By Patsy Hendrickson
John Ellis was born in England (possibly Dedham, Essex, England?) about 1616.1 He immigrated to Massachusetts, where, in about 1636, he was the 30th signer of the Dedham Covenant and attended town meetings. Tilden’s History of Medfield says he was the brother of Thomas Ellice of Medfield.2 He was probably also the brother of immigrants Richard, Joseph, and Ann Ellice of Dedham.3
John was admitted to the church in Dedham 17 July 1640 [the fifth month of the Julian calendar], and made a Freeman 2 June 1641.1
The Dedham Vital Records show the marriage of John Ellis to Susannah Lumbar on 10 November 1641.4 Susannah’s ancestry is unknown to us. John and Susannah had a son, John, born in Dedham on 26 April 1648.4 They had two more children, a daughter, Susanna, who may also have been born in Dedham, although we have no birth record for her; and a daughter, Hannah, born 9 April 1651 in Medfield, Massachusetts.
John and his brother, Thomas, were among the first 13 grantees in Medfield, and John had a homestead there at what is now the northwest corner of Main Street and Upham Road. This property was later owned by Thomas Upham,3 and the Upham House is still standing at that location.
Susannah Lumbar Ellis died in Medfield on 5 April 1653, when her daughter, Hannah, was two years old.
On 16 June 1656 5, 6 John married secondly, Joan (?) Clapp, the widow of John Clap of Dorchester. “Medfield town records contain the marriage, saying … that it was perforned by Major Humphrey Atherton.”3 (See Appendix A for a discussion of their marriage records.) Joan’s maiden name is unknown. She and John Clapp may have been married in England before immigrating to New England, so the Clapps may have been married for some time before his death, but they had no children. John Clapp died 24 July 1655 in Dorchester. “Dorchester church records tell of Joan’s dismissal after marriage to the Medfield church.” 3
John and Joan Ellis had only three children, although Joan lived almost fourty years after the birth of their last child:
Samuel, b. Medfield, May 24, 1660; d. there March 24, 1684 unm.
Joseph (Julia's ancestor), b. Medfield, Oct. 24, 1662; married Lydia Lovell on 23 November 1688 in Medfield.
Eleazer, b. Medfield, April 24, 1664
In 1676, there was an Indian attack on Medfield during King Phillip’s War. The History of Medfield says, "Feb 1676, the citizens of Medfield had been bracing for an attack of King Philips warriors for several days. As a precaution many families in the area sought out the safety of the large stone house located on the north shore of South End Pond. The house was a garrison-type fortress built by Sergeant George Fairbanks and the residents of Boggastowe farms. During daylight hours the men would venture out to tend to livestock and other tasks returning each night to the safety of the house. The attack at Medfield came on February 21, 1676. It had been recorded that 9 families, more than 60 people were protected by the stone house and survived; others in outlying areas lost their lives and many homes were destroyed by fire. Fairbank's garrison was attacked again on May 6, 1676. The Indians attempted to ignite the house by rolling a cart loaded with burning flax down the hill, but the cart lodged on a boulder, and when a warrior attempted to free the cart, he was killed by a shot from the house. Again the attack was resisted successfully. Friendly Indians from Natick were on hand to assist with the defense. 7
We do not know if the Ellis family used the Fairbanks’ garrison, but they survived the attack.
John Ellis died 2 April 1697 in Medfield, leaving a will dated 24 September 1690, proved 24 June 1697, Suff. Prob. XII., 304. This mentions eldest son John Ellice, giving land on West side Charles river, John's son John "my grandchild," given "my great Bible," daughter Susanna Evins and her son, Ebenezer, daughter Hannah Rocket; "moveables my first wife brought me" divided between Susanna and Hannah: sons Joseph and Eleazer residuary legatees, "Dear and loving wife Jone," who and the two last sons, were made executors. Signed, John Ellice his mark and a seal.3 Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910 gives his father’s name as Samuel Ellice,8 but we don’t know their source for this information.
Joan (?) Clapp Ellis died 2 March 1703/04 also in Medfield.
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Vol. 1, p 539 by William Richard Cutter.
Tilden's History of Medfield
Dedham Historical Register Vol. 11 p. 81- 85, Contributions to an Ellis Genealogy by Benjamin P. Holbrook
Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Vol. 1
The Pioneers of Massachusetts by Charles H. Pope, Printed 1900
Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 -The Boston Transcript of County Records, 1643-1660; Vol. 1 Births, Marriages Deaths from 1630-1666: Medfield p 392
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~danielsofmassachusettsbaycolony/gen2.html
Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910: indexing project (batch) number: I01315-3 system origin: Massachusetts-EASy source film number: 836218 reference number: P 47 R 3.
Some family historians have speculated that the marriage took place in Dorchester where Joan had lived with her first husband. However, it is recorded in the Medfield Vital Records. As we have found no record of the marriage in Dorchester, we are presuming that the marriage took place in Medfield.
Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 shows The Boston Transcript of County Records, 1643-1660; Vol. 1 Births, Marriages Deaths from 1630-1666. In the Medfield Marriages, p 392, it says, "John Elice and Joan Clap were married the 26th of the 4th month 1656, by Major Atharton.”
A later transcription of the Medfield Vital Records shows the marriage date as:
CLAPP (see Clap) Joan and John Elice, June 16, 1655.
And, in The Dedham Historical Register, Vol. 11 p. 81-85 Contributions to an Ellis Genealogy by Benjamin P. Holbrook, the marriage date is also given as 16 Jun 1655, undoubtedly because of this later vital record transcription.
However, John Clap, Joan's first husband did not die until 24 July 1655, according to "The Pioneers of Massachusetts", and if that is accurate, Joan could not have married John Ellis in June of 1655. "The Pioneers of Massachusetts" gives their marriage date as 26 (4) 1656, which is in agreement with the earlier vital record transcription.” This source says, "John (Clap) of Dorchester, frm. 26 May 1647. He d. July 24, 1655. Will prob. Aug. 30, 1635 (sic - 1655) bros. Nicholas, Thomas, Ambrose and bro. Richard in England ...widow Jone; bequest to church and school. The land sold in 1835, realized a large sum.”