Bennet ELLIS

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of John Ellis and Elizabeth Freeman (daughter of Edmund Freeman)

Bennet married Obadiah EDDY about 1668. Obadiah (son of Samuel EDDY and Elizabeth SAVERY) was born about 1645 in Plymouth, Massachusetts; died in 1727. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John EDDY was born on 22 Mar 1669 in Middleborough, Massachusetts; died between 1722 and 7 Feb 1731.
2. Hazadiah EDDY was born on 10 Apr 1672 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; died before 17 Dec 1726.
3. Benjamin EDDY was born about 1673 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; died on 24 Sep 1744 in Halifax, Massachusetts.
4. Mercy EDDY was born about 1674 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
5. Samuel EDDY was born in 1675 in Middleboro, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts ; died on 28 Apr 1751 in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
6. Jabez EDDY was born about 1680 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
7. Joel EDDY was born about 1682 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
8. Elizabeth EDDY was born about 1684 in Middleboro, Massachusetts; died after 1755.
9. Mary EDDY was born about 1686 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
10. Bennet EDDY was born about 1688 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
11. Hannah EDDY was born about 1690 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
12. Zachariah EDDY was born about 1692 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; died on 9 Dec 1711 in Hatfield, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts.

Notes:

Name:
The first list of Sandwich settlers is dated 3 April 1637 (see "Annals of Sandwich," in Frederick Freeman, 'History of Cape Cod', 1858, Vol. 2, p. 15). No one of the Ellis name appears on it, but in the list of 1643 Jon 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.

The next mention of his name shows that he was in rouble. At the court held on 20 Aug. 1644 he was accused of fornication, and the record shows that "A warrant was set forth to bring in the bodies of Jonathan ffish & Mary his wife; Nathaniell ffish; Jane, the wife of William Wood; Rose the wife of Joseph Holly; the wife of Richard Kerby; the wife of Michael Turner & Joanna Swyft, widdow, to give evidence in John Ellis and his wife's case." (Nathaniel B. Surtleff ed., 'Records of the colony of New Plymouth', vol. 2, pg. 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 execucon of the sentence is pformed; which was accordingly 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".

It has often been observed that neither the colony nor the ecclesiastical courts of the period were apt to view with favor the possibility of a premature birth. In this instance the stubborn refusal of Ellis to admit guilt may have been based on some other argument. The prominence of the Freeman family may have played a part in the case. It would be interesting to read a transcript of the testimony presented by the young couple and their neighbors.

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 Aug. 1644 and that the first child by Elizabeth Freeman was born about that date. Yet the first recorded birth, that of "Benet Elles" (no parents listed), took place in 1648-1649.

John married Elizabeth FREEMAN about 1647. Elizabeth (daughter of Edmond FREEMAN and Bennett HODSOLL) was christened on 11 Apr 1624 in Parish of Billingshurst, co. Sussex, England; died after 24 June 1692. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis was baptized in the parish of Billingshurst, co. Sussex, England, 11 April 1624, the fourth of the six children of Edmond and Bennet (Hodsoll) Freeman. She died probably in Rochester after 24 June 1692 - we suspect that the actual date of her death may have been not long before 20 April 1714, when her son William Ellis recorded a number of deeds bearing various dates, which suggests the probability that they were recorded in connection with the settlement of his mother's estate. She evidently died intestate, having already distributed her property among her children. There is no probate of her estate.

She must have possessed great strength of character as well as a good physical constitution. At the time of her husband's death she was fifty-three years old. Her three daughters and probably the eldest son Mordecai were then already married, as we believe. The five surviving unmarried sons ranged in age from about twelve to twenty. Perhaps all but the youngest were apprenticed and did not live at home. It may well be that she went to keep house for her father since her stepmother had died in the previous year. In any case, with the help of her eldest son, she promptly assumed responsibility for the administration of her late stepson's (?) estate.