William Ellis (1799 - 1880)

Born 1799 in Northam, Devon, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 8 Dec 1880 at about age 81 in Ellerslie, Prince, Prince Edward Island, Canada

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Biography

This profile is part of the Ellis Name Study.

According to Preston Ellis' History of the Ellis family, "William M. Ellis born at Bideford England son of the original shipbuilder of Bideford and Port Hill, PEI. Married Nancy, daughter of James Campbell of Port Hill. He purchased a farm now known as the MacKay farm at East Bideford and opened up a shipyard there in his own right where he built a large number of fine ships. He was succeeded in turn by his son Totton Ellis, who continued building ships until depletion of the timber on the Island." William's date of birth on his gravestone was January 1 1799, but given his date of baptism this could be out by a year or two.^[1]

William and Nancy (or Ann) Campbell were probably married before 1821, when their daughter Hannah was born, although Hannah, James and Elizabeth were not baptized in the St. Eleanor's Church of England, the children of William Ellis and his wife Ann Campbell, until 1824.^[2]

Children listed in Preston Ellis' history were: James, Totton, John, Edward, Robert, Penrose, Elizabeth (Mrs. John Lock); Mary Julia (Mrs. David Sullivan); Anna or Hannah (Mrs. Alexander McDougald); Ann (Mrs. Robert Ramsay); Sarah (Mrs. Donald McLean). William was from Lot 12 on some of the baptismal records in the Church of England in St. Eleanor's.

In the 1841 census of Prince Edward Island, William Ellis a ship builder, was in lot 12. He had a household of 11:

Males under 16 - 3; Males, 16-45 - 2

Females under 16 - 2; Females from 16-45 - 4

They were all Church of England. One member of the household was born in England, and the rest on the Island. William had 125 acres of land.^[3]

By 1861, William Ellis was living next to his son William T. Ellis in Lot 12. William was a carpenter, and was probably the male over 60. Seven members of the household were Church of England, and 1 Roman Catholic. There were 3 married people, and 5 single. ^[4]

Nancy Campbell Ellis died on October 27 1880 at the age of 78, in Ellerslie. She had been bedridden for several years before her death. William died on December 8, 1880 at age 82. ^[5] They were buried in Tyne Valley Presbyterian Cemetery. ^[6]

Birth

Birth:

Date: BEF 09 DEC 1798

Place: Northam, Devon, England ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ History of the Ellis Family, by Preston Ellis, 1950 page 258
2. ↑ Prince Edward Island Church Records, 1777-1985 Prince St Eleanors Anglican Church of Canada Births, baptisms, marriages, burials 1793-1852, image 8; these records start around 1821, and do not have the marriage of William & Ann, nor are they in the records of the Presbyterian Church, Richmond Parish, 1821-1834.
3. ↑ 1841 Census, Prince Edward Island PARO Collections Database
4. ↑ Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: M-896-897
5. ↑ Summerside Journal 23 December 1880, page 3, col. 3, transcribed on PEI Ancestry
6. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 100781074
7. ↑ Title: Descendants of Robert Ellis and Agnes Brailey chart Abbreviation: Ellis, Robert/Agnes Brailey: Chart -Desc Author: Valerie Ellis Note: given to the PEI Heritage Foundation, Charlottetown, PEI, by N. Ellis who got it from Edna (Ellis) Gould, Harling, Pennsylvania Close, Exeter EX4 6DJ, Devon, England. This document seems to have been compiled by Valerie Ellis of Devon (Bideford?), England and the sources quoted are Monkleigh and Northam (both Devon, England) church records. Photocopy Repository p. 234, baptism of William Ellis

• "Roger Thorne to N. Ellis", hereinafter, "RT to NHE, 15 Dec 1976" Abbreviation: Ltr: Thorne to N. (76-12-15) Publication: 15 Dec 1976 Note: typescript letter, with ms. postscript, in which he encloses reports on his unsuccessful search for the baptism of Robert Ellis, c.1797, and a map of the civil parishes of North Devon and notes that civil parishes and ecclesiastical parishes are generally the same. He marked the parishes so far examined, generally in transcripts, except where noted, and indicates "E" where he found Ellis entries. Originals in possession of Nita Harris Ellis. Photocopies
• Title: DCRS Northam Parish Register Transcript, Film Number: LDS mfm #0917204, item 2 Abbreviation: Northam Parish Register Transcript Publication: 1538-1836 Note: transcribed by W. H. Rogers, Esq Name: Family History Library Address: City: Salt Lake City Postal Code: USA Country: Utah