Ellis Family
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The Ellis family first appears in the Cowper family genealogy with Catherine Elizabeth Ellis (1864-1937)—the wife of John Cowper, Jr. Catherine was born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire County in Wales. (Click here for map)
Thomas Ellis was born in Llanrhaedr-ym-Monchnant, Denbighshire County, Wales in November or December of 1836. (Click here for map) He was baptized at the Wesleyan Church in Llanfyllin—a few miles to the southwest in the neighboring County of Montgomeryshire—on December 10, 1836.
Research by Dave Ellis indicates that "Thomas was indentured as an apprentice cooper [barrel maker] on 02 March 1849 when he was 12 years old for the period of 5 years to an Evan Bowen of Welshpool. It was the practice at the time for apprentices to live with their masters till they complete their apprenticeship." this information is backed up by the 1851 census, where 14-year-old Thomas is listed as an apprentice and living with Evan Bowers.
1851 Wales census: Welshpool Middle, Montgomeryshire, Wales
Thomas continued his work as a cooper, and is again enumerated 10 years later in Welshpool.
1861 Wales census: Pool (Welshpool), Montgomeryshire, Wales
As we can tell from this census,24-year-old Thomas is still unmarried, working as a cooper, and living in a boarding house.
Within a a few short months of the 1861 census, on June 20, 1861, Thomas would marry Martha Taylor (1836-after 1901) at the Wesleyan Chapel, on High Street in Welshpool. According to Dave Ellis, this chapel is two doors down from the boarding house where he stayed in the 1861 census. the marriage certificate indicates that Thomas was now a master cooper and lists his father as Thomas, innkeeper. The record also shows that his wife, Martha was living in Oswestry, and that her father was John Taylor, a master boot maker.
At some point in the next 10 years, Thomas Ellis and family would move to Liverpool.
1871 England census: District 12, Islington, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
1881 England census: District
59, Toxteth Park (Liverpool), Lancashire, England
1891
Census Toxteth Park
click for larger version
The 1891 census shows Thomas and family living in a house on 11 Gwyndir Street. Just down the street, on number 17, we find Thomas' son-in-law and daughter: John and Catherine Ellis Cowper. Thomas is now a foreman cooper.
1911 UK census: Toxteth Park (Liverpool), Lancashire, England/p>
The numbers to the right of Martha's name indicate that she is 49 years old and had had nine children, of whom seven were still living (and to who had died). Their daughter, Mary Harriet (age 33, single) is working as a manageress at British workman. Their grandson Henry Benson Cowper (age 17) is working as a tea packer. The last individual listed is a boarder. Also of note (and not visible in the screenshot above) is the fact that their home on 124 Admiral Street has eight rooms.
Thomas Ellis died on the 12th of January of 1914 in Toxteth Park at the age of 77. He is buried along with his wife, Martha (who died on 12 May 1917 aged 81), in the Toxteth Park Cemetery.
Thomas Ellis, Sr.
1808-1881