Joseph Ellis 1 (1662-1726) and Lydia Lovell (1665-1694)

{Ellis Ancestors}

By Patsy Hendrickson

Joseph Ellis was born 24 October 1662 in Medfield, Massachusetts, the second of three sons of John and Joan Ellis.1 Joan’s maiden name is unknown. Joseph married first Lydia Lovell on 23 November 1688 in Medfield.2, 3 He was 26 years old and Lydia was 23 years old.

Lydia Lovell was born at Medfield, 15 June 1665. Lydia’s parents were Alexander Lovell and Lydia (probably Leland). Lydia Lovell was the second of the Lovell’s seven children, but her older sister and a younger brother died at birth. She and Joseph Ellis had three children, but she died in Medfield on 11 Jun 1694, less than a month after the birth of John, her youngest son, and just days short of her 29th birthday.

Joseph married second, Elizabeth Metcalf, daughter of John and Mary (Chickering) Metcalf. Not much is known of her beginnings. Tilden’s History of the Town of Medfield, Mass., 1650-1886 (Boston: 1887) estimates her birth date as 1654, but that would mean she was 8 years older than her husband, which is unlikely. Joseph and Elizabeth were the parents of two more children: James and Hannah.

Joseph was a farmer and a weaver; and he was a selectman for seven years.2 Joseph Ellis died 31 August 1726 in Medfield. After his death his estate was appraised at L558, 17s., his brother, John Eles being one of the appraisers. The decree of the court settled the estate, 13 November 1728. It mentioned his wife Elizabeth and her children as well as his children by his first wife. It also mentioned their grandfather Lovell. His widow, Elizabeth, died 27 November 1735, nearly eight years after her husband.

Children of Joseph Ellis and Lydia Lovell:

  1. Lydia, born Oct. 4, 1689; d. 1726; married 8 January 1712/13, Elisha Bullen. Five children born, Elisha, b. 1720 being "only child" Nov. 13, 1728 when Joseph's estate was settled, others having died.

  2. Joseph (Julia's ancestor) b. Nov. 23, 1691 in Medfield. Died 14 March 1757 in Medway. Married Elizabeth Partridge and second, Thamerson Adams.

  3. John, born May 3, 1694 in Medfield. Died 27 June 1745 in Medfield. Married Hannah Wight.

Children of Joseph Ellis and Elizabeth Metcalf:

  1. James, born May 3, 1697, in Medfield.

  2. Hannah, b. April 24, 1699 in Medfield; married Nathaniel Fisher. (See Fisher Genealogy, p. 62)

Sources:

  1. Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts.

  2. Dedham Historical Register, Vol 2 pp 81-85

  3. Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts by William Richard Cutter

  4. Dedham Historical Register V. 11 p. 81. “Contributions to an Ellis Genealogy, Benjamin P. Holbrook