My Family Tree

John Ellis was born in Enland, the son of William Ellis and Hannah Totten. He emigrated from Devon with his parents, and like his father, was a ship carpenter. He entered into a relationship with Elizabeth Campbell, daughter of James Campbell; their eldest daughter Nancy Campbell was baptized before their marriage. There was an empty slot labeled "Ellis married to Campbell" in the Church of England records for St. Eleanors, between entries dated August 18 and September 23 1827, which I have assumed is their marriage. The next baptism in this family was in 1829, for William, son of John Ellis and his wife Elizabeth Campbell.

John Ellis was in the 1841 census in Lot 12 with a household of 9, all Church of England and all but one born on the Island. He was a ship carpenter. In addition to the older male and female, there were 5 males and 2 females under 16. John's shipyard was on the Ellis River, about 4 miles from the Chanter & Ellis shipyard in Port Hill.

Their children, from the PEI Baptismal Index: Nancy, William (about 1829), Henry (about 1831), Anna Penrose (about 1833), James (abt. 1835), John Clark (abt. 1839), Edward (about 1843) and Elizabeth (1845). A son Alfred died in 1872.

There were several households under the name John Ellis in the 1861 census, but he is probably the John Ellis, carpenter, in Lot 12.

This is likely the death of his wife, Elizabeth: FEB. 10, 1865, DIED ON THE 30TH ULT., AT NEW BIDEFORD, LOT 12, ELIZABETH, WIFE OF JOHN ELLIS, AGED 61 YEARS.

John's date of death doesn't seem to have been recorded.

Most likely is the John Ellis who died in 1874 at age 68.

The John Ellis who died in Charlottetown on 10 September 1872 at age 68, a native of Devon, England was late of St. John's Nfld. His widow Jane, born Newfoundland, was living in Charlottetown in the 1881 census with a large family, so it is not likely that this was the same John Ellis from Lot 12.

There was also the John Ellis who married Flora McArthur and died in Massachusetts - although their dates and place of birth match, he could not have married Flora before 1865.