John Ellis Leutient

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ³³⁴
The list of Sandwich settlers dated 643 John Ellis' name is among those between the ages of 16 and 60 and able to bear arms. Therefore, we know that he was born not later than 1627 and it seems safe to assume that the date of his birth was not far from the year 1620.

At the court held on 20 Aug 1644, he was accused of fornication. In the Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 2 p. 75 4 June 1645, "John Ellis of Sandwich...and his now wife...is censured to be whipt at publicke post and Elizabeth his wife to stand by whilst execution of the sentence if pformed; which was according done. And the said John Ellis for his long and tedious delayes occasioning much trouble and charge to the countrey, for that he would not confess the truth until the present, is fyned 5 li." [ibid. p.85]

Whatever may have been the merits of the case, it is clearly of interest genealogically speaking that the marriage almost certainly took place before 20 August 1644 and that the first child by EIizabeth Freeman was born about that date. Yet the first recorded birth, that of "Benet Elles" (no parents listed), took place in 1648-1649.

The next recorded birth is that ' of "Mordecai Ellis son of John, 24 March 1650" [Sandwich vital records in Mayflower Descendant vol. 14, p. 168]. The births of two other sons: "Joel Ellis, son of John," born 20 March 1654 [ibid., p. 166] and "Matthyas Ellis s. of John, b.2 June 1657" [ibid., p. 168] are of recorded, but none of the other children's births are recorded. 'The identity of Elizabeth, wife of John Ellis, is proved by her father's will (see below), in which he names his daughter Elizabeth Ellis and his grandson Matthyas Ellis.

John Ellis served 5 June 1651 on the Grand Enquest [Plym. Col. Recs., vol. 2, p. 168]. With others he was appointed by the Court "to lay out the convenient est Way from Sandwich unto Plymouth, 24 Feb. 1652" (1652-3) [ibid., p. 361-2]. ".John Ellis [was] approved by the Court to bee leif tenant of the military companie att Sandwidge," 9 June 1653 [ibid., p. 61]. An agreement, dated 13 Dec. 1653, orders "that Richard Chadwell, Thomas Dexter, John Ellis, these three men are to have ye whales ye come up within ye limits & bounds of Sandwige.and for ye sd whales they are to pay to ye town l6 pounds apiese... provided any of them have notis given them by any mant that hath seen ye whale and this on oeth is to be taken for the truth and certainty of ye thing, to make these three persons above mentioned liable to pay... in case one of them doe not goe along with him that brings the word there is a whale cast but if any of them returns with him that gives them notis, then the person yt gives them notis, hee shall help to seize the whale & ye person whoever hee be yt will doe accordingly to give notice in ye towne's behalf shall have paid him for his paines and care herein twenty shillings, . . ." Signed by James Skeff, William Swift and the mark of John Ellis. On 21 Feb. 1654 (e.g. probably 1654-5) George Allen's accounting,. dated 21st 12 mo. 1654, "of tole to John Ellis for four barrills [of oil]

"The 1st of March 1654 (e.g. 1654-5) John Ellis, William Swift, William Allen & James Skeff : these four men doe hereby ingage ourselves equally in the building of a mill, to defray and discharge, all disbursements about the building of the same & for the present ingage ourselves to pay twenty pounds apiece in whete befe to be ready to make paiment of the same by the last of November next issuing." Signed James Skeff, William Swift and the mark of John Ellis [Sandwich and Bourne Colony Records (1912), Library of Cape Cod Series No. 104].

On 29 May 1655 a list was drawn up of men who engaged themselves to contribute toward "the building of a place for publick meetings" in Sandwich. Mr. (Edmond) Freeman, Senr. and George Bluitt gave one pound each, "Lieutenant Ellis" and William Swift 15s. and thirty others pledged lesser amounts [ibid.]. The "accompt of Leitenant Ellis for oyle, "dated 23 Feb. 1657, includes two small items of 6s. 9d. and 4d., "To John Ellis the Town's debt." A rate for oil, 4 April 1657, shows: "Due Leiftenant Ellis" by William Swift 3s.; and from Ezra Perry 4s., etc.[ibid.]. On 17 July 1657 amounts pledged for the minister's salary were listed for twelve men including "Lieutenant Ellis."

In February 1657-8 Lieutenant Ellis was indebted to the town 14s. 8d. and he was appointed "to build and carry on work for the Meeting House, the which he the said Ellis accepted of" [Sandwich Proprietors's Records]. On 2 March following Peter Gaunt, Daniel Winge, Ralph Allen, Jr., and William Allen were summoned before the Court "to Answer for a tumultuous carriage att a meeting of the Quakers at Sandwich." They were admonished and fined 20s. each, but upon examination at the same time "Lieutenant Ellis, Steven Wing and Thomas Butler ... found not soe faulty as was supposed" were admonished and cleared [Plymouth Colony Court Records, vol. 3, .130].

"Lt. John and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich Mass." NEHGR, July 1965, pp. 161-164

John married Elizabeth Freeman, daughter of Edmond Freeman and Bennet Hodsoll, before 20 Aug 1644 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts .³³⁴ (Elizabeth Freeman was born in 1623 in England ³³⁴, baptized on 11 Apr 1624 in Billingshurst, Sussex, England ³³⁴ and died before 20 Apr 1714 in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, British American Colonies ³³⁴.)