Matthias Ellis

Raised in the house of his grandfather Edmund Freeman, who on 24 Feb 1678/9 gave him his dwelling house and orchard “for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which I bear to the said Matthias Ellis, being my kinsman in blood, that is to say my grandson; and for diverse other good causes and considerations, as living with me until he the above said Matthias came unto man’s estate, being a support unto me in my old age and weakness.” The meadow in the gift was bounded in part by “a Ditch called the Divell’s Ditch,” and the Neck land lay “under Sagamore Hill near and unto which Hill there is a great Rock like the ridge of a house” (Old Colony Deeds 5:169-170). Frederick Freeman calls him “the dutiful Matthias Ellis,” and tradition has him drive the oxen that hauled the Saddle and Pillion stone to his step-grandmother’s grave.

His sister Deborah married Joseph Doty, son of Edward Doty of the Mayflower, in the summer of 1674; that October Joseph was bound over on Elizabeth Warren’s accusation that he was the father of her child (PCR 5:156). The Dotys are cousins of this family, not ancestors.

Admitted townsman 1681. On 2 June 1685 he was returned to serve on the grand jury for Sandwich (PCR 6:160-169). In 1705 he was one of four Sandwich agents who ran the town line with the agents of the “South-sea Indians of Mashbe” (Mashpee): Caleb Popmit, Acapesko, Old John, Sunkation and Caleb Pognit (Freeman, History of Cape Cod 2). Witness, as “Mathias Ellis Senr,” with William Bassett, to the will of Capt. Thomas Tupper of Sandwich (proved 20 May 1706). In 1718 administration on the estate of “John Ellis your Son Late of the Town of Sandwich … Singleman” was granted to “Matthias Ellis Senr.” In March 1730, during the Sandwich church dispute, “Lt. Matthias Ellis Sr.,” his son Malachi and “Matthias Ellis Jr.” were on Rev. Benjamin Fessenden’s list of heads of families (HCC 2:94n).

His will (30 Nov 1744) opens: “Being advanced in years and under considerable Decay of Bodily strength but thro the Mercy and goodness of God of disposing mind and memory & Considering that My Departure Draweth near according to the Common Course of Human life.” It left his wife Mercy the use of the west end of the house and “the Little Orchard,” with their son Malachi to provide for her; gave his son Joel “the two Half Lotts in the woods that were formerly my son Johns,” half his apparel, his cutlass, belt and cane, and £20 old tenor; gave his son Matthias “my Lott & Share in said Town Neck in Sandwich” and acquitted him of “all the Money I paid for him to Sheriff Lothrop”; divided his personal estate among his daughters Mercy Morton, Experience Churchill and Mehitable Merrick, “the Tools & Utensils that are used about husbandry only Excepted”; and left the housing, lands and meadows, the husbandry tools, half his apparel and “all my arms & ammunition Except my Cutlash & belt before Given to my son Joel” to his son Malachi (key phrases read from the image). Executors “my said wife Mercy and my said son Malachi”; witnesses Elisha Tupper, Eldad Tupper Jr. and Samuel Jennings. It was proved at Barnstable on 4 Oct 1748 before Silvanus Bourn, and administration was committed “unto Mercy Ellis & Mallack Ellis Executors.”

His inventory (12 Oct 1748, from the machine reading) lists his wearing apparel, a pocket book, cash, ten bottles, “arms ammunition & appurtenances,” pewter platters, basins and porringers, a brass kettle and warming pan, a spit, trammels and andirons, spectacles, two wheels, “Great Bible & Small Books,” a cane, three beds (one with curtains), sheep shears, and cows, heifers, calves and sheep; “Houseing Lands & Meadows the whole of Real Estate,” £2,543 old tenor. The appraisers were [Jonathan?] Freeman, Elisha Tupper and Eldad Tupper Jr.

Open questions

• His wife’s maiden name. See people/mercy-ellis-fl1680.md.
• The daughter Remember and the son Samuel (b. 1699) are not in the will. Had they died?