My Family Tree

According to Preston Ellis' history of the Ellis family, "William M. Ellis born at Bideford England son of the original shipbuilder of Bideford and Port Hill, PEI. Married Nancy, daughter of James Campbell of Port Hill. He purchased a farm now known as the MacKay farm at East Bideford, Lot 12 and opened up a shipyard there in his own right where he built a large number of fine ships. He was succeeded in turn by his son Totton Ellis, who continued building ships until depletion of the timber on the Island."

Children listed for William and Nancy were: James, Totton, John, Edward, Robert, Penrose, Elizabeth (Mrs. John Lock); Mary Ellis (Mrs. David Sullivan); Anna (Mrs. Alexander McDougald); Ann (Mrs. Robert Ramsay); Sarah (Mrs. Donald McLean). William was from Lot 12 on some of the baptismal records in the Church of England in St. Eleanor's.

In the 1841 census, William Ellis a ship builder, was in lot 12. He had a household of 11:
Males under 16 - 3
Males, 16-45 - 2
Females under 16 - 2
Females from 16-45 - 4

They were all Church of England. This might mean that their eldest daughter Hannah was still living at home in 1841.

By 1861, William Ellis was living next to his son William T. Ellis in Lot 12. The older daughters were all married. It looks like Edward, Robert D. and George Penrose were living at home.

3rd Prince, Regiment of Militia No 1 Company, 1867 - Capt Wm T Ellis, Lot 12; Lieut James Ellis, Wm's son; Ensign Edward Ellis, ditto

Ellis William and wife Summerside Journal 23 December 1880, page 3, col. 3 On the 27th October, at the residence of her son, Ellerslie, after being confined to her bed for over twenty years, Mrs. Wm. Ellis, aged 78 years. Also on the 8th Dec., at the same place, her husband, Mr. Wm. Ellis, aged 82 years, leaving many friends and relations to mourn their loss. (PEI Ancestry)

See http://www.islandregister.com/ellis2.html for more information on the Ellis family in PEI.