Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-07-29
COLONEL JOSEPH Ellis.
Paper read before the Historical So
ciety of Gloucester County, July
1S. 1908, by DIR. Wallace Me-
Ge0ge, of Camden.


In THE Battle Of Gloucester read
before this Society in January, 1906,
allusion was made to Colonel Ellis,
who commanded the Gloucester Coun-
ty Militia in that engagement. Many en-
quiries have been made about this
soldier, by those interested in Revolu-
tionary lore, as we'll as by some of his
descendants, and the following data
may prove interesting to the persons
named, and possibly to many members
of this Society.
There were two Joseph Ellis, uncle
and nephew, who lived in Gloucester
county in the middle of eighteenth
century. Joseph Ellis, who lived on
Newton Creek, and owned the land
where the New York Shipyard plant is
now located was the youngest son of
Simeon Ellis, one of the early settlers
in Newton township, who in 1891
bought from Francis Collins. of Mount
well, now Haddonfield, two hundred
acres of land southwest of the north
branch of Cooper's creek. He died in
1857, inteState, leaving a widow and
four daughters. but no son. This is
the Joseph Ellis who is described in
the Archives as living peaceful life,
devoting his time mainly to the culti-
walton and care of his many tracts of
land. Yet he was Chosen Freeholder
from Newton township in 1744 and1747
and member of Assembly in 1851 and
was appointed one of the Justices of
the Peace of Gloucester county by
Governor Belcher in that year.
Colonel Joseph Ellis was born about
1870, near Ellisburg, in what was then
Waterford township, but now is Della
ware township, on Holly brook. the
stream which supplies Haddonfield
with water Dr. John r. Stevenson
writes me that Colonel Joseph Ellis
was the son of Thomas Ellis, and
grandson of Simeon Ellis, and nephew
of the Joseph Ellis mentioned in the
preceding paragraph. His mother was
Catherine Collins, daughter of Francis
Collins, who married Thomas Ellis in
1922. He was named after his uncle
Joseph of Newton township, and as
this uncle by his marriage had no son,
he took his nepht% and namesake to
live with him and educated him.
After the death of his uncle, the
younger Joseph Ellis entered public
life, and, contrary to the principles of
militia. During the French war in
1853 and 1859, he served as captain of
the first company in Colonel John
Johnston's regiment, being commits
stoned by John Reading, who was then
President of Council, and acting Gov
ernor of the State (al Two men de-
serted from his company, April 80,
1853, before the march to Canada, and
t.
Is, offering a reward of E6 ($30) each
for their return to him. This is the
Colonel Johnston's Jersey regiment
that took part in the disastrous attack
on Ticonderoga- a peaceful renewal
of which took place in New York State
last week.
After his return from Canada he Sc
cured marriage license from the Gov
ernor as the Archives and Clements
First Settlers in Newton Township
shows. January 1, 1760, Captain
Joseph Ellis to Mary Hinchman, both
of Gloucester CO.. His wife was
daughter of John Hinchman, who 1iv-
ed in what is now known as Haddon
Heights.
For several years no public record
appears of Captain Ellis movements,
or where he resided But he still re-
tanned his commission as captain in
the Gloucester County Militia
In the troublous times preceding the
Revolution, Captain Ellis was active in
many ways. I'm the fall of 1774, com
mittees were appointed in each of the
townships of Gloucester county to re-
ceive donations for the relief of our
suffering brethren in Boston, and
Joseph Ellis was appointed treasurer
He was authorized to procure place
to store the provisions that should be
furnished and he was ordered at one
time to send 1884 in money on account
of the subscriptions received.
On May 5, 1775, at meeting of the
Committee of Correspondence for Glou
cester county, it was decided to call
a meeting of the inhabitants on May is
1775, to choose members for the
Provincial Congress which was to meet
in Trenton on May 2. Joseph Ellis
and John Cooper both served on this
committee. Notices were ordered
printed, and "a person be sent express
to Egg Harbor, with part thereof,
and alarm the Inhabitants of the con-
sequence thereof, and the necessity of
a meeting" (b).
Joseph Ellis, John Cooper and five
other citizens were chosen to serve for
twelve months in this Congress, any
three or more attending to be a stlf-
ficient representation, and the instruc-
tions drawn by John Cooper for said
Congress be taken by the members of
this county to said Congress for their
own guidance but not to be publish
ed fb). The minutes of the Provin-
cial Congress for 1775 show that Cap
tain Ellis attended the May, August
and October sessions in Trenton page
1S4).
October 26, 1775. he was appointed
bv the Provincial Congress, one of
the Muster Masters. to review and
muster in the companies (c) forming
the battallions ordered raised by the
Continental Congress. He was the only
member of the five deputies from Glou
cester county that attended the sit
tings of the Provincial Congress In