Jesse Ellis, 2nd s. of James Ellis, Sr. and Sarah Riggs, b. May 6, 1784 poss. at "old" Washington County, NC (that part now Greene County, TN). He likely was named after his maternal uncle, Jesse Riggs. He d. Oct. 3, 1853 at North Okaw Twp, Coles County, IL and is believed to be interred in possibly an unmarked grave at Mount Zion Baptist Cemetery where several of his children are knowingly interred.

Jesse was married four times. On Aug. 2, 1804 at Jefferson County, TN, Jesse m. 1) Jane "Jennie" Elliott, dau. of James Elliott and sister of Jesse's brother William's wife, b. Nov. 6, 1782 at "old" Greene (now Hamblen) County, TN. Jennie d. in Sept. 1836 at North Okaw Twp, Coles County, IL. Nine children of the marriage, all b. at Tennessee before the family relocated to Coles County, IL:

• i. James Ellis, b. May 20, 1805; m. Nov. 30, 1826, Talitha Keller, dau. John Keller and Elizabeth Green. Five known children of the family.

• ii. John "Jacky" Ellis, b. May 19, 1806, d. Sept. 3, 1895 at Cumberland County, IL; m. 1) Nov. 16, 1826 at Lincoln County, TN, Nancy V. Langston, dau. of William Langston and Mary Yarbrough, b. Sept. 14, 1811 at Union County, NC. She d. Nov. 12, 1853. Ten children of the marriage. John m. 2) May 25, 1854 at Coles County, IL, Sarah Cross, who d. Feb. 19, 1893. Four children of the marriage.

• iii. William Ellis, b. Jan. 12, 1808, d. Sept. 13, 1896 at Moultrie County, IL; m. 1) Jan. 1, 1829, Nancy "Eliza" Hart, who d. 1855 at Moultrie County. Five children of the marriage. William m. 2) Apr. 20, 1856 at Moultrie County, the widow Sarah (Wegar) Miller. No children have been identified by this marriage.

• iv. Clisby Ellis, b. Apr. 10, 1810, d. in Oct. 1849 at Moultrie County, IL; m. 1) Nov. 30, 1830 at Lincoln County, TN, Jane Keller, the sister of his brother James' wife. Seven children of the marriage, the four youngest dying in infancy. Clisby m. 2) Oct. 31, 1839 at Shelby County, IL, his step-sister Nancy M. Curry, dau. of George Curry and Isabel Elliot, Nancy being the dau. of Clisby's father Jesse's 2nd wife. Three children of the marriage.

• v. Margaret Ellis, b. Dec. 3, 1811, d. Oct. 8, 1875 at Coles County, IL; m. Jan. 18, 1829 at Lincoln County, TN, Joseph Keller, s. of John M. Keller and Elizabeth Green, b. Feb. 7, 1808 at Lincoln County, TN. He d. Nov. 21, 1874 at Coles County, IL. Eleven children of the family.

• vi. Pleasant Moore Ellis, b. Apr. 8, 1813, d. Apr. 9, 1885 at Coles County, IL; m. 1) July 15, 1834 at Lincoln County, TN, Tyra Melvina Keller, sister of the husband of Pleasant's sister Margaret, b. Sept. 1, 1815 at Lincoln County, TN. She d. Feb. 28, 1855 at Coles County, IL. Seven children of the marriage. Pleasant m. 2) Nov. 20, 1856 at Coles County, IL, Rebecca Renfro, who d. Mar. 13, 1875. Two children of the marriage. He m. 3) Mar. 21, 1876 at Coles County, IL, the wid. Susan (Hall) Cartwright, by whom he had no known children.

• vii. Wiley C. Ellis, b. Mar. 12, 1815, d. in Nov 1845 at Lincoln County, TN; m. Feb. 3, 1838 at Lincoln County, TN, Margaret Ann "Peggy" Waggoner. Two children of the marriage. Peggy m. 2) Aug. 10, 1847 at Lincoln County, Bennett Whitaker.

• viii. Jesse Keller Ellis, b. Feb. 20, 1817, d. July 20, 1894 at Coles County, IL; m. Aug. 17, 1846 at Coles County, Nancy Fuller, dau. of Henry and Jennie Fuller, b. Dec. 23, 1822 at Virginia. She d. Mar. 14, 1895 at Coles County. Ten children of the family.

• ix. Willis H. Ellis, b. Sept. 30, 1819, d in infancy Mar. 20, 1821.

Jesse m. 2) Nov. 1, 1836 at Shelby County, IL, his sister-in-law Isabel Elliot, widow of George Curry. She d. circa 1844. Isabel previously had at least two children by her first husband. The only child of Jesse Ellis and Isabel Elliot is:

• x. Sarah Minerva Ellis, b. July 2, 1841 at Coles County, IL, d. Apr. 4, 1915 at Moultrie County, IL; m. Apr. 15, 1858 at Moultrie County, William Alfred Hendricks. Five known children of the family.

Jesse m. 3) circa 1845 the widow Nancy (Chowning) Owens. There are no known children of the marriage.

Jesse m. 4) Mar. 14, 1847 at Shelby County, IL, Mariah Bennett, dau. of Richard Bennett and Mary Bell, and wid. of Nathan Curry, b. Jan. 7, 1812 at Sumner County, TN. She d. Jan. 30, 1891 at Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory, but is interred at Coles County, IL. She had at least two children by her first marriage. The five children of her 2nd marriage to Jesse Ellis are:

• xi. Benjamin F. Ellis, twin son, b. Jan. 2, 1848, d. in infancy Feb. 1, 1848.

• xii. Isaac U. Ellis, twin son, b. Jan. 2, 1848, d. in infancy Jan. 16, 1848.

• xiii. Mary Ann Ellis, b. Apr. 5, 1849, d. Feb. 25, 1924 at Cache, Comanche County, OK; m. Nov. 4, 1864 at Coles County, IL, Salem J. Hardin, who became a physician. No known children of the marriage.

• xiv. Dr. Joseph B. Ellis, b. Sept. 5, 1851, d. Aug. 3, 1914 at Shawnee, Pottawatomie County, OK; m. Ellen C. Stearns circa 1880, who d. May 20, 1921 also at Shawnee, OK. Four children of the family.

• xv. Nathan Curry Ellis, b. Apr. 27, 1854, d. Mar. 23, 1927 at Moultrie County, IL; m. 1) Mar. 15, 1877 Norah Ann Webb, by whom he had four children; m. 2) Oct. 19, 1905 Hettie B. Strickland, by whom he had no children. She d. May 6, 1935.

Edited 1/1/2016