By Patsy Hendrickson
Joseph Ellis (1691-1757) was born 23 November 1691 in Medfield, Massachusetts, the second of three children born to Joseph Ellis (1662-1726) and Lydia Lovell (1665-1694).1 On 11 June 1694, less than a month after their third child was born, Lydia died in Medfield.2 Joseph Jr. was two and a half years old when his mother died. Sometime during the next year or so his father, Joseph, married Elizabeth Metcalf. The exact date has not been identified. Little is known of Elizabeth’s beginnings, but some believe she was as much as 8 years older than Joseph. Together they had two more children, a son, James, born 3 May 1897, and a daughter, Hannah, born 30 May 1700, both in Medfield.
When Joseph Jr. was 25 years old, he married Elizabeth Partridge, the third of eight children of Eleazer Partridge and Elizabeth Smith Partridge, born 16 August 1696.1 She was 20 at the time of her marriage. Both Joseph and Elizabeth were from Medfield, but they married in Boston on 12 December 1716,3 and seem to have lived in Medway after their marriage. Their son, Joseph, who was Julia's ancestor, was born a year after their marriage on 5 January 1717/18 in Medway, Massachusetts.4 He was their only child. About 10 days after his birth, his mother Elizabeth died in Medway on 14 January 1717/18.4
Joseph married again on 16 June 1719, this time to Thamerson Adams.4 She was from Medfield, but they married in Medway and all of their nine children were born there. They had four sons and five daughters. All but their oldest son, who died the day he was born, grew to maturity and married.
Joseph and his half-brother, James Ellis, were granted administration of the estate of their father, Joseph Ellis Sr., on 22 December 1726. They were both said to be husbandmen in the probate records. Joseph owned much land in Medway and Wrentham.2 Mortimer Blake says that Joseph Ellis was one of the people who had come from Medfield into what was then West Wrentham, and began petitioning Wrentham for a separate church that would make it more convenient for the people in that section to attend Sabbath services. When that was denied, they asked to be separated off to Medway. They persisted until, on 11 March 1635, the Wrentham Selectman did vote to set them off to Medway.7
Joseph died in Medway on 14 May 1757 at the age of 65.4 The inventory of his estate totalled £257, 08, 01.6
Thamerson married a second time to Capt. Samuel Darling.4 He had been previously married, first to Mary Thompson and second to Penelope Brown, both of Mendon.5 He and Thamerson were married 7 Feb 1760 in Medway. She was close to 60 at the time and Samuel was in his mid-60s. The couple had 14 years together before Samuel died on 17 February 1774 in Bellingham. Thamerson died sometime before October 1782, presumably in Medfield.
Julia's ancestor, Joseph Ellis, born 5 January 1717 in Medway, died 13 November 1807 in Franklin, Massachusetts. He married Melatiah Metcalf.
Benony Ellis, born and died on 29 July 1720 in Medway.
William Ellis, born 14 June 1722 in Medway. He married Mary Walker.
Thamerson Ellis, born 18 April 1725 in Medway. She married John Hudson.
Elisha Ellis, born 22 April 1729 in Medway. He married Dinah Pond.
Jonathan Ellis, born 27 February 1730/31 in Medway, died 8 March 1812 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. He married Mary Keith.
Elizabeth Ellis, born 1 Dec 17322 in Medway, died 18 June 1800, Milford, Worcester, Massachusetts. She married Ebenezer Sumner.
Lydia Ellis, born 19 February 1733/34 in Medway, died 16 March 1814 in Douglas, Worcester, Massachusetts. She married Capt. Gershom Nelson.
Henry Ellis, born 10 Nov 1737 in Medway. He married Lydia Daniels.
Hannah Ellis, born 13 June 1741 in Medway, died 23 Oct 1822 in Bellingham, Norfolk, Massachusetts. She married Lieut. Elias Thayer.
Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts
Dedham Historical Register, Vol 2 pp 81-85
Boston, MA: Marriages 1700-1809
Vital Records of Medway, Massachusetts
Vital Records of Mendon, Massachusetts
Suff. Prob. Vol. LII., p. 257
A History of the Town of Franklin Mass, by Mortimer Blake