marriage: Joanna Tupper on 15 Oct 1749 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 5,16,37,65,927
- Died: Bef 21 Sep 1775, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 5,37,65
General Notes:
ROWLAND4 ELLIS (Malachi,3 Lt. Matthias,2 Lt. John1), born 12 Jan. 1721/2, died in Sandwich before 21 Sept. 1775.
He married 15 Oct. 1749 JOANNA4 TUPPER (Sandwich Town Records), born there 26 April 1724, died after 18 April 1787, daughter of Eliakim3 and Joanna (Fish) Tupper.
"Joanna Ellis, wife of Rowland," was admitted to the Sandwich First Church 5 July 1752, with the notation that she was one of a group who had been "members of the Church that once was under the Pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. Wooster." Two of the children were baptized in the church, though Rowland Ellis seems not to have been a member.
The will of Malachi3 Ellis, dated 31 March 1762, gives the major share of his estate jointly to his son Rowland4 and his brother Joshua,4 and makes Rowland sole executor. When the will was presented for probate, 1 May 1765, Joshua4 Ellis was dead and the court ordered Mordecai4 Ellis (No. 38 above), Solomon Foster and Joseph Bodfish to "divide the Real Estate between Rowland Ellis and the heirs of Joshuah Ellis, deceased." This was done 30 April 1770 (Barnstable County Probate, vol. 13, p. 534).
Meanwhile, on 2 July 1769, Rowland Ellis had been appointed administrator of his brother Joshua Ellis' estate, and presented the inventory 9 May 1770 (ibid., p. 536).
The will of "Rowland Ellis of Sandwich ... yeoman," dated 15 Dec. 1769, gives "To my beloved wife Joanna in lieu of Dower or power of Thirds, the use and improvement of all my Real Estate till my son Thomas Ellis arrives at the age of 21 years and all my household goods and personal estate during that term, to enable her to maintain the education of my childien, that is provided she live my widow, and so long as she live my widow after my son Thomas arrives at twenty one I give her the improvement of one half of my Real Estate and household goods, and if she marry again, I then give her one feather bed and furniture. To my daughter Hannah Blackwell, besides what I have already given her, £13. 6s. 8d., to be paid by my son Thomas in one year after he comes into possession of part of my Real Estate, that is when sd Thomas is 21 years old. To my daughter Joanna, when 18 or at marriage, ½ of £40. To my son Thomas all Real Estate not otherwise disposed and I make my wife Joanna my executrix" (ibid., vol. 17, p. 292-3).
The widow, Joanna Ellis, as executrix, presented the will for probate, 21 Sept. 1775. Samuel Tobey, Reuben Gibbs and Josiah Burges swore to the inventory: Real Estate: Salt and fresh meadows, £138. 10s. Uplands £169. 13s. 4d. Buildings and Orchards £41. 6s. 8d. Woodland and cedar swamp £67. 14s. 8d. Total, 11 May 1770, £540. 5s. 10 d. (ibid., vol. 17, p. 334-5). "Anna" [sic] Ellis, widow of Rowland Ellis, was ap-pointed successor to her late husband as administratrix of the estate of her deceased brother-in-law Joshuah Ellis, 3 Oct. 1775. This was evidently done because the estates were interrelated and because Joshua's widow had remarried (ibid., vol. 16, p. 104).
To make the already complicated probate position more complex, it must be noted that under the terms of Rowland Ellis's will the only son, Thomas5 Ellis, was to receive all the real estate upon attaining his majority, which would have been on 24 July 1774. This took place, no doubt, and on the following 17 November Thomas Ellis married Sarah Tupper, but curiously enough both were dead without issue before 14 April 1777. On 3 Oct. 1775 Micah Blackwell, Samuel Tobey and Reuben Gibbs had been empowered by the court to divide the estate of Rowland Ellis which they did, 14 April 1777, setting off to the widow Joanna Ellis one half and the other half, in equal division between his two daughters, Hannah Blackwell and Joanna Ellis (ibid., vol. 20, p. 236-9). On 6 May 1777 the executrix, Joanna Ellis, presented a new inventory of Rowland Ellis's estate, which then totaled £296. 2d. (ibid., p. 234-5).
That Thomas5 Ellis predeceased, by a short time at least, his wife is shown by the inventory, taken 29 July 1778, by Micah Blackwell, Nathaniel5 Ellis (No. 118 below) and Eleazer Blackwell of "The Estate of Thomas Ellis, late of Sandwich, labourer, deceased," listing quick stock, wearing apparel, etc., and "the above articles taken and made use of by Sarah Ellis, relict of sd Thomas" (ibid., vol. 20, p, 314-15). The mother, Joanna Ellis, was also appointed administratrix of the Thomas Ellis estate. On 9 May 1780 she submitted her account "as administratrix, of the Estate of Thomas Ellis, late of Sandwich, deceased," and exhibited the inventory, noting an exception of "what had been taken & used by Sarah Ellis, widow of sd deceased before her death" (ibid., vol. 11, p. 21, 24). However, she also filed a letter, dated 9 July 1779, to the court which states that "whereas complaint hath been made to the Judge of Probate ... that no administration hath yet been taken on the estate of Sarah Ellis, widow of Thomas Ellis, late of Sandwich, by Joanna Ellis, who saith she has some of (Sarah's) estate in her hands, which she is desirous of disposing of, agreeable to law" (ibid., p. 74). On 9 May 1780 "Joanna Ellis, as executrix to the Estate of Rowland Ellis, late of Sandwich, yeoman, deceased and of the estate of Thomas Ellis ... administratrix," presented her accounting which was accepted (ibid., p. 21). Micah Blackwell had been appointed to look into what was due from the estate of Sarah (Tupper) Ellis, and the court instructed him to serve and return to Prince Tupper, the nearest relative. Eventually Dr. Thomas Smith was appointed administrator of the Sarah Ellis estate, 9 May 1781 (ibid., p. 74; vol. 19, p. 49).
This intricate probate picture is given in detail because the writers believe that it presents a picture of human interest, and implicit tragedy. It could be an item for Ripley's Believe It or Not, that a woman who signed her name with her mark, should have functioned in such a multiplicity of roles, especially during the very years of great stress occasioned by the Revolution which was sweeping the land. And yet the dauntless widow survived, and is listed by her pastor upon the Sandwich Church register as a member in good standing, 18 April 1787, the year in which the United States Constitution was being drafted.
[Lt. John & Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich, Mass by Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson, of Duxbury, Mass & Maclean W. McLean, of Pittsburg, PA]
Noted events in his life were:
• Will, 15 Dec 1769, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. 65
Rowland married Joanna Tupper, daughter of Eliakim Tupper and Johanna Fish, on 15 Oct 1749 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 5,16,37,65.,927 (Joanna Tupper was born on 26 Apr 1724 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 5,65 and died after 18 Apr 1787 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 5,65.)
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