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Subject: [MAFRANKL] ELLIS, Richard - Descendants of
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 02:23:27 EDT

FIRST GENERATION
1. Richard ELLIS was born on 16 Aug 1704 in Dublin, , Ireland. He died on 7
Oct 1797 in Ashfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. A History of Colrain,
Massachusetts, with Genealogies of Early Families by Lois McClellan Patrie.
p. 62.
Richard, first of the family in America, was in Colrain only 13 years, and
most of his descendants removed either to Theford, Vt., or Ellisburg, N.Y.
Richard kept a store in Colrain and was a prominent citizen during his short
stay; also a few of his children married into Colrain families. This is
therefore an abridge account of a rather lengthy family history.
Richard Ellis when 13 years old was brought to Boston by a dishonest ship's
captain and indentured to a miller for his passage money, although it had
been paid in advance by his mother, and the captain had agreed to land him in
Virginia where Richard had relatives. When 21 he went to Easton, Mass.,
where he married, then about 1740 he moved his family to Deerfield. About
1745 he became the first settler of Ashfield, then Huntstown. About 1764 he
bought a lot in the first division of Colrain and established his general
store and ashery. this was not successful, and about 1777 he returned to
Ashfield. An account book of his store survives and contains the names of
many of Colrain's early settlers.

History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall &
Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 153
Came over in 1717; lived in Boston and Easton, whence he remove about 1736;
attempted a settled at Bratt., but in 1741, being then of Deerfield, he sold
out his house lot No. 50, and meadow lands No. 8 there to John Alexander of
Fort Dummer; may have lived a short time in Colrain; removed to Ashfield in
1750, and has been considered the first permanent settlement; in 1753 he sold
home lot No. 23 in Ashfield to Samuel Smith of Northfield; he served in the
last French war, acting as assistant commissary.
Dec. 4, 1752, Elijah Williams, Town Clerk of Deerfield, charges Richard
Ellis for one pound of power, 2 shillings, 8 pence, and "To publishing a
Serteficate 1 shillings, 6 pence." In another account we find the wid. Mary
Henry buying a white necklace in July, 1756, and in Dec. she was buying lace.

First Ladies From Ashfield's History, by Mary Priscilla Howes and the
Ashfield Historical Society. Published by the Ashfield Historical Society,
1983. p. 3.
Ashfield's first settler.

He was married to Jane PHILLIPS (daughter of Capt. John PHILLIPS and
Elizabeth DRAKE) in 1728 in Easton, Bristol, Massachusetts. Jane PHILLIPS
was born on 1 Jul 1709. She died in 1760 in Ashfield, Franklin,
Massachusetts. Richard ELLIS and Jane PHILLIPS had the following children:
+2 i. Reuben ELLIS (born on 5 Nov 1728).
+3 ii. Mary ELLIS (born on 28 Mar 1732).
+4 iii. Remember ELLIS (born on 1 May 1735).
+5 iv. Jane ELLIS (born on 11 Nov 1737).
+6 v. Matthew ELLIS (born on 19 Dec 1739).
+7 vi. John ELLIS (born on 23 Jan 1742).
+8 vii. Patience ELLIS (born in 1747).
+9 viii. Hannah ELLIS (born on 13 Oct 1750).
+10 ix. Caleb ELLIS (born on 16 Aug 1754).

He was married to Mary MC CRELLIS (daughter of John MC CRELLIS and Margaret
BURNSIDE) about 1772 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. Mary MC CRELLIS
was born about 1705 in , , Ireland. She died on 11 May 1802 in Leyden,
Franklin, Massachusetts. The Early Settlers of Colrain, Massachusetts, by
Charles H. McClellan, W. S. Carson, Printer, Greenfield, Mass. 1885. p. 75
She outlived her fourth husband, spending her last days with her son Andrew
Henry, in Leyden, and died there Mary 11, 1802, in the ninety-seventh year of
her age.

SECOND GENERATION
2. Reuben ELLIS (Richard-1) was born on 5 Nov 1728 in Easton, Bristol,
Massachusetts. He died on 21 Apr 1786 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts.
History of The Town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, by John Montague Smith,
prepared by Henry W. Taft & Abbie T. Montague. Press of E. A. Hall & Co.,
Greenfield, Mass., 1899. p. 326.
He removed to Deerfield; was commissioned ensign, 1757, in French and
Indian war.

History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall &
Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 158
Enlisted in French war, 1757; commissioned ensign.

He was married to Mehitable SCOTT (daughter of Richard SCOTT and Elizabeth
BELDING) on 4 Jun 1749 in Sunderland, Franklin, Massachusetts. Mehitable
SCOTT was born on 3 May 1722 in Sunderland, Franklin, Massachusetts. She
died on 2 Dec 1804 in Ashfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. Reuben ELLIS and
Mehitable SCOTT had the following children:
11 i. Martha ELLIS was born on 16 Oct 1749 in Sunderland, Franklin,
Massachusetts. She died in 1832. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by
George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 153
Died unmarried; mute. History of The Town of Sunderland,
Massachusetts, by John Montague Smith, prepared by Henry W. Taft & Abbie T.
Montague. Press of E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, Mass., 1899. p. 326.
Mute.
+12 ii. Benjamin ELLIS (born on 7 May 1751).
13 iii. Reuben ELLIS was born on 12 Feb 1753 in Sunderland, Franklin,
Massachusetts. He died in 1832. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George
Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 153
Mute; died without issue. History of The Town of Sunderland,
Massachusetts, by John Montague Smith, prepared by Henry W. Taft & Abbie T.
Montague. Press of E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, Mass., 1899. p. 326.
Mute; died without issue.
+14 iv. Jonathan ELLIS (born on 25 Aug 1754).
15 v. Submit ELLIS was born on 28 Oct 1756 in Sunderland, Franklin,
Massachusetts. She died in 1834. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by
George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 153
Died unmarried.
+16 vi. Richard ELLIS (born on 20 Dec 1760).
+17 vii. David ELLIS (born on 30 Jan 1763).

3. Mary ELLIS (Richard-1) was born on 28 Mar 1732.

She was married to Josiah ROCKWOOD on 31 May 1753 in Sunderland, Franklin,
Massachusetts. Mary ELLIS and Josiah ROCKWOOD had the following children:
18 i. Meribah ROCKWOOD died on 27 Dec 1767 in Montague, Franklin,
Massachusetts.
19 ii. Timothy ROCKWOOD died on 20 Dec 1767 in Montague, Franklin,
Massachusetts.

4. Remember ELLIS (Richard-1) was born on 1 May 1735 in Easton, Bristol,
Massachusetts. She died on 15 Sep 1795 in Ashfield, Franklin, Massachusetts.
First Ladies From Ashfield's History, by Mary Priscilla Howes and the
Ashfield Historical Society. Published by the Ashfield Historical Society,
1983. pgs. 3 - 4.
Ashfield's first bride was Remember Ellis, the daughter of Richard Ellis,
Ashfield's first settler. She was born in Easton, Massachusetts in 1735 and
came to Ashfield when she was ten years old. At first she probably lived in
a log cabin, built partially underground on the sunny side of a hill in the
most primitive conditions one could imagine.
By the time she was 21 she had fallen in love with a young man of 22 named
Ebenezer Smith, a son of Chileab Smith, the third settler in town. Frederick
G. Howes' The History of Ashfield from its Settlement in 1742 to 1910 tells
of their wedding day in the wilderness:
"There being no minister or magistrate in Ashfield at this time, the groom
took the bridge behind him on horseback, and guided by marked trees rode from
Ashfield to Deerfield where the ceremony was performed by Parson Ashley. The
groom's father went before them on another horse to guard them from Indians."
The Ellis Genealogy comments that Remember was a person of uncommon worth.
She had to live in constant fear of the tomahawk, the scalping knife and the
ravenous wolves that roamed the woods. Such endurance and fortitude she must
have had. Her husband was a pioneer in the Baptist, a minister of strong
convictions. He was a leader in the struggle against the unjust taxation of
the Baptists to support another denomination. Because of Ebenezer's beliefs,
the family's orchards were uprooted, lands sold, cattle taken, and he was
arrested under false charges. He writes, "We were persecuted, but not
subdued."
Remember Ellis Smith at frequent intervals was bearing children, Irene was
born in 1757, Preserved in 1759, Jemima in 1761, Rhoda in 1762, Ebenezer, Jr.
in 1766, Obed in 1770 and Richard in 1774.
There are many missing pieces in the puzzle of Remember's live. I expect
we fill in the gaps with the certainty of hard work, brave endurance and a
staunch loyalty to her husband.
At a celebration in 1886 held at the site of the Ellis and Phillips Fort,
the Hon. George Sheldon praised Chileab, Ebenezer and the brave Remember for
their long struggle for religious freedom:
"Liberty stands today on a broader foundation; thought today is freer all
over our whole land for the earnest and incessant protest that went up from
Baptist Corner."
Remember died in 1795, and Ebenezer wrote:
"In this year I was called upon with the dear companion of my youth who had
been a partner with me in many joys and sorrows through more than
thirty-seven years."
He married twice more. Multiple marriages were very frequent in those
days. The life expectancy of men seems to have been greater than that of
women. In one short sentence Ebenezer wrote,
"I continued to preach where Providence opened the door, made one journey
up the new country of eight weeks duration, buried my second wife, married
again and buried my third wife in October 1814."
It seems fairly evident to me that Remember was the great love of his life.

She was married to Ebenezer SMITH (son of Chileab SMITH and Sarah MOODY) on 1
Jul 1756 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. Ebenezer SMITH was born on 4
Oct 1734 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts. He Int. Marriage on 27 Dec
1808 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. He died on 26 Jul 1824 in
Ashfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts
To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass.
1934. p. 79
"Elder" of Ashfield, Mass.

A History of the Churches & Ministers and of Franklin Association, Franklin
County, Mass. by Rev. Theophilus Packard, Jr., Published by S.K. Whipple and
Company, 100 Washington Street, Boston, Mass. 1854. p. 311.
Elder Ebenezer Smith, who was many years a pastor of the Baptist church in
Ashfield, Mass. He lived to the advance age of 90, and was a preacher in the
Baptist denomination 72 years. He was married to Miss Remember Ellis, who is
said to have been a person of uncommon worth. When the nuptial day arrived,
he took his bride behind him on horse-back, and went from Ashfield (then
Huntstown) to Deerfield to have the ceremony performed, there being no
minister or magistrate nearer. His father rode another horse before them
with his gun to guard them from the Indians. This was in 1756, six years
after the settlement of the town.

History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall &
Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 153
of Ashfield, Mass., 1756

History of the Town of Northfield, Massachusetts, by J. H. Temple and George
Sheldon, published by Joel Munsell, 82 State St., Albany, N.Y., 1875. p.
538.
Baptist minister, at Ashfield. He began to preach Nov. 29, 1753, at the
age of 19, was ordained Aug. 20, 1761; he preached during 72 years, 8476
sermons; in 1810, at the age of 76, he made a visit to his children in
western N.Y.; he was absent 69 days, and preached 69 sermons, one of which
was to a congregation of 32 persons, in the hollow of a buttonwood tree, at
Mentz, Cayuga Co. He owned a horse 20 years, on which he rode 25, 000 miles;
was in the army at Lake George, 1755.
Married Remember Ellis, from Ireland, 1717; of Deerfield and Ashfield.
"When the nuptial day arrived, he took his bride behind him, on horseback,
and went from Ashfield to Deerfield, to have the ceremony performed, there
being no magistrate or minister nearer. His father rode another horse before
them, with his gun, to guard them from the Indians." (Rev. Preserved Smith of
Greenfield, his grandson). Remember ELLIS and Ebenezer SMITH had the
following children:

+20 i. Irene SMITH (born on 4 Jul 1757).
+21 ii. Rev. Preserved SMITH (born on 25 Jun 1759).
+22 iii. Jemima SMITH (born on 18 Mar 1761).
+23 iv. Rhoda SMITH (born on 26 May 1762).
24 v. Ebenezer SMITH was born on 1 Apr 1766 in Ashfield, Franklin,
Massachusetts.
+25 vi. Obed SMITH (born on 6 Apr 1770).
26 vii. Richard SMITH was born on 20 Jun 1774 in Ashfield, Franklin,
Massachusetts. He died on 8 May 1800.

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