William Ellis

  General Notes:

WILLIAM2 ELLIS (Lt. John1), born about 1665, died in Middleborough in 1716,

He married about 1696 LYDIA ---, died after 14 Aug. 1734. We suggest that she may have been Lydia Briggs as the records quoted below indicate.

This William2 Ellis was too young to have been of public record in Sandwich for he was probably about fifteen when he accompanied his mother to Rochester. The first record of him we find is the deed, dated 24 June 1692, by which his mother gives him some of her Rochester property. On 13 March 1692/3 he paid Peter Blackmer £5, for some additional land in Rochester, the deed of which was witnessed by his brother Gideon (Plymouth County Deeds, vol. 11, p. 83, 85). These two deeds and several later ones were not recorded until 20 April 1714 which suggests to us that his mother died not long before the latter date, particularly since a third deed, dated 29 March 1692/3, by which he purchased Rochester land from his brother, Freeman Ellis, was recorded with the others. This last instrument shows that "ffreeman Ellis of Rochester" con-veys to William Ellis of the same place for £1. 10s. ten acres of additional lands in the 3rd lot of the 1st Division in Rochester.

Before 1699 William2 Ellis had either moved from Rochester to Middleborough or else his homestead had been built on ground which, through some boundary change, had become part of the latter place. By deed, dated 19 May 1698, "Joseph Vaughan & Jacob Tomson of Middleberry ... as agents to sell certain parcells ... for defraying charges of building a meeting house ... do sell for £13. pd by William Ellis of sd Middleberry, ... 125 acres of Upland att ye place where ye sd William Ellis now dwelleth." Acknowledged same day and recorded 20 April 1714 (ibid., p. 83).

We give now a series of abstracts in the hope that one or more of them may suggest to some reader a clue to blood-relationships between grantors and grantees:
"William Ellis of Middleberry ... for £5, paid by John Benson Jr. of Rochester" conveyed "the Northerly end of a certain tract ... which I bought of Joseph Vaughan & Jacob Tomson by deed of 19 May 1698, ... about 40 acres ... this 5 December 1698." Acknowledged 23 Dec. 1703; recorded 20 Feb. 1713/14 (ibid., vol. 10, p. 453). The following day, 6 Dec. 1698, William Ellis bought for £2. 15s. from James Soul, the latter's "two-thirds of a share of land commonly called the South Purchase, lying near unto the township of Middleberry." Acknowledged 2 Feb. 1698/9; recorded 20 April 1714 (ibid., vol. 11, p. 84). "William Ellis sold for £4. paid by Peter Oliver late of Dartmouth, … co. Bristol, ... two lots in the Middleberry South Purchase, -each lot 45 acres, ... 3 Sept. 1699." Acknowledged 29 Oct. 1699: recorded 31 March 1714 (ibid., vol. 10. p, 636-8). "William Ellis ... for £6. bought of John Cole of Swanzey Co. Bristol six acres which was formerly granted to my Honoured Father John Cole late of Plymouth," 3 July 1700. Acknowledged same day and recorded 20 April 1714. And a deed of the same date shows that William Ellis bought for £10. from lames Cole of Swanzey a ten acre lot which the grantor had from his father Hugh Cole (ibid., vol. 11, p, 82-3). Two days later, 5 July 1700, William Ellis paid Obadiah Eddy £6. for Middleborough land. Acknowledged 11 Jan. 1714/15; recorded 30 April 1715 (ibid, p. 63). On 10 Aug. 1700 "William Ellis of Middleborough, yeoman, ... for £1. 17s. pd by Isaac Holmes of Marshfield" conveyed the "one-sixth part of the whole lot of fresh meddow that I have in ... Rochester ... on the Mattapoisett River ... that formerly belonged to my honoured Mother Elizabeth Ellis [italics ours] in the First Purchase and since made over to me by a deed of gift ... this 10 Aug. 1700." Acknowledged 7 July 1701; recorded 1 May 1724 (ibid., vol. 17, p. 224). "William Ellis of Middleborough, yeoma-n ... for £2. 16s. paid by Isaac Holmes of Rochester, Co. Barnstable ... do acquit one-sixth part of the 30th lot of salt meddow & marsh land that I have in Rochester ... in Cramesit Neck Division more fully specified upon a deed unto Elizabeth Ellis ... formerly given me by my Honoured Mother, sd Elizabeth Ellis." 16 Nov. 1700. Acknowldged 7 July 1701; re-corded 1 May 1724 (ibid., p. 224). William Ellis bought for £4. land from Samuel Briggs of Rochester, 21 May 1701. Acknowledged same day; re-corded 20 April 1714 (ibid., vol. 11, p. 85). He bought for £24. from Samuel Shurtleff of Plymouth several acres of upland lying near Samson's Brook, 20 Sept. 1705. Recorded 20 April 1714 (ibid., p. 84). He bought for £13. from Isaac Benson of Rochester per deed 7 May 1707. Acknowledged and recorded 21 June 1715 (ibid., p. 129). He bought for £5, 10s. land from William Clarke of Plymouth [salt marsh in the Cromesset Division], 17 Sept. 1709. Recorded 20 April 1714 (ibid., p. 84).

Curiously enough it is in the Plymouth County Deeds, vol. 29, p. 34, that we find evidence of William Ellis' military serv-ice. His widow refers in 1734 to "such right, if any, hereafter shall be granted to the heirs of sd William in consideration of his being a soldier in the Canada expedition or elsewhere." We believe that this reference can only apply to the expedition under Sir William Phipps, in which, as we think, his brother Lt. Matthias Ellis also took part (see above). William Ellis would then have been in his early twenties. In the article by Hon. Charles Hudson, "Louisbourg Soldiers" (The Register, vol. 25 p. 257, October 1871) he makes clear how fragmentary are the records of the men who served in that expedition, but we think that William Ellis should be given credit (however belated) for this service.

William Ellis paid £7. for land in Plimpton purchased from Eleazer Pratt 4 Feb. 1713/14. Acknowledged 14 Feb. 1713/14; recorded 30 April 1719 (ibid., vol. 11, p. 130). The final deed by William Ellis is dated 3 April 1716 just a day before he wrote his will. He conveys to Ebenezer Perry of Pembroke some land by Samson's Brook, which he holds in partnership with Samuel Briggs, which he had acquired from William Shurtleff and Hugh Cole (ibid., vol. 15, p. 100).

It would be almost impossible to be certain of the identity of a number of the Ellis men in the next two generations who bear the same names without the evidence afforded by the fore-going conveyances of William2 Ellis.

The will of William Ellis "of the town of Middleborough," dated 4 April 1716 and proved 20 June 1716, gives
"unto my loving wife that now is Lydia Ellis, the whole use and benefit of all housing and meddows ... until my son Nathan Ellis shall come to the age of one and twenty years, together with the use and benefit during the abovesaid time and afterward when my two eldest sons, namely Nathan and Seth Ellis shall come to age twenty one ... my wife to have a comfortable maintenance ... To the sd Nathan Ellis my lands, partly in Middleborough and partly in Rochester ... to my son Seth my land ... To both my sd sons land lying on both sides of the Main River, called the Wyantick River … To my four sons, namely Abner, Stephen, Jesse and Barnabas Ellis ... all my lands not above given ... in the towns of Middleborough, Plimpton & Rochester, to be equally divided among them ... To my two daughters, namely Jerusha Ellis and Jedidah Ellis, £15. to each, at twenty and one or marriage ... and I do make and ordain my cousin John Briggs and my afsd son Nathan Ellis to be my Executors." Witnessed by Freeman [X], his mark, Ellis Samuell [X], his mark, Briggs, Jr., Peter Blackmer (Plymouth County Probate, vol. 35, p. 207). The in-ventory, dated 9 May 1716, shows housing and lands-£650. Total £871. Presented and sworn 20 June 1716 (ibid., p. 424).

The widow was still living as late as August 1734 as the following records prove:

"whereas we the subscribers, viz.: Samuel Briggs, yeoman, Lydia Ellis, widow of William Ellis, late deceased; Seth Ellis, yeoman; Stephen Ellis, blacksmith. Jedediah Briggs, yeoman, and Jedidah his wife, all of Rochester ... Joseph Benson of Middleborough, yeoman and Jerusha his wife, all in the County of Plymouth ... Hold together as tennants in common and undivided a certain tract ... of meddow ground, lying on the North West side of Samson's Brook so called in Plympton ... being at ye lower end thereof down stream by a lot of meadow … formerly known by the name of Hugh Cole's meadow and so upstream on ye North West side of ye sd Brook till it comes to a place called Finney's meadow" [Samuel Briggs to have one half and the Ellis heirs together, the other half] [All signed this agreement to partition 13 Aug. 1734.] Acknowledged 29 Aug. and recorded 31 Aug. 1734 (Plymouth County Deeds, vol. 29. p. 31).

"Lydia Ellis of Rochester, widow and relict of William Ellis late of Middleborough, yeoman, deceased and Seth Ellis of Rochester one of the sons" conveyed "for £150. pd by Stephen Ellis of sd Rochester, blacksmith all remainder claims of which our sons and brethren, Abner Ellis, Jesse Ellis and Barnabas Ellis [had] in Rochester, Plympton & Middleborough or elsewhere and all that may be granted, also such right if any hereafter shall be granted to the heirs of sd William in consideration of his being a soldier in the Canada expedition or elsewhere, this 13 Aug. 1734" (ibid., vol. 29 p. 34). On the following day the widow, her sons Seth and Stephen and her daughter Jedidah, wife of Jedediah Briggs, relinquished all claim to their sibling Jerusha (Ellis) Benson and her husband Joseph Benson which had accrued to thorn by inheritance of right; in the estates of their brothers Abner, Jesse and Barnabas Ellis (ibid., p. 33).
[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, 4 Apr 1716. ⁶⁵

William married Lydia Briggs about 1696 ^5,37.^,65 (Lydia Briggs died after 14 Aug 1734 ^5,29,65.)