Roger Ellis Mystery

Roger Ellis – Luzerne County

 

A Roger Ellis applied for a land warrant for 100 acres in Luzerne County in 1792. Ellis warrantees listed on the same page include: Peter(2), Henry (2), George, Andrew, William, Mary, Samuel, James, Roger, and Solomon.

 

Apparently, some of these Ellis families remained in Luzerne County as an 1873 map shows a Roger Ellis and a Samuel Ellis in Carbondale Township.

 

Roger Ellis – Allegheny County

 

A Roger Ellis applied for a land warrant for  400 acres in Allegheny County in 1793.  To date no additional records of this Roger have been found.

 

Roger Ellis Bible

 

There is a Bible that was owned by John T. Morris of Philadelphia.  In that Bible, printed in 1674, is a reference to the Bible having previously been owned by Roger Ellis.  It is unclear where the Bible was first purchased or where Roger was living at the time.  However, the Bible clearly indicates he purchased it two years after it was printed and if the “husband” mentioned in the notes is Roger, then he died in 1695.  Specific notes of interest are:

     “This Bibbell bought of John Wale in the 3d mo. 1676 by Roger Ellis”

     “Roger Ellis this booke bought in the year 1676”

     “My dear husband Departed this Life ye 11 of ye 5th mo. 1695”

 

David Ellis in Pennsylvania

 

The name David Ellis shows up in records in the 1700’s and 1800’s in various locations in Pennsylvania with many records being in the Philadelphia area.  Some of these men were the recipients of inheritance, executors of wills, or witnesses.  The name “David Ellis” is far more common than the name “Roger Ellis” making it difficult to trace these men.  However, since Roger was born in Pennsylvania and his father’s name was possibly David, it is important to note the presence of the name in Pennsylvania.  It is also important that several were in the Philadelphia area, which allows for speculation that the Ellis families of Virginia might have ties to Philadelphia to be further pursued.

 

Thomas Ellis of North Wales to Pennsylvania

 

This family seemed worthy of review since a David Ellis of approximately the same age as the one listed in the births in the Ellis Bible was found and the family lived in Pennsylvania and also had ties to Virginia.  The David found doesn’t have the same birthdate, but given the reliability of records if it is within 3 years it is considered a close match.  This David was the son of Morris Ellis II and Susannah Lee (Williams) Ellis. The children listed only include Eliza, William, James, Harriett, David, and Nancy.  There is no mention of a Roger or other names listed in the Family Bible; however, it is possible that Roger is a descendant of another branch of this family.

 

James Ellis of Maryland and Pennsylvania

 

     James moved from Maryland to Washington Co, Pennsylvania.  Portions of the family moved on to Ohio, living in Adams and Brown Counties along the Ohio, River.  Additionally, there is a Georgetown (location the Bible was purchased) in Brown County, Ohio and some of the Ellis families are listed in the history of the county as living at or near Georgetown in the early 1800s.  According to researchers, sons possibly include: James, Jeremiah, Samuel, Nathan, Hezekiah, and Jesse.  This family is of additional interest since there are members of this family born in Virginia/West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

 

• A lot on this family is in  A History of Adams County, Ohio: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present … By Nelson Wiley Evans, Emmons B. Stive. Available on Google books.
• Is there a tie to KY?  I did see a mention, but nothing clear for the timeframe, but not all sons are covered in the book.
• This family seems like a very viable candidate that should be researched more.  I am wondering about sons James and Jesse.  James is Roger’s oldest and so it is reasonably likely he was named after his grandfather.  People have tied a James Ellis from Tennessee to this family, but the records are a mess having him bounce between NY, KY, and TN and back and forth.  I think the data for that man is all messed up.  They are probably trying to tie to this family because of Revolutionary War service, but it appears they have intermixed two, three or maybe even more James Ellis men.

 

 Washington County, PA 1780 – 1800. Note: Washington County was formed in 1781 from Westmoreland County. The northeast border changed slightly in 1788 and again in 1789.  Then in 1796, Greene County was formed from Washington County with a slight change in the border in 1802.

 

The following names are found in Washington County during this era:

 

• Nathan 1781, 1782, 1783, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790
• James  1781, 1782, 1783, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790, 1800  (at least two or more different James)
• Jesse   1781, 1782, 1783, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790
• Samuel 1781, 1782, 1783  (Samuel disappeared after 1783.  Where did he go?  It would have been the end of the war. Several others showed up in 1783 and then disappeared. SAR record shows a man that is likely him as later being in Brown Co, Ohio)
• Hezekiah 1781, 1782, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790  (5 year gap, same person?)
• Ann 1783  (widow of Thomas, daughter Sarah was a minor)

• Isaac 1783
• Jeremiah 1783
• William 1783, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789  (Thomas Ellis sold land to William, 90 acres in 1782) In 1800, a William is in Greene County.
• Benjamin 1787
• Edward 1787
• Ezekiel 1787 1800
• Amos 1790  In 1800 there was an Amus Elles in Fayette (nearby)
• Rowland 1792 @ Westland MM from Hopewell MM
• Ellis heirs 1798 (Is this the reason all the Ellis families disappear . . . the father/grandfather died?)
• Mary & ch Gainer, Elizabeth, Amos, Mary 1801  from Southland MM (Is this wife of Amos)

 

Almost everyone seems to disappear sometime between 1790 and 1800, besides the ones that seemed to just show up once. Below lists those in Adams County, Ohio and it would appear that several migrated there in this era.

 

• Ellis households in Adams County, Ohio 1800-1810
• Jeremiah/Jeremiah Sr., Adams1806-1810
• Jesse, Adams 1809-1810
• John, Adams 1806-1810
• Nathan, Adams 1806-1810

 

If it is this family, why did our branch go to Kentucky?  How did they fit in?  Did a group of young men who may have been cousins go to Kentucky?   So, they were related, but not brothers.

 

Abraham Ellis

 

Abraham was the son of Johann Jacob Alles (Note the spelling) who died in Dauphin Co, PA.  He served in the military and had ties to both Pennsylvania and Virginia/West Virginia. He also had brothers Jacob and Christopher.  Abraham can not be our ancestor, but one of his brothers or perhaps another brother that this Find A grave does not mention might be.

 

For more details on Abraham: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=23054652