WALTER ELLIS
A synopsis by Evylene Canup
Our Ellis family begins with our Revolutionary War
Soldier, Walter Ellis. I have not been able to document the parents
of Walter Ellis. Our first known date on the Ellis Family is when
Walter Ellis married Mary ____ on May 8, 1776, which is found in the application
papers when Mary applied for a Revolutionary Widows Pension.
Walter is first found in Caswell County, NC
as listed in the Tax Records of 1777. Their first child, Elisabeth
Ellis, was born in Caswell County, October 3, 1778.
In December 1779 Walter Ellis enlisted in the
Revolutionary War and served a tour of three months under Captain William
Harding in General Lillington's North Carolina Brigade and was discharged
March 22, 1780. He served a second tour, length not stated, under
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Owen in General Butler's Brigade and was discharged
November 16, 1781.
In the Caswell County, North Carolina Will Book
A, I found this document:
July the 14th 1782
Sir Thomas Cole I desire you to take care of
my Things till I return
home again and you will much oblige your Humble
Servant. Stephen
Hamblin and my mother. Take Care of my
Chattles if she Please and
if I should not return I leave my Mother the
Hogs & Cattle that is there
and the rest Solo and Eaqually Divided amonged
my Brothers Hereafter.
Walter Ellis
Caswell County
Septem Court 1782
The Execution of the above Will was proved
in Open Court
by the Oath Walter Ellis a Subsending Witnes
thereso and on motion
ordered to be recorded.
Test A.C. Mappay, CC
(The wording of this Will indicates Walter had
3 or more brothers. Possibly Elijah, James Calvin,
and Stephen because all 3 are connected by data
at one point or another. This is my hypothesis
and I would love to find their parents and a
listing of Children. Added by Lynda Gibbs)
Walter and Mary Ellis did not leave Caswell County
in 1782, Stephen, their first son was born there August 27, 1783.
In the Deed Books, it states on October 13, 1783, Moses Parker owns 200
acres adj. to Walter Ellis in Caswell County. Walter is listed in
the Tax Papers of Caswell in 1784 and the last listing in Caswell County,
when on February 13, 1786, Mary Ellis their daughter is born there.
Several families from Caswell County, North
Carolina left in wagons in 1788 and came to Green County, Georgia. Walter
Ellis and his family were among these families. He first shows up
on the Tax List of Green County in 1789. My 3rd Great Grandfather,
James E. Ellis was born there in 1791. On November 21, 1791, Walter
purchased 500 acres on Nat Creek in Green County and he is listed on Tax
List there in 1793-97.
Moses Parker of Green County sells his 200 acres
in Caswell County, NC on October 7, 1795. And by 1798, Moses Parker
died there, then on November 8, 1800, Walter Ellis is appointed guardian
of Mary Parker, 15 year old daughter of Moses Parker. (Surely Walter Ellis
and Moses Parker was of some relation, could Walter's wife, Mary been a
Parker, and Moses her brother).
Walter and Mary's last two children, Isaac and
Elijah were born in Green County and the Ellis family moved to Jackson
County, Georgia, where Walter purchased 506 acres there February 12, 1801.
Walter Ellis appeared in the 1805 Jackson County
lottery list, and in 1820 as a Revolutionary veteran he drew land in Early
County granted February 4, 1837. In the Georgia Census of 1820, Walter,
along with his son, Isaac was enumerated in Hall County.
The last record we find on Walter Ellis is on
July 4, 1817 when he applied for letter of Administration to the Estate
of Bennett Ivy, Jackson County.
Walter Ellis died November 13, 1821 in Jackson
County, Mary, his widow was listed in 1827 living in Miller's District
of Jackson County. I find no other record of Mary Ellis until 1840
when she is living in the household of her son, Elijah Ellis, in Gilmer
County, Georgia. In March of 1840, Mary Ellis applied for Revolutionary
War Pension; after much correspondence and sending the old Ellis Bible
to Department of Interior this pension was reviewed and approved:
Mary Ellis, widow of Walter Ellis, Certificate No. 3346, issued June 6,
1840, rate $20 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of July 4, 1836,
Georgia Agency.
Rev. William Ellis, son of James Ellis, grandson
of Walter Ellis, in 1878 contacted the Department of Interior and requested
the return of the Ellis Bible. The Bible was returned to him August
14, 1878, no one is sure what happened to this Bible. Rev. William
A. Ellis was married three times and did not have children by his third
wife, who was living at his death.
I assume Mary Ellis died in Gilmer County, Georgia.
(Revolutionary War Records; Mary Ellises, Revolutionary
War Pension Claim W.4431;
Will, Caswell County, NC Will Book A; Caswell
County, North Carolina Deed Books 1777-
1817, pg 50, 167; Deed Books Green and Jackson
County Georgia; 1805 and 1820 Revol-
utionary veterans Land Lottery.)
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