My Family Tree

Mary Ann was baptized as the daughter of "Henry" (i.e James) Ellis and Jane Ramsy of Lot 12. She was the second daughter to be given that name.

According to the History of the Ellis Family, she married Alexander Gillis, son of Angus and Christy, of PEI, and had four children: David, Donald, Ramsay, and Neil. These names did not appear in any records. There were actually six children in the PEI Baptismal Index for this couple: Patrick, Pius, Christiana, Frederick, John Thomas and Rachel. Two additional sons, Robert and Alexander, were in the 1881 census with the family. The History of Port Hill lists Angus, Margaret Jane, James, Robert, Alexander and James, and Along the North Shore gave: Robert, Alexander Jr., Rachel, Christie, John and Pius. The Gillis family tree on the Island Register had Angus, Margaret Jane, James 1&2, and Alexander.

Angus was named for his paternal grandfather, and Christy for her paternal grandmother. Margaret Jane would have been named after Mary Ann's mother and grandmother. It looks like the sons named James died young.

It's hard to see how she could have had children before the birth of Angus, around 1849, and there aren't many gaps in the births recorded for this couple. So the children from the Gillis family tree, plus the PEI Baptismal Index and the 1881 census probably make up their family.

In the 1861 census, Alexander Gillis was the head of a household of 8, all Roman Catholics. There were 2 males and 1 female under 5; 2 males and 1 female between 5 and 15; and one man and one woman in the 22-45 age bracket. This was likely the married couple.

Living at home in the 1881 census:
Alexander Gillis 58
Mary Ann Gillis 56
Robert Gillis 25
Alexander Gillis 23
Rachel Gillis 22 - 18 April 1859
Christy Gillis 16
John Gillis 14 - John Thomas
Pius Gillis 12 - 25 November 1870

So it is possible she did have four sons. Just not with the names from the family history. No records could be found for a "Ramsay Gillis", a fairly distinctive name. Perhaps they were middle names?

In the 1891 census, Alexander and Mary Ann were living in Lot 11 with their married son Robert. Robert and his family emigrated a few years later to the United States. His parents were not living with him in the States, and it is assumed that they died before he left the Island.

Only Agnes Ellis Birch was named in the obituary for Jane Ellis Dunville as a surviving sister, so it is assumed that Mary Ann died before that date.

DNA connection to her descendants!