Rachel (Adey) Ellis (1852)

Born 10 Aug 1852 in Hant's Harbour, Newfoundland Colony

Wife of Samuel Ellis — married 4 Nov 1871 in Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Brad Foley [send private message]

Biography

Martin and Amelia’s first child was named Rachel, perhaps after one of William and Mary’s children. She was born August 10, 1852. Her younger brothers and sisters were Caroline (1854), Jane (1855), William Edward (1860), Samuel (1862), Ann (1864) and Reuben (1867). Jane was later called Chrissy^[1].

Martin died in April, 1867 at age 48, just a few months before Reuben’s birth. Harold Adey, one of Martin’s grandsons, heard that Martin died on the Labrador coast and was put in a casket with salt and brought home for burial. Harold also said that his brother Leonard had heard that Martin had died in Hant’s Harbour of mastoiditis. In any event, Martin’s death resulted in the breakup of the rest of the family since his widow was unable to support seven children on her own. Rachel, who at this time was 14 years old, was brought up by Richard and Amelia Pelley. Richard was a fisherman while Amelia was the town midwife - a responsibility which Rachel quickly learned and eventually inherited. Rachel reputedly never lost a child or mother during childbirth.

Taken from "Growing up - Up In Cove", Abbie Whiffen^[2]

I was born on October 7, 1926, at my parents’ home. Grandma Ellis, then 74, a midwife for many years and living next door, came in and delivered me before the nurse arrived.

Grandma Tuck (Aunt Ada as she was known) and the Ellis family around 1943. Back row: Harold, Abbie, Herb (Pop), Ethel (Mom), and Millie. Front Row: Marina, Grandma Tuck, and Audrey. The house behind them is where Grandma Ellis lived. (Photo courtesy of Abbie Whiffen)

She named me after a daughter-in-law of hers who had died several years before. I grew up in Caplin Cove which is part of Hant’s Harbour in Trinity Bay.

One of my earliest memories is going out in her front garden in early summer and looking at the lilac trees in full bloom, the honeysuckle and the lovely rose bushes imported from Canada (a foreign country at that time). She had many flowers: May Flower, Primroses which we used to call cowslips, Garden Musk, Scarlet Lighters, Tansy, Garden Fern, Boy’s Love, Bleeding Heart, Bridal Bouquet, Sweet Williams, English Daisies, Globe Flower, Lady Grass and Poppies to name just some of them, and a very large red pony where everyone gathered to have their picture taken. When people came to visit, and she had lots of friends, they were always assured of a large bunch of cut flowers. When someone died, flowers were picked and a wreath made for the coffin.

Marriage

Event Type Marriage
Event Date 04 Nov 1871
Event Place Hant’s Harbour, Trinity South, Newfoundland
Gender Male
Spouse's Name Rachel Adey
Spouse's Gender Female^[3]

Methodist. Both of Hants Harbour. w. Richard Pelly and Mary(?) Ann Pelly.

Sources

1. ↑ The Family History of Herb and Ethel Ellis. 1999. Accessed 2018.
2. ↑ http://www.therooms.ca/ic_sites/fisheries/whiffen.asp?frame=off
3. ↑ "Newfoundland Vital Statistics, 1753-1893," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9T-P9G5 : 8 May 2015), Samuel Ellis and Rachel Adey, 04 Nov 1871; citing Marriage, Hants Harbour, Trinity South, Newfoundland, Canada, Provincial Archives, St. John's.