Matching family tree profiles for Capt. Charles Ellis
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About Capt. Charles Ellis
Biography
Updated 23 March 2025
The known children of John Ellis and his wife Susannah were:
8. Charles Ellis, b. 1719; m. Susannah Harding, dau. of Thomas and Mary (Giles) Harding; moved to Albemarle County, Virginia (became Amherst County in 1761); wrote his will on 8 June 1760; it was probated there on the 14 August 1760.
Charles was a son of John Ellis of Tuckahoe in Henrico County, VA, and his wife, Susanna. He served in the Albemarle Militia under Colonel Peter Jefferson and attained the rank of Captain. His company's roster is shown in 23 Virginia Magazine, page 176. Captain of Militia, French and Indian (Dunmore's) War 1758.
Charles was married to Susannah Harding by the Reverend William Stith in the "hard winter" of 1739-40. They had Hannah, Edith, Susanna, Josiah, Mary Ann, Charles, Sarah, Bethania, Elizabeth, and Rosanna. Charles moved his family to Amherst, Albermarle County, Virginia, in 1754 and settled the original seat of Ellises in that County. They settled on the Pedlar River near Pedlar Mills, VA. Charles built a mansion and called it "Red Hill." The mansion was Georgian brick and monumental; Fifty-five free long with four huge rooms on each floor. It was described as "standing tall" with four chimneys, a classic pediment, and a white-columned entrance. The central hallway was over 13 feet wide, with two rooms approximately twenty feet by twenty feet. At the rear of the center hall, a graceful, curving stairway swept to the second floor to the left. The basement floor plan was similar to that of the main floor. The brick partitions of each room started on the basement footings. They carried to the attic, where the roof structure was supported by giant beams hewn and matched on the ground, as Roman numerals at each joint were matched. The mansion had 14-foot ceilings on the main floor and only slightly shorter ceilings upstairs. When Charles died in 1760 at the age of 40, his estate was valued at 419 pounds. His son Josiah Ellis inherited "Red Hill." Charles was buried at Red Hill. Still, after the plantation left the family, a descendant, Rev. J. R. Ellis, had his remains moved to the cemetery in Amherst, Virginia.
Note: The original grave of this Ellis family member was located in the Ellis Family Cemetery at Red Hill Plantation in Western Amherst County. In about 1930, Rev. Josiah Richard Ellis had all of the remains of the family members removed and re-interred at Amherst Cemetery.
Reference: Moore, J. Stauton, ed. Richmond, VA 1904, History of Henrico Parrish and Old St. John's Church, Richmond, VA 1611-1904
p. 57 -March 26, 1740 - Land processioned by Thomas Ellis, Wm. Ellis, John Ellis, Wm. Ellis, Henry Ellis, Charles Ellis, and Joseph Ellis are all present.
His will was dated June 8, 1760, and probated on Aug. 14, 1760.
Marriage 1 Susannah HARDING b: 1721 in Herico, Virginia Married: 1739 in Herico, Virginia Children
- Has No Children Richard Shelton ELLIS b: 1740 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Hannah ELLIS b: 5 Oct 1741 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Edith ELLIS b: 16 May 1743
- Has Children Susannah ELLIS b: 9 Nov 1744 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has Children Josiah ELLIS b: 16 Feb 1745/46 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Mary Ann ELLIS b: 25 Dec 1747 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Charles ELLIS b: 28 Jan 1748/49 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Sarah ELLIS b: 25 Mar 1750 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Bethena ELLIS b: 28 Mar 1752 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Elizabeth ELLIS b: 5 Jan 1754 in Henrico County, Virginia
- Has No Children Rosanna ELLIS b: 30 Nov 1755 in Pedlar Mills, Amherst, Virginia
MYTH BUSTED
Thomas H. Ellis in his 1849 booklet 'A Memorandum on the Ellis Family’ incorrectly stated Charles Ellis death date as 4 May 1759. Charles Ellis wrote his will (transcription below) on the 8 June 1760 and it was probated on the 14 August 1760 in Albemarle Co. VA. The will names all of his children and his wife.
Will
[Albemarle, Virginia WB 2, pp 79-80 – Will of Charles Ellis 1719-1760]
In the name of God Amen I Charles Ellis of the County of Albemarle & parish of Saint Anns being in perfect sence & Memory do make & ordain this to be my Last Will & Testament My Will & Desire is that my just Debts be fully paid & Satisfyed. Item I give unto my son Josias Ellis my Tract of Land I now dwell on & all the rest of my Land being on the Southside of Pedlar River to him & his heirs forever also desire he may have a horse & Saddle from my Estate to be of Value twelve pounds Current money which Said Land horse & Saddle I desire he may have when he attains to the age of Eighteen years. Item I Give to my son Charles Ellis Six hundred acres of Land Lying on the North side Pedlar River, four hundred Acres the said land was James Mondeth deced & the other two hundred from Joseph Burton which Land I desire he may have when he all attains to the age of Eighteen years to him & his heirs forever. Item my Will & Desire is that my Land besides what I have mentioned before may be Equally Divided to my Daughters to wit Hannah Ellis, Edy Ellis, Susannah Wright Maryan Ellis , Salley Ellis , Betheony Ellis, Elizabeth Ellis, Rosanna Ellis or to their Survivor to them share & Share alike for them & their heirs forever my desire is that all my Estate not by me yes mentioned both Real & personal after my youngest child do attain to the age of fourteen years that it may be Equally Divided among my Children & Wife To wit Josias Ellis, Charles Mrs. Hannah Ellis , Eddy Ellis , Susannah Wright , Mary Ann Ellis, Salley Ellis, Betheony Alles , Elizabeth Ellis, Rosanna Ellis, & my Loving Wife Susannah Ellis or to their survivors of them to them & their heirs forever, my will & desire that my children before mentioned may have education according to the Discretion of my Executors I do constitute Nominate & appoint my Friends Daniel Burford, Cornelius Thomas & my son Josias Ellis Executors of this my Last Will & Testament Last Will & hereby revoking all former wills by me made declaring this & no other to be my last Will & Testament Witness my hand this Eight day June one Thousand Seven hundred & sixty.
.........................................Charles Ellis ℗
Signed Sealed, published & Declared In presents of us
Isaac Wright
Robert xx Cammell (his mark)
Rolan R Atkins (his mark)
At a Court held or Albemarle County the fourteenth day of August 1760 This Last Will & Testament was proved by the Oaths of Isaac Wright & Rolan Atkins two of the Witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded & on the motion of Daniel Burford & Conelius Thomas two of Executors therein named who made Oath according to Law Certificate is granted them for Obtaining a Probate thereof giving on which they with James Nevil & Benjamin Howard their Securety entered into & acknowledged their Bond accordingly.
....................................Test John Nicholas Clk
Transcription by Joseph E. Crouch – Lexington, KY
References
- Ellis Cousins Newsletter, summer 1994. “Update on the Line of John Ellis, Henrico Co., VA.” < link >
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Capt. Charles Ellis's Timeline
| 1719 |
1719
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Henrico County, Province of Virginia, Colonial America
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| 1741 |
October 5, 1741
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Amherst County, VA, United States
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| 1742 |
March 28, 1742
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Henrico County, Province of Virginia, Colonial America
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| 1744 |
November 9, 1744
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Henrico County, Province of Virginia, Colonial America
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| 1745 |
February 27, 1745
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Henrico County, Virginia, Colonial America
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| 1747 |
December 25, 1747
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Red Hill, Amherst, Virginia, United States
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| 1748 |
January 28, 1748
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Tuckahoe Creek, Henrico County, Province of Virginia, Colonial America
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| 1752 |
March 25, 1752
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Henrico County, Province of Virginia, Colonial America
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| 1754 |
January 5, 1754
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Henrico County, Virginia, Colonial America
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