Dear Jaz and Nancy, We all know that working backwards from the known to the unknown is conventional wisdom when doing genealogical research and usually it's the best approach. But there are times when we need to try different approaches when we reach brick walls. I am also researching a name similar to EILLES in northern England that presents a serious challenge because it has undergone several spelling changes in the last 500+ years. ELLISSE had many variations in spellings in parish records. Have you found a variety of ways that EILLES was spelled? Have you discovered any records that used a spelling similar to Ellisse, Elisse, Ellise or Ellice? By the mid to late 1500s the spelling had changed to ELLYSON and ELLISON in Yorkshire records. Have you found this spelling as a variant of EILLES? The information that I have about the location of the ELLISSEs in the 1400s and early 1500s indicates that they lived in Hukersal, Yorkshire but I haven't found any name similar to Hukersal on any ancient maps or gazeteer info about Yorkshire. One member of the Yorkshire mailing list on Rootsweb suggested to me that it might be a very old spelling for the town of Hook which is across the river from Howden in East Yorkshire. Are you familiar with any names of towns or farms anywhere in northern England or the border counties called "Hukersal"? If either of you see any possible connections between your EILLES ancestors and my ELLISSE ancestors, I would be delighted to correspond with you and share more information, Nancy and Jaz. If anyone on the Borders mailing list is doing research on the ELLISSE, ELLYSON, ELLISON or ALLISON surnames, I hope you will contact me. My maiden name is Allison and I live in Decatur, Illinois in the USA. I would love to travel to Yorkshire and other areas of northern England and visit the countryside where my ancestors lived 500 years ago and do genealogical research there. That is my dream and I hope that I'll have the opportunity to make that journey in the next several years. I know that my trip will be most successful if I can correspond with other researchers who are also interested in the same ancient ancestors. Best wishes, Mary Allison Yonan Decatur, Illinois USA [email protected] ************* Here's my decendancy chart: date place of birth wife died of birth 1) Robert Ellisse abt 1400 Hukersal, Yorkshire ? ? 2) Edward Ellisse abt 1440 " " ? ? 3) Anthony Ellisse abt 1470 " " ? ? 4) John Ellisse abt 1500 " " ? ? 5) Thomas Ellisse 1529 Howden, " Jennett ? 6) Lawrencius Ellison Oct 28, 1570 " " Jane Clynt 7) Lawrence Ellison Jan 2, 1599/1600 " " Maryn Rishton Dec 1665/66 8) Thomas Ellison Jan 2, 1599/1600 Blackburn, Lanca. Martha Champion May 1697 9) John Ellison abt 1652 Hempstead, L.I., N.Y. Eleanor Dec 1721 10) John Allison abt 1680 " " " ? 1754 (note spelling) 11) John Allison abt 1719 " " " Amy Wood Nov 1782 12) Benjamin Allison Jan 6, 1766 Haverstraw, N.Y. Pheobe Davidson Oct 1836 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jaz Eilles" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 10:58 AM Subject: Re: [BORDER] New member > > Thank you for your reply Nancy > > > > I do suppose we are grasping at straws, we have reached a dead-end going back > > from Thomas EILLES of Ryton at this point. > > > > However, James, Thomas and Elizabeth are common names in the Durham EILLES > > branch. > > > > As you are aware EILLES is quite an unusual name and we have discovered in our > > researching that if an EILLES crops up somewhere, there is usually a > > connection. We found a stray EILLES in Virginia who turns out to be a son a > > of Thomas EILLES mentioned in my first posting. A Rick Ellis appeared in > > Tennessee who is also descended from Thomas EILLES. Matthew Eilles changed > > his name to Ellis on his immigration to the United States. I could go on.... > > > > Do you know if the name EILLES has any connecton to EILDON? Can you go > > further back than Nichol? > > > > Perhaps Thomas E who married JENNETY BLAEKY were brothers? > > > > Once again thank you for your reply. > > > > Best wishes Jaz > > Naperville, IL USA but brought up in Whitley Bay, Northumberland, married to > > Alan EILLES born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne > > > > James ELLIES or ELLES, weaver of Melrose, Roxburghshire, married in 1690 > > Isobel USHER. They are my ancestors : I descend from their daughter > > Elizabeth (bap 1691) who married James SMAIL. Further children were Isobel, > > 1694, Margaret 1703, and George 1707. > > > > If Thomas E married Jennet in Legerwood in 1694, then I doubt that he would > > be a son of James the weaver of Melrose. It is quite some gap you have to > > bridge from James ELLIES in Melrose, and your ancestors in County Durham. > > Do you have good reason to believe that they originated in Melrose, I > > wonder? If not, then I'd suggest you just progress back from the known to > > the unknown, and forget the Melrose lot for the time being! > > > > Best wishes- > > Nancy McLaughlin > > Christchurch, NZ > > > > > > ==== BORDER Mailing List ==== > Volunteer to transcribe for Berwickshire 1841 census > [email protected] >