Hi Eloise, How are you? I am an Ellis researcher also, but I am "stuck" in Pa. My earliest Ellis is Benjamin Ellis b. around 1800, where I don't know at this point. We have him on Pa Census reports. Our Ellis family is from Tioga, Bradford Co. Pa and surrounding areas. I also have some Ellis from VA in my files. I have an Andrew Ellis, who married Mary Alderson. Elizabeth Ellis married Joseph McClung. There are various other Ellis people in my files from VA, if you are interested. I also know a good Ellis researcher who exclusively researches Ellis- five lines of them, which are around PA, NY, NJ. One line comes from England, he says. As for "Apprentices of VA", I do not see Edward. I do find a James Ellis, master of Agnes McComes. His occupation is unspecified. Beginning date, 1753, ending date is unspecified. It was in Augusta Co. VA. Agnes's father was David McComes [deceased]. Source was: Augusta Parish Vestry Book 1746-1780. You will find my PA Ellis family on the Family Treemaker site. Joyce in Ca. <A HREF="http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/a/r/m/Joyce-C-Armstrongcooper/">Fam ily Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Pages: The Cooper Family </A>