Joseph Ellis III

Joseph the III was born July 28, 1736 in Walpole, Massachusetts and died December 31, 1781 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He married Sarah Clark January 17, 1758 in Walpole.  They had six children--Joseph, Keturah, Moses, Aaron, Daniel, and Kate.  Joseph Ellis III served in the Revolutionary War.

Information from:  NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES--Genealogical and Memorial Vol. 1. (1914).  Joseph III  was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, a private in Capt. Jeremiah Smith's company; Colonel John Smith's Regiment, on the Lexington Alarm, April 19, 1775, also in Capt. David Henshaw's Company; Colonel Thomas Craft's Regiment, Nov. 24, 1776 to May 8, 1777, also in Capt. Oliver Clapp's Company; Colonel Ephriam Wheelock's Regiment, in Rhode Island 1776-1777.  His record shows that he was aged 44 when he was detached in 1781 from Capt. Mann's Company to serve in Rhode Island; that he lived in Walpole, was five feet six inches tall, of dark complexion, having gray hair and dark eyes.  He was also in Capt. Timothy Mann's Company, Colonel Seth Bullard's Regiment (Fourth Suffolk County) in the summer of 1780.  He appears to have been pretty continuously in the service from 1775 to 1781.

Joseph Ellis II and Jacob Ellis

Joseph was born October 1, 1666 in Dedham Massachusetts and he died March 25, 1752 in Dedham.  He married Mary Graves October 25, 1688 in Dedham.  Of this union eight children were born.  They were Joanna, Mary, Joseph, Richard, Abigail, Jacob, Jonathan, and Elizabeth. The lineage for my family was through Jacob.
                                                          JACOB
Jacob Ellis was born March 17, 1703 in Dedham and he died June 9, 1752 in Walpole, Massachusetts.  He married Mehitable Guild September 23, 1726.  They had four children: Jacob, Mehitable, Eliafalet and
Joseph III.

Three Brothers

Probably 70 to 80 % of Family Legends start with, "Three brothers came to America from _______."   So I will start my account of the Ellises with that premise.

Information taken from NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES--Genealogical and Memorial Volume. 1.  Joseph Ellis(Ellice), probably the youngest of the Ellis brothers who settled in Dedham and Medfield, MA. was born about 1635 and doubtless came from England to live with one of his brothers.  He was a taxpayer as early as 12-6-1659 and his name appears next to that of Richard Ellis (Ellice) on the list in that year.  He continued on the tax list until 1671.  In that year he probably died, for in the year 1672 his widow Ruth takes his place as a taxpayer.  He drew land with Sargent Richard Ellis and Michael Metcalf, 3-23-1662/63.  The following extract from the Dedham town records relates to his appointment as schoolmaster, "in consideration of the present want of a schoolmaster and the weakly estate of our brother, Joseph Ellis (Ellice), he being willing and we being hopeful he may do some good in teaching some children to read English, so for the present and until one more able may be attained; do so agree that he shall have 6s. a week so long as he shall so teach." (March 23, 1663/64).  He received his salary, amounting to 15 pounds, 12 shillings Feb. 10,1665 and made a similar contract for 1666.  The records show he was paid for part of the year of 1666.  An account of his service, similar to this, is given in the book "Schools and School Teachers of Dedham."

    My research shows that Joseph was born in Wrentham, Suffolk, England around 1631.  Joseph married Ruth (last name unknown) September 19, 1650 in Dedham. To this marriage one child was born, Joseph Ellis II.  Joseph II was born in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts 1666.

my second post

My purpose for this Blog is to provide a narrative history of my family.