1Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, Lt. John1 and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis of Sandwich, Mass.,NEHGS Vol. 119, pp. 268-270 (Oct. 1965).
Despite this suggestion that Freeman Ellis married Mercy Winslow, I feel that the earlier evidence for Melatiah White marrying Mercy Winslow is stronger.
"5. FREEMANsup>2 ELLIS (Lt. John<sup1), born about 1661, died in Sandwich before 20 June 1728.
He married about 1686 MERCY --------. The Rochester Town Records give the births of th children of Freeman Ellis and Mercy, his wife, but curiously enough she did not quit-claim any deeds, and this despite the fact that she survived him since the probate records show that Judge Winslow appointed the widow Mercy Ellis and the son, Joel Ellis, joint executors of his estate. Since four of the children removed to Nantucket it is possible that their mother's family lived there; perhaps a thorough search of deeds and probates of that island may produce evidence of this. Several early deeds (see below) show that Freeman Ellis had dealings with members of the Winslow family and we suggest that further research may reveal that his wife was in some way connected with that family group. It is to be noted that Freeman and Mercy Ellis gave the then rather uncommon name of Eleanor to one of their daughters (the name of the wife of Kenelm1 Winslow) and that Kenelm2 winslow married Mercy Worden.
Freeman Ellis took the Oath of Allegiance in 1681 (Freeman, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 73-74). He evidently accompanied his mother when she removed to Sippican (this is Rochester) or settled there soon after.
Although we have failed to find record of it we believe that the widow Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis must have deeded Sippican land to her son Freeman about the time of his marriage.
. . .
Children (recorded in Rochester):
i. THANKFUL,3 b. 29 May 1687; no further record, unless she was one of the unnamed daughters mentioned in her father's will.
23. ii. JOEL, b. 5 Feb. 1688/9.
iii. DOROTHY, b. 1 Jan. 1691; d. probably soon after the birth of her youngest child in 1720; m. 23 Dec. 1713 NATHANIEL FISH, b. about 1685, d. in Sandwich in 1774.
Children (surname Fish): 1. Sarah, b. 23 Jan. 1713/14; probably d. young -- not named in her father's will. 2. Nathaniel, b. 30 May 1715; d. in Sandwich 3 Sept. 1789; m. (1) about 1734, Mary -----, by whom she had eight children; m. (2), about 1765, Mary -----, by whom he had one child named Ellis Fish. 3. Abigail, b. 5 Jan. 1717/18; m. about 1737 Justus Howland. 4. Jonathan, b. 8 May 1720.
iv. ELIZABETH, b. 2 Oct. 1693; m. 16 Jan. 1719 PETER SWAIN, son of Joseph and Mary (Sibley) Swain, brother of Margaret Swain who m. her brother Mordecai3 Ellis (#26 below) and of Charity Swain who m. her brother Ebenezer3 Ellis (#24 below).
24. v. EBENEZER, b. 7 Feb. 1695/6.
vi. PATIENCE, b. Aug. 1 1699; d. after 25 Sept. 1741; m. (1), 25 Dec. 1728, as his third wife, EDWARD4 WING, b. 3 March 1690, d. intestate in Dartmouth before 25 Sept. 1741 when "Patience Wood, now the wife of William Wood, glazer," is named as widow of Edward Wing; m. (2), 29 Sept. 1737, William Wood.
Child by first husband (surname Wing): 1. Sarah, b. in Dartmouth 17 June 1731; named in the distribution of her father's estate.
25. ?vii. GIDEON, b. 5 Feb. [1700/1?].
26. viii. MORDECAI, b. 7 Oct. 1702.
ix. ELEANOR, b. 7 Sept. 1703, m. 24 Nov. 1723 STEPHEN SWAIN, son of John and Experience (Folger) Swain.
x. MERCY, b. about 1705; no further record, but perhaps one of the unnamed daughters of this father's will."