Captain Charles Ellis, I

Contributed by: James Hughes

URL: http://gedcom.surnames.com/burgess_jim/i0001051.htm URL title: Burgess Family and Relatives: ELLIS Family Note: Send email to preparer: burgess@futureone.com

1. Charles Ellis was born in , Of Virginia about 1650. Charles died 1708 in Stafford County, Virginia.

He married three times.

• 1) He married Joyce.
• 2) He married Rebecca in Of Stafford County, Virginia, about 1675. Rebecca was born in Of Stafford County, Virginia about 1652.
• 3) He married Charles Mrs Ellis in Virginia, about 1685. Charles was born in Of, Virginia about 1662.

Descendants of the Kelleys of 16th Century Worcester, england and 17th Century Colonial Virginia compiled by Emily C. Stillman.

CAPTAIN CHARLES ELLIS

Although thorough research has been done on the immigrants coming into the Northern Neck of Virginia, mainley in the books "Pioneers and Cavaliers" Vols I and II by Neil Nugent, there is no name of a Charles Ellis. There are many ELLIS's who came in under the Certificates and Rights System but nothing this researcher could find that would connect them with Charles ELLIS, our ancestor in Stafford County, Virginia. From the court records of Stafford County, compiled by Sparacio, there are many references to Charles ELLIS which I will abstract and point out the important ones.

The first citation of Charles ELLIS is on:

23 Mar 1688 - Charles Ellis witnessed an inventory.

12 Mar 1689 - Charles ELLIS witnessed deed of sale of land from Francis DADE on the western side of the Upper Machotick Neck in Stafford County.

10 Mar 1690 - Thomas ELLIS, appointed to serve as Constable of the lower precinct of St Paul's Parish and was sworn in by William BUCKNER, Justice of Stafford County.

9 July 1690 - Charles Ellis testified in court as a witness.

2 Apr 1691 - Charles Ellis and Rebecca Ellis witnessed deed of sale of land by George King on Fork of Machotick Dam, Stafford County (Rebecca could possibly have neen Charles Ellis's first wife and the mother of his children.)

11 May 1692-12 Dec 1692 Charles Ellis is a witness for a deed of sale from Francis Dade on the Upper Machotick and a witness for William Buckner

May 1698 through 1700 - Charles Ellis appeared as a witness five separate times in Court.

9 Oct 1700 - "Indenture made in the 12th year of our Soveryn Lord, King William - witness that I William Brent, of County Stafford, of the one part, have let and set unto Thomas ELLIS Senior and Mary Ellis and Thomas Ellis, Jr. all of the said county, for and during their natural lives and lonvest liver of them 300 acres of land, part of a patent of land pertaining to me William Brent, lying on the Potomac River, the said 300 acres bieng the most southerly part thereof and to begin at a gut in a marsh binding Dade Massey's land - southwest to the back line of the Grand Divident of which this 300 acres is part, together with all privileges of hunting, hawking, fishing and fowling within said premises - to pay yearly if lawfully demanded the quit rent of said land to the lord's of the fee." This indenture was made in the presence of John Washington, Charles Ellis, and Robert Brent, and was signed William Brent. (This meant that Thomas Ellis and their son, Thomas Jr. had the right to farm 300 acres of land together with all the privileges and might or might not have to pay a yearly quit rent for the land. It was signed in the presence of Charles Ellis. Perhaps Thomas Ellis was his father or his brother. There must have been some relationship there.

30 Sep 1701 - "At Williamsburg, Colonel Francis Nichollson, Governor of Virginia appointed the following gentlemen as a Commissio of the Peace for Stafford County." Charles Ellis was appointed one of the twelve men to serve on this commission together with George Mason, John Washington, Edward Hart and William Bunbury. This commission was very active in monthly meetings from September 1701 through March of 1703, so there are many citations of Captain Charles Ellis who was also an officer in her Majesty, Queen Anne's Militia for Stafford County.

20 Mar 1702 - A deed of sale by William Baltrop of Stafford County was witnessed in the presence of Joyce Ellis and Charles Ellis.

From Oct 1702 through Sep 1707 Charles Ellis acted as Sheriff of Stafford County.

It is to be remembered that he witnessed the will of our ancestor Edmund Kelley

18 Sep 1706. 12 May 1703 - Will of Joyce Picket.
I, Joyce Pickett, being sick in body give to Joyce Ellis one half crown - I give and bequeath all my estate, real and personal, to Thomas Duncomb, my son, except for one book. I give and bequeath to John Jones a book called "The Saints of Everlasting Rest". I appoint Thomas Duncomb my lawful executor." It is signed Joyce Pickeett.

From this will we know that Joyce (Duncomb)) was married to Charles Ellis by May of 1703. And if Rebecca, previously mentioned, was his first wife, she was now deceased for . .

6 Nov 1705 - Thomas Ellis, together with William Buckner and Dade Massey witnessed the will of Gilbert Alsup. Thus, Thomas Ellis was still alive at that date. We know from the records of Cossum Bennett, Dade Massey and Anthony Buckner gave up theif share of the estate of Charles Ellis which was due them for marrying his daughters. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that Charles Ellis, for all his honors left a very small estate indeed.

20 May 1708 - "An inventory of estate of Captain Ellis, lately deceased, appraised by us as subscribers. An account of what the widow Ellis lays by her paraphernalia; one bed and furniture, one little table, one trunk, one chair, one pot with one leg, one dish, and one plate and one skillet, one little pair of tongs, one fire shovel, one pail, an old frying pan, and one old brass camdlestick. These goods, with the inventory, was exbibited into court the 8th day of September 1708 as the true and perfect inventory of the estate of Charles Ellis Deceased, and was valued and totaled at 10,595 (pounds of tobacco).

29 Sep 1734- The will of CHARLES ELLIS, Jr of Stafford County, being sick, but of perfect memory, do make this my last will and testament. I give unto my God-son Rice Hooe, the son of John Hooe, my negro boy George, to him and his heirs. I give to Leigh Massey, my God-son, the son of Dade Massey,Jr. my negro woman Sarah and her increase to him and heirs. Item, I give unto John Alsop my chest and all my wearing clothes. I give unto Elizabeth Massey my sister, my feather bed and furniture and one cow and calf, the best I have. My will is that after my just debts and funeral expenses be paid that the remaining part of my estate be equally divided between Richard Todd's three children that he had by my sister Susy. I do appoint John Hooe executor of this my will. It is signed by Charles Ellis in the presence of Dade Massey and Robert Massey, and was presented into court and probated on 12 November 1734.

8 Jul 1735 "In obedience to an order of court to us directed, we, the subscribers met at the house of Charles Ellis, deceased, and invetoried and appraised the estate of said Ellis as follows: items listed and valued totalled 64 pounds, 9 shillings sterling. Thus from the will of Charles Ellis Jr. and the names of the three daughters, who married Anthony Buckner, Dade Massey and COSSUM BENNETT we can determine the names of the surviving children of Charles Ellis and his first wife, whose name was possibly Rebecca. Capt Charles Ellis was possible born in Virginia about 1668. He was married first about 1686 in Stafford County and his first wife name was possibly Rebecca_________. Rebecca probably died about 1697 and CAPT CHARLES ELLIS took his second wife, Joyce Duncomb, by whom he had no surviving children or no children of record.

The following are the surviving children of Captain Charles ELLIS of Stafford County.

• 1. Katherine Ellis b c. 1688 Stafford County - m c. 1706 Cossum Bennett - died after Jul 1718
• 2. Elizabeht Ellis b c. 1690 Stafford County - m. before 1708 Dade Massey Senior died before 13 May 1735.
• 3. Mary Ellis b c. 1692 Stafford County married before 1708 Anthony Buckner.
• 4. Charles Ellis, Junior b c. 1694 Stafford County, unmarried will proved 12 Nov 1734.
• 5. Susan Ellis b c. 1696 Stafford County, married Richard TODD died before 1734

page 419 Mary Ellis daughter of Charlest Ellis deceased. My mother in law of Charles Ellis my right to further estate 7 Jun 1708. Signed Anthony Buckner Mary Ellis

Family

Charles Ellis and Rebecca had the following children:

• i. Katherine Ellis was born in Of Westmoreland, Virginia about 1676. Katherine died in Westmoreland, Virginia. She married twice. She married Mason French. Mason was born in Richmond, Virginia about 1690. Mason died 1746 in Westmoreland, Virginia. (See Mason French for the continuation of this line.) She married Cossom Bennett in Of Westmoreland, Virginia, about 1702. Cossom was born in Of Westmoreland, Virginia about 1670. Cossom died before July 18, 1718 in Westmoreland, Virginia. (See Cossom Bennett for the continuation of this line.)
• ii. Elizabeth Ellis was born in Of Stafford County, Virginia about 1680. She married Dade Massey in Of Westmoreland, Virginia, about 1700.
• iii. Charles Junior Ellis was born in Of Stafford County, Virginia about 1682. Charles died 1734 in Stafford County, Virginia.
• iv. Mary Ellis was born in Of Stafford County, Virginia about 1686.
• v. Sarah Ellis was born in Of Stafford County, Virginia about 1688. She married Anthony Buckner. Anthony died December 1, 1734 in St. Paul's Parish, Stafford County, Virginia. (See Anthony Buckner for the continuation of this line.)