Stephen Ellis - any ideas?

[JosiahS]

Hello there!

I am running out of ideas for tracing my ancestor Stephen Ellis.

My first sighting of him is in Chobham where he has 2 illegitimate children by 2 women within a year (1789/90) - I am descended from the second one Hannah Ellis Bartlett, the daughter of Elizabeth Bartlett.

Stephen then moved to East Clandon where he married a widow, Sarah Meaden nee Freeland, and had 3 children - his wife Sarah died in 1797.  Elizabeth Bartlett then turned up in that parish and had Ruth Ellis Bartlett to him in 1803 and seemingly a John Ellis Bartlett in 1807 though I have no baptism for him (he says he was born East Clandon)

Looking through the East Clandon account books I can see that Stephen, who was a miller, paid his tithes until about 1805/6 - for a couple of years it is not possible really to tell if he has defaulted or moved.

The last sighting was in November 1815 when the Overseers' Accounts show that on 11 November 1815 Stephen Ellis was given 1s in relief.  Just below that there was an entry reading:

Paid for the order of Stephen Ellis 6s 6d
taking him home to Headley in Hants 16s 0d

Presumably he had gone to East Clandon for the lying-in of his daughter Sarah, who was also being looked after by the parish at that time.

I have looked in the 1841 and 51 censuses but can see nobody who seems likely to be my Stephen, equally I have checked the Surrey and Hampshire Burial Indexes and he is in neither.

I know I need to check the Headley Overseers Accounts too if they still exist, but I don't understand why I can't find a burial for him - in theory after 1813 I should get his age at death which would be a help.

I am reasonably confident that he is not one of the Stephen Ellises baptised out near Frimley.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Oh, by the way, Elizabeth Bartlett is a whole other problem but the story will have to wait for another time.

Cheers

Ashley

[lisa3865]

Hi Ashley,
Hannah Ellis Bartlett is my 4x great grandmother.
Stephen Ellis was definitely a character lol
I'm looking into Hannahs father Thomas John Saunders.
I have gone with Josiah Saunders as his father from Abbots Langley Hertfordshire. Just wondering if you could confirm this and if correct do you have his mother's name.
Kind regards
Lisa

[JosiahS]

Hello Lisa

Do you mean the Hannah Bartlett born 1790 who married Thomas Saunders?  Her father was Stephen Ellis as he is named on the bastardy bond in the parish records and also on her baptism.

If you are refering to Thomas Saunder's father in High Wycombe then there are no records refering to him.  His son, Josiah, (my ancestor) moved to Sunderland and his first marriage was witnessed by a Henry Saunders, also born outside of County Durham, who seems to have been linked to a younger Charles Saunders whose father was named as Josiah (but not mine) when he married.  I think the two Saunders families are related but I have no idea in what way.

Does that help?

Ashley

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
Have you looked at the Land Tax records for East Clandon?
Stephen Ellis is renting from William Sanders from 1798-1831
(The records end on Ancestry 1832).
Before that
1796 renting from Richard Street

1791-1800 there is a Stephan Ellis at West Horsley owner occupier.

Of course latter entries at East Clandon could be the son but it is the same piece of land each time so may well be the father.

I'll see what else I can find.
Can I just ask are you sure it's Headley Hampshire and not Surrey he went to?

Ciderdrinker

[JosiahS]

Stephen Ellis married Sarah Meaden (nee Freeland) in East Clandon in East Clandon in 1792 and they had three children up to 1796.  His wife died in 1797.

Once she had died Elizabeth Bartlett seems to have moved in with him and they had three more children I am aware of between 1803 and 1807.

It is clear from the Overseers Accounts book that Stephen was paying Poor Rate Tax in the parish until October 1803.  He was assessed in terms of property at £4 15s with a further 5s as a tithe.  In 1802 the Poor Rate was 4s in the £, and in 1803 it was 3s in the £.

By November 1805 he has disappeared from the accounts book as a contributor but his property continues to be charged at the expense of a James Buckland and it was referred to as Late Ellises or just Ellises until 1820, but that year his rate was uncollected.  In future years it was paid by a member of the Buckland family.

His only other appearance was in November 1815 when the Overseers' Accounts show that on 11 November 1815 Stephen Ellis was given 1s in relief.  Just below that there was an entry reading:

Paid for the order of Stephen Ellis 6s 6d, taking him home to Headley in Hants 16s 0d.  This makes me suspect that the person renting up till 1831 may have been his son as if he was renting property in the parish I don't think they would have removed him.

Presumably he had gone to East Clandon for the lying-in of his daughter Sarah, who was also being looked after by the parish at that time.  She must have miscarried as no baptism appears in that parish records for her child.

I hope that helps.

Ashley

[JosiahS]

You are probably aware that Stephen Ellis Jnr was living with his half sister Hannah Saunders in 1841 in Godalming

[ciderdrinker]

Good Morning
I've pondered this over night and done a little more digging.
Have you considered earlier censuses ,pre 1841?
Chobham censuses have survived 1801,1811 and 1831 which may help for the Bartletts.
Apparently 1801 has everyone named.
Headley Hants apparently has a population study 1820-1830 (It has no date but was probably done for the 1821 ) at Surrey Record Office in the Guildford Moniment ? Room.
Usually they is some kind of box to tick for ages male ,ages female in 10 year gaps which could be worth a look.

The how about militia lists of young men eligible to be called up for  military service? Not the ones who actually joined up to fight Napoleon but who could be called up. Every man 15 to 50 in theory should be on the list.Have they survived for Surrey ?
And tithe maps for East Clandon and Headley does Stephen Ellis senior appear on any of them?

And this is just a wild card but there is this couple
Stephen Eyles and Elizabeth Worsefield married 7.11.1766 at Elstead St James
He is from Farnham and she is of this parish
Witness Richard Edglen and Thomas Collyer
They go on to have the following children -James 3.4.1769-6.4.1769 ,Mary 10.2.1770 ,Sarah 6.9.1771-23.3.1845 ?,Elizabeth 1.6.1773,Charles 11.4.1775,William 21.6.1777 Elstead,Thomas 25.7.1779 -28.11.1793 ,James 16.3.1781-29.3.1829 ,Ann 25.4.1783 ,and Hannah 27 .3.1785.
Mostly at Godalming
Stephen Eyles was buried at Godalming 21 Oct 1813  Born 1738.They is a Death Duty record which may be enlightening  for 1815.His Will says he is a wheelwright and leaves everything to his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth his widow  in 1828 mentions daughter Sarah and then residue to rest of my children.Again her Death Duty record may be more help.

Could there be an older son Stephen born c 1768? It's just that there is a Charles and a Hannah like your family and Godalming seems a strange coincidence.

Just a thought

Ciderdrinker

[lisa3865]

Hi Ashley,
I went with Josiah as The father of Thomas as geographically Abbots Langley isn't too far away from High Wycombe and dates fit. I found this record on Freereg https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5feb0e62f493fd5a2a23ab91/thomas-saunders-baptism-hertfordshire-abbots-langley-1786-08-06?locale=en&search_id=65abef31865574be21747673&ucf=false
Unfortunately I'm not signed up to any sites that charge a fee, so my research is through free sites and Google.
Lisa

[JosiahS]

But the dates don't fit - Thomas was born in 1790 and he consistently says in High Wycombe.  Also it is worth bearing in mind that Josiah was not the first child they had - the first one was William.  There is no baptism but he was buried 5 December 1816.  I suspect that Josiah had already been born by this time so they did not re-use the name William.  The next children were daughters, but the next son was called William (buried 1825), and the last born 1830 in Chilworth.  Clearly it is an important name for Thomas: as a name William does not come from Hannah's side of the family.