Eleanor Ruth Rankins (1822 - 1914)

Born 11 May 1822 in Smithfield, Somerset, Maine

Ancestors

Wife of Robert W Ellis — married 30 Apr 1840 in Rome, Kennebec, Maine

Descendants

Died 6 Jan 1914 at age 91 in Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Clair Zarges [send private message]

Biography

Eleanor's son, Oscar Ellis' death certificate gives his father's, Robert Ellis, and mother's, birthplaces as Smithfield, Maine. (1)

Eleanor married Robert W. Ellis in Rome, Kennebec County, Maine on 30 Apr 1840. (2)

The 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census records show Eleanor and Robert and their family living in Rome, Maine. Robert is a farmer and Eleanor keeps house. (3,6,4)

With the recording of the 1850 U.S. Census, an interesting thing happens. The family gets recorded twice, with some variations. The first record, taken by census taker Wm. H. Ellis on 24 July 1850, shows Robert and his family living in Smithfield, Somerset, Maine. Robert is a farmer. (6)

Robert W Ellis 29

Elenor Ellis 28

Isaac Ellis 6

J Edward Ellis 9

Thomas Ellis 2

Ann Ellis 42

Harris-837: I suspect that the last person listed, "Ann Ellis [age] 42," is a transcription error, and that this is is actually Anna J[osephene], age shown as "4/12." The actual document shows the age as what could be read as "4/12." As further proof, there is an "Anna J.," age 10, in the 1860 U.S. Census for this family. (4)

Six days later, the family is recorded a second time in the 1850 U.S. Census on July 30, 1850 by census taker Thos. Eldred for Rome, Kennebec, Maine. (3) They are living next to Joseph and Joanna Rankins', Elenor's parents, and their family. This second record for Robert and Elenor's family shows:

Robert W Ellis M 29 Maine

Elenor Ellis F 28 Maine

Edward Ellis M 8 Maine

Isaac Ellis M 7 Maine

Thomas Ellis M 4 Maine

Josaphene Ellis F 0 Maine

The 1860 U.S. Federal Census shows Robert and his family living in Rome, Maine. (4)

Robert W Ellis, farmer, 39

Ellanor Ellis 38

Thos R Ellis 12

Anna J Ellis 10

Deasco J Ellis 8

Hellen M Ellis 5

Henry H Ellis 3

I am making the assumption that "Deasco" is some variation/misspelling of Ellis-4473 Oscar J. Ellis, born about 1852.

The 1870 Federal Census shows Robert, Eleanor, and five of their children living in Willow, Cherokee, Iowa:

Robert Ellis (farmer) 50

Elenore Ellis 48

Hellen Ellis 15

Henry H Ellis 12

Corris B Ellis 8

Elsworth Ellis 6

Robert Ellis 2

In the 1885 Iowa State Census, Eleanor (Elnora) is widowed, age "53" (should be 63), and living with her son Edward J. Ellis, age 43 and a farmer, and his wife Fenda, age 42. They live in Pilot, Cherokee, Iowa. The women keep house. (7)

In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Eleanor is living in the household of her daughter, Cora B., now married to Silas Wedlock. (Eleanor tells the census taker that her parents were born in New Hampshire. She also states that she has given birth to a total of 10 children). They live in Milford, Crawford, Iowa, and the household consists of:

Silas F Wedlock 49

Cora B Wedlock 47

Harold A Wedlock 10

Eleanor B Elles 87

James F Wedlock 80 (8)

Eleanor died 6 Jan 1914. She is buried, together with her husband Robert W. Ellis at the Oak Hill Cemetery, Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa. (2, 9)

Sources

1. Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840–1911. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911–1915. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

2. Ancestry.com. Early Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data: Black, Harvey B. Early Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 6 vols. Provo, UT: Infobases, 1996. Private donor.

3. Year: 1850; Census Place: Rome, Kennebec, Maine; Roll: M432_256; Page: 138A; Image: 278. Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

4. Year: 1860; Census Place: Rome, Kennebec, Maine; Roll: M653_439; Page: 320; Image: 321; Family History Library Film: 803439. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

5. Year: 1870; Census Place: Willow, Cherokee, Iowa; Roll: M593_381; Page: 478B; Image: 182; Family History Library Film: 545880. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch

6. Year: 1850; Census Place: Smithfield, Somerset, Maine; Roll: M432_269; Page: 76A; Image: 154. Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

7. Ancestry.com. Iowa, State Census Collection, 1836-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Microfilm of Iowa State Censuses, 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925 as well various special censuses from 1836-1897 obtained from the State Historical Society of Iowa via Heritage Quest.

8. Year: 1910; Census Place: Milford, Crawford, Iowa; Roll: T624_399; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0073; FHL microfilm: 1374412. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

9. Robert and Eleanor Rankins Ellis gravestone, in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa. From Our Iowa Family: Robert W. Ellis and Eleanor R. Rankins at http://www.elbel.org/family/goff/oif-files/ellis-rankins.htm. Accessed 1 Mar 2014.