1688-1759 Benjamin Ellis I
1688 – 3 Dec 1758

Spouse: 1692-1750 Elizabeth Rogers 20 Nov 1750
Marriage: about 1710 Northampton North Carolina

Death:
3 December 1758 to 19 January 1759
12 January 1759 From Calvin Dorris
19 January 1759
Sussex County, Virginia

Siblings:
Edward Ellis
James Ellis
Jeremiah Ellis II
John Ellis
Joseph Ellis

Children:

child 1: Mary Ellis - Proctor
gender: female
birth: about 1711
Sussex County, Virginia
death:

child 2: Elizabeth Ellis
gender: female
birth: about 1713
death:

child 3: Benjamin Ellis II
My GGGG Grandfather
gender: male
birth: about 1715
Surry County, Virginia
death: about 1773
Pitt County, North Carolina
other:
Bought 320 acres of land in Pitt County, North Carolina December 15, 1752, later bought an additional 200 acres.

child 4: Jeremiah Ellis
gender: male
birth: about 1716
death: about 1786
Southampton County, Virginia

child 5: Joseph Ellis
gender: male
birth: about 1717
Surry County, Virginia
death: from 1802 to 1803
Dobbs-Edgecombe area, North Carolina
other: before 1754
Dobbs County, North Carolina

child 6: Priscilla Ellis
gender: female
birth: about 1719
death:

child 7: Sarah Ellis
gender: female
birth: about 1720
death:

child 8: Susannah Ellis
gender: female
birth: about 1722
death:

child 9: William Ellis I
gender: male
birth: about 1725
death: 1795

child 10: Jonathan Ellis, Sr.
gender: male
birth: about 1727
death: from 22 October 1787 to 22 January 1788

Book at the VA Archives,"The Ellis Line From Surry to Sussex in VA" by Dixie McCrary, 630 Pasadena Ave., So., St. Petersbvurg, Fla. 33707 Benjamin Ellis I of Sussex County, VA gives valuable information on this Ellis/Mooring relationship:

"He was born and spent most of his life in Surry County, VA; he established his home in the part which became Sussex in 1754; he died a citizen of Sussex and his will is recorded in that county. To disquish him from others of the name he will be called "Benjamin Ellis I of Sussex".

He was either a son, or grandson, of Jeremiah Ellis I; or possibly a grandson, son of Jeremiah II, if born as late as 1690 (when Jeremiah II would have been c. 19 years of age). His name does not appear on any extant tithe list, the latest available being 1703. He may have reached tithable age in 1704, with year of birth, 1688: Court records, Surry Co. (1691-1713), p. 362, show his appointment, 18 Apr 1711 with Thos. Bentley and Thos. Beddingfield, to value and appraise estate of John Lile; for such a responsibility he must have reached age of 18 years, possibly 21. Indications are that his first child was born, 1711.

Surry Deeds, etc. No. 7, pp. 356-357, show deed of 17 June 1721, of Jeremiah Ellis (no shown whether Sr. or Jr.), for the nominal sum of 5 shillings, to Benjamin Ellis of 150 acres of land on s. side of blackwater Swamp, apparently the same tract received by Jeremiah I by VA Land Grant of 16 June 1714. here again, the title "Sr." or "Jr." was not used; absence of the title suggests the elder Jeremiah.

Bk 8, p. 292, deed recorded 16 May 1733, William Blunt to benjamin Ellis, 150 acres on s. side of Otterdam Swamp adj. Samuel Briggs and Henry Briggs. Wits.: William Rose, Samuel Maget. This land was sold by Benjamin Ellis to Henry King on 20 Jan. 1735. Wits.: Wm. Andrews, Robt. Webb, Jr. (Bk. 8, p. 555).

Surry Ct. Orders, 1744-49, p. 1, show that on 17 Oct. 1744, Benjamin Ellis was granted Certificate for Obtaining Letters of Administration on Estate of Benjamin Rogers, dec'd, Bartholomew Figures and Caleb Ellis, his securities. Surry Deeds, etc., Bk. 9, p. 481, shows report of appraisal on the estate made 8 Nov. 1744 by Benjamin Ellis, Admr., Robert Judkins, Samuel Maget and James Nicholson.

Benjamin Rogers, who d. 28 May 1744 (Albemarle Parish Register), was named as a son in will of William Rogers (b. c. 1657. d. c. 1727) (will made 28 Jan. 1725, pr. 17 May 1727, Bk. 7, p. 706); that will named as a daughter, Elizabeth Ellis (b. c. 1687, according to best computation that can be made from available evidence. The Ellis to whom she was married has not been identified, but evidently was someone closely related to Caleb and Benjamin Ellis, possibly Jeremiah II, whose wife was Elizabeth. If the wife of Jeremiah II, she may have been the mother of Caleb (if he was b. 1702), but she could not have been the mother of Benjamin. She may have been Benjamin's wife; no record has been found of the name of his wife.

On 12 Mar. 1739, Benjamin received land grant of 150 acres on s. side of Blackwater Swamp, "beginning on a branch in the college line," (VA Land Grants, Bk. 18, p. 74, No,. 564), and on 12 May 1759, an additional grant of 572 acres "on s. side of Blackwater Swamp, beginning at the corner of his first survey, thence on the college line." This grant is dated after the death of Benjamin I; evidently the land had been entered by him some years before, and was generally recognized as his. Apparently, he so regarded it, leaving his home plantation of 520 acres, to his son, William, in his will.

On 17 Dec. 1751, he sold to John Nicholson, 50 acres, "part of the plantation whereon the sd. Benjamin now lives...bounded Westwardly by...Tories Branch...Southwardly by the College Line, Eastwardly by other lands of John Nicholson and Nicholas Judkins's, and Northwardly by other lands of sd. Benjamin Ellis. Wits: David Jones, Wm. Cryer. (Surry Deed Bk. 6 (1749-53), p. 404).

His will, made 3 Dec. 1758, pr. 19 Jan. 1759 (Sussex Will Bk. A, p. 112), leaves to his "Dear and Loving Wife," (name not given), the plantation for her natural life, and names his sons: William, Jonathan, Jeremiah, Benjamin and Joseph and daughters, Mary Proctor, Priscilla Blow, Sarah Andrews, Susanna Andrews and Elizabeth Moreing.

Sources:

1. Ellis Line From Surry-Sussex in Virginia, The Dixie L. McCrary 1978; Republished Lucille Ellis Kiester 1996 null: Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-214513

2. Calvin Dorris Web page

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻