Hi Mick
I'm sorry I can't help you, but I'm sure there is a connection between your Thomas (1759) and my Richard. I don't have a christening for Richard, but he married on the 19 Aug 1760 to Mary Horton and continued to live in Hambledon until sometime after 1788 when they moved to Portsea.
I don't have parents for my Richard, but I suspect that my Richard and your James (parents of Thomas) might have been brothers - but how to prove it?
If you find the link then I am more than happy to share what I have of the very large Ellis family that my Richard and Mary spawned, some very interesting intermarriages through the generations makes for complicated reading. Just send me a person message through Rootsweb.
Keep in touch on your research, and I'll do the same.
Regards
Val
ps: Rootsweb was great, the information given allowed me to find Richards burial in 1802.