I have also been doing some research on this Ellis family, and have been trying to link the Ellis family from Prince Edward Co. to Unknown Ellis and Miriam Brooks and their children.

Tonight I made an exciting discovery while searching death records at Ancestry.ca. Unknown Ellis was actually John Ellis from Prince Edward Co. I found the death record for Miriam's son b. Oct. 6.1830, in Picton, Prince Edward Co. who died June 26.1920 at Port Hope Hospital, Durham Co. His parents are listed as John Ellis and Miriam Brooks.. His death was reported by his daugter Mrs. A.H. Hilton of Port Hope. The death records for Miriam's two other two chlidren David Ellis (married Rebecca Pomeroy) and Benjamin Ellis (married Electa Harnden) do not give parents names, however I assume their father would also have been John Ellis.

Since I don't have access to the recorded earlier records, I can only use the information that I've found throughout my research by using various information posted on the web and through Ancestry.ca, and to date I have only located one John Ellis in the Marysburgh area of this age that would suit as the father to these children born to John Ellis and Miriam Brooks. This John Ellis was b.1790 and I did find a family website where it stated that Fanny Collier b. abt. 1795 died and John Ellis remarried Ursula Burns Welbanks.

I have also discovered that this John Ellis married on May 21.1838 to Ursula Welbanks. Source: John Ellis and Ulza (Ursula) Welbanks, both of Marysburgh, married 2 May 1838.
Witnessed by Thomas Welbanks, Hiram Welbanks. Performed by-REV. RICHARD JONES, WESLEYAN METHODIST.

Ursula was b. abt. 1798, birth place and parents unknown to John Ellis b. abt. 1790, birth place and parents unknown. To the best of my knowledge, this would have been the same John Ellis who was first married to Fanny Collier. John Ellis must have had these 3 children with Miriam Brooks, but I don't know if they were married or not, and parted ways, since John Ellis married again in 1838 to Ursula Welbanks, and Miriam Brooks later married Angus Cameron. The dates of births of the 3 children born to John Ellis and Miriam Brooks coincide with the time lapse that I assume would be likely after Fanny Collier's death until John Ellis remarried Ursula Welbanks.

Death records:
ELLIS John Died Dec. 20 1862 @ 72 years, 10 months. This would mean he was b. Feb. 1790. Ursula Died April 2, 1873 @ 74 years, 9 months which would have made her birthdate as July 1798. They are both buried at Black Creek at the church, South Marysburgh. Along with them, there is a Frances Ellis died Oct. 30, 1887 @ 42 years, 9 months. I have been unable to verify if she was a daughter born to John Ellis and Ursula.

However, since Ursula was married to John Ellis under the last name of Welbanks, I did some more investigating, and believe that Ursula Burns may first have been marrried to Robert Welbanks, s/o Thomas Welbanks UEL and Mary La Rue. Since the earliest death records on Ancestry only start in 1869, thus far, I have been unable to verify when Robert Welbanks died, nor have I yet found the death records for Hiram or Thomas Welbanks, the witnesses at the wedding of John Ellis and Ursula Welbanks.

However, since the marriage for Ursula Welbanks to John Ellis in 1838 shows witnesses to be Thomas and Hiram Welbanks, and without having yet having found their death records, I can only assume they were children of hers born to Ursula and her first husband Robert Welbanks.

The death record for Samuel Ellis b. abt 1841 Prince Edward Co. d. Nov.11.1914, Prince Edward Co., reported by W.C. Grimm, noted that Samuel's parents were John Ellis and Ursula Burns. This leads me to believe that Samuel Ellis was born to John Ellis and Ursula Burns Welbanks, however I have not yet been able to figure out why Ursula's last name was listed as Burns and not Welbanks on this record.

Samuel Ellis married Catherine E. Emprey (b. Oct. 17.1850 Milford, ON and d. Apr.12.1922 Picton, Prince Edward Co.) Her death records shows she is a widow, and her death was reported by her brother Philip Emprey. She is buried Picton. Her parents were noted as Harvie Emprey and Caroline Vanvlack.

Another son that I've found that was born to John Ellis and Ursula Welbanks:

William Ellis b. 1839 Prince Edward Co.d. Oct.9.1881 Picton, Prince Edward Co. married Emily M. Welbanks.

Wanamaker - Prince Edward County Cemeteries:
Hiram Ellis 1839-Oct.9.1881
Wife - Emily M. WELBANKS 1842 - 1918

1861 Census Prince Edward Co., Marysburgh:
ELLICE (Ellis) John 70 married
Ursala 62 married
Hiram 21
Samuel 20

1871 Marysburgh No. 59 I 1, p. 44
Ellis Hiram 31 married
Emily M. 28 married
Ursula 73 widow

John Ellis b: 1790 first married Fanny Collier in S. Marysburgh, Prince Edward Co. According to Wm Collier's BIble, Fanny Collier was born June 1.1875 to Peter Collier and Elizabeth Hicks.

From what I've been able to find thus far, John Ellis and Fanny Collier had these children:

1. John Ellis b: 1812 d. 1900 married Jane French.(parents unknown)

John Ellis b..1812, Prince Edward Co., d. Mar..9.1900 (88 years old of heart failure). At this time he lived on Lot 35, conc 11, Camden, Kaladar Anglesea and Effingham twp. His death was reported by his son William Ellis. John Ellis is buried at Northbrook cemetery.

Jane French b.. 1816 N. Marysburgh d. Feb. 3. 1887 (age 71) Camden, Kaladar twp..

2. Ann Ellis b. ABT. 1818, married ? Ferguson

3. William Henry Ellis b. abt. 1820 d. Nov..26.1892 Prince Edward Co. (His death reg. on Ancestry.was reported by Horatio N. Ellis). His spouse was Mary Jamison (b. 1814 Ireland, d. June 25.1885 Prince Edward). Marriage: William Ellis and Mary Jamison, both of Sophiasburgh, M. 21 Feb 1844. Witnessed by Lewis Ketcham, Mary Byrns. Performed by-REV. RICHARD JONES, WESLEYAN METHODIST, Prince Edward.

Their son: Horatio N. Ellis b. abt 1845, married Nov.6.1878. Horatio, 33, farmer, S. Marysburgh, s/o William Henry and Mary Ellis, married Susannah M. Kerr, 22, S. Marysburgh, d/o Andrew and Matilda Kerr, Picton, Prince Edward Co.

4. Lavina Ellis b.June 17.1822 Black River, Prince Edward Co.-d.Oct.17.1886 Glamorgan twp. ON. Married Conrad Rose b. May 1814 Prince Edward Co., d. Oct.17.1897 Glamorgan twp. ON. They married Jan.16.1840 Prince Edward Co. Conrad Rose and Lavina Ellis, both of Marysburgh, 16 Jan 1840. Performed by-REV. JOHN G. MANLEY, WESLEYAN MINISTER. Witnessed by John Coffin, Peter Rose. From information I've found, Conrad’s parents were Peter Rose b. 1779 and died Mar.17.1857 Prince Edward Co. and Christina Bongard b. May 17.1788 Adolphustown and d. May 25.1885 Prince Edward Co.

5. Samuel Ellis b. 1820 b. Prince Edward, married Esther Hutchinson b. 1818 England

6. Fanny Ellis b. ABT 1826 (spouse unknown)

7. Mary Elizabeth Ellis ABT 1828 (spouse unknown)

I would also like to know if anyone can give me information about Sara Ann Ellis, daughter of Capt. Wm. Ellis. She married Capt. John Dunam VanAlstine. Is she somehow reltated to this Ellis family?

If anyone can supply me with more information about any of these family members, who may have possibly been sibling to John Ellis b. 1790, and to his descendants, or disputes any information that I have noted here, I would be more than happy to hear from you, as I would like to have my files correct. There seem to be so many different Ellis families out there in Ontario, it's very hard to connect all of original family members and their descendants since they seemed to relocate all over the province. Thank you.

Hi Audrey,

Thanks for posting your Ellis and Brooks information. I'm glad there are a few of us working on this John Ellis as it gives me hope that one of us will figure out his ancestry someday. (If you already have done so since your last posting, please reply!)

I was interested to read your suggestion that John Ellis who married Fanny Collier and Ursula Burns may also have had three children by Mary Brooks. That hadn't occurred to me, and the dates do fit nicely. Since it would be unusual for someone to separate or divorce at that time, and it would also suggest that John Ellis migrated from PEC to Cramahe for the birth of son Benjamin and then back to PEC to marry Ursula, I'm holding out for the time being for a simpler solution.

Some of the information below that I've collected also appears in your posting, but I've arranged it geographically as a different approach to trying to fit in our John Ellis. I've not included all the descendants of the early Ellises in order to keep things simple, and I have deliberately tried to avoid information in internet genealogies that I haven't verified. Sources for primary documents are in parentheses. Let me know if you have any thoughts on this or can add/correct using primary sources.

Andrew

MARYSBURGH:
Group 1:
Andrew Ellis was on the Marysburgh muster roll 4 Oct 1784 (Pioneers of 5th Town) and was granted L8 C2 Marysburgh (The Settlement of Prince Edward County). A John Ellis was born about Feb 1790 (McDowall Register) in South Marysburgh (OVR death for John's son Frederick), and is probably the one who married Fanny Collier 12 Oct 1819 in Marysburgh (McDowall Register). He may be the same John Ellis who married Ursula Burns 2 May 1838 in Marysburgh (McDowall Register) and had children Hiram b abt July 1839 who married Emily Maria Welbanks, and Samuel b 1841 who married Catherine Empey. I have put Andrew Ellis UEL together with John Ellis b 1790 since they had property close together. John was at L10 C1 South Marysburgh at the mouth of the Black River in the Marysburgh 1861 census, and Andrew had been granted L8 C2. John died 20 Dec 1862 and was buried at Black Creek Church (Cemeteries of PEC by CLR Wanamaker). Our John Ellis doesn't seem to fit here unless we invoke your suggestion of a separation/divorce.

Group 2:
I have placed John Ellis born ~1813, husband of Jane French, as a brother to William H Ellis born March 1814, husband of Mary Jamison. John and William H were born too early to be children of John Ellis and Fanny Collier above, who were not married until 1819. The older John may have married prior to Fanny, but I haven't seen evidence of this yet. John Ellis b ~1813 was born in PEC (OVR death for daughter Mary) and married Jane French about 1835. I assume that the John Ellis who purchased the east half of L16 C1 Marysburgh on 26 Jun 1835 and the west half the following spring (PEC land deeds) was this John, as there does not seem to be another reasonable choice. Purchasing the land the same year he was married does seem logical. John and Jane had Frederick Ellis 29 Jan 1836 in South Marysburgh and had several other children, including Samuel b 14 Feb 1843, who had sons Horatio and Walter, unusual names that also appear as sons of William H. John and William H both having descendants named Horatio and Walter is one reason for placing John and William H as siblings. Another is that John and Jane had moved to Kaladar by 1861, and the property they left behind was occupied by William H Ellis until at least the publication of the 1878 Belden Atlas. Again, it does not seem that our John Ellis has a place here since Mary Brooks was born too late to be the mother of these brothers, and she could not have been this John's wife unless there was a divorce.

Group 3:
William Ellis born ~1823 who lived at South Bay married Phoebe Almira Mack and had at least seven children before dying in 1875. His birthplace is sometimes listed as Nova Scotia in the census, but is Ontario in others and once recorded as "N" crossed out and replaced with "O". The fact that he is listed next to a Brooks in the 1871 South Marysburgh census is a red herring, for that Brooks is the grandson of George Brooks, UEL, of Fredericksburgh, who cannot be the father of our Mary Brooks since he had a daughter Mary who was more than a decade older than ours.

Group 4:
M Ellis married Frances and had Elizabeth Ellis b 1838 in South Marysburgh (ancestry.ca marriages). Elizabeth married David Brown, b 1837. I don't know who this M Ellis is, but he may be connected to William Ellis in group 3 since their properties were walking distance apart on the south side of South Bay.

HALLOWELL (INCLUDING PICTON):
John Ellis, b ca1762 (Upper Canada Herald death notice) was probably born in the US. He was likely the same John who settled in Hallowell as a UEL (Loyalist List). He may have been the father of Rebecca Ellis, b ~1781 in NY State because Rebecca was in Hallowell at her first marriage in 1804 (McDowall register). She later lived in Hallowell just NE of PICTON with her family. Her son James Ruttan later settled about 11 km away in Marysburgh near the Andrew Ellis property, so Andrew and Rebecca's father might have been related. The John Ellis who was in Hallowell in 1798 (property assessment roll) and again in 1811 when listed as a mason (petition for Prince Edward freemasonry lodge) is probably the one b ~1762 who died in Hallowell 25 Mar 1811 (Upper Canada Herald death notice). Perhaps the John Ellis b ~1803 who died 3 Jan 1833 at Hallowell (Hallowell Free Press 8 Jan 1833) is his son.

Internet genealogies have placed John Ellis b Feb 1790 in South Marysburgh as the son of John Ellis b ca1762 who settled in Hallowell. Perhaps this is true, but given that Marysburgh and Hallowell each had an Ellis loyalist, this father/son connection is not compelling. If it is false, then this leaves an opening for our John Ellis as the son of John b ca 1762, provided that the John Ellis above who died 1833 in Hallowell is not the son of John b ca1762.

AMELIASBURGH:
The earliest Ellises I know about were women and thus had no children with surname Ellis.
1808 - Catherine Ellis and husband Abraham Ruttan had son Joseph Ruttan baptised on July 23 (McDowell register)
1808 - Rachel Ellis and husband William Ruttan had son Jacob Ruttan baptised on Dec 29 (McDowell register)

HILLIER:
George Ellis b before 1785 arrived in PEC from New Brunswick, probably about 1808, already married with children. This George is an uncle of mine through another branch of the family, and I have investigated him thoroughly. This George already had a son John Dorland Ellis b abt 1821, leaving no room for our John Ellis.

FREDERICKSBURGH:
John Ellis and Hanna were in Fredericksburgh in 1796 at the baptism of son Joseph Ellis. Some have placed this John as the John b ca1762 of Hallowell, but I can't confirm this placement yet. If this is incorrect, our John could be of this family. Our John Ellis' son John b 1830 is listed as born PICTON (the death record you located), and the census lists him as born "urban Ontario," so PICTON is probably accurate. This would require our John to have moved from Fredericksburgh to Hallowell if he is a child of John and Hanna.

SIDNEY:
James Ellis and wife Catherine had John b 1807, Samuel b 1808, and James Gilbert Ellis b 1810, all baptised in Sidney Twp (McDowall register). James G appears in adjacent Murray Twp in 1851, but his brother John vanishes. I expect he is the John Ellis who died in Murray Twp in 1846 (Court Inquest Records located by Mary Chung and copied by Eleanor Burnett), and is therefore not our John.

There are other Ellises appearing on the Loyalist List, but I don't yet have information on where they settled. Some may have been in PICTON or had descendants who moved there.

Regarding the Brooks of PEC...

1. The David Brooks b 1790 who married Catherine Delong and lived in Ameliasburgh is not related to our Mary Brooks because they were from the US and were still there for the birth of their first child, Jeremiah, about 1816, well after our Mary was born in Canada.
2. The John Brooks and Eve Kettle of Sophiasburgh are not the parents of our Mary b ~1807 since they had a Mary b 1812 who married Stephen Weeks.
3. The George Brooks b 1798 and David Brooks b 1804 were brothers, and children of George Brooks, UEL, of Fredericksburgh. George is my ancestor through a different line of my family, and I'm sure his daughter Mary is not ours because she was born before 1795.
4. The only Brooks in the county that I've noticed who might be promising is the Edward Brooks born in PICTON in 1796 (OVR deaths). Since our John Ellis and Mary Brooks had a child born in PICTON, Edward might be connected.

This analysis solves nothing, but it might help move us somewhere later.