52 Ancestors, Week 18: Ellis W. Lancaster (1808-1866)

This is week 18 of the “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge” by Amy Crow from No Story Too Small.  I am a bit behind but intend to catch up.

This week I’m writing about Ellis W. Lancaster, who was my maternal fourth great-grandfather.

In his lifetime, he lived in four states: Virginia, where he was born on 7 Jul 1808; Shelby Co, Kentucky where he was married on 10 Jun 1831 to Elizabeth S. Neel; Missouri, where his eight children were all born; and Kaufman Co, Texas, where he died shortly before 13 Sep 1866.[1]

Ellis was most likely named after the maiden name of his mother, Sarah Ellis. Ellis’ father was Robert Lancaster.

As stated above, Ellis married Elizabeth S. Neel in Shelby Co, Kentucky and they moved to Missouri shortly after that, as evidence by their first born child, Sarah A. Lancaster, was born 11 April 1832 in Missouri.[2]  The following children were:
  • James R. Lancaster, born Sep 1835, death unknown
  • William T Lancaster, born 1837, death unknown
  • George Wilson Lancaster, born 3 Apr 1839, died 14 Jan 1919[3]
  • Lenir A. Lancaster, born 1843, death unknown
  • Catharine Susan Lancaster, born 1847, died 1871
  • Martha J. Lancaster, born 1848/49, death unknown
  • Hannah Lancaster, born 1850, death unknown
Almost the complete family in 1850 Lewis Co, MO census. Hanna, the youngest was born after the census was taken.
From the list of birth and death dates, I need to do more research on the extended family. I do know that the first seven were married as I have the names of their spouses.

 He also owned slaves and here is the 1850 slave schedule for Lewis Co, Missouri. Interesting that his slaves were all young females. Perhaps they worked in the house or yard garden.
1850 Lewis Co, MO slave schedule
Ellis and family moved to Texas sometime before 1860. He purchased his first piece of land from Mary Standifer and Samuel H. McHenry in Kaufman Co, Texas on 12 Feb 1858.[4] There were more transactions but I haven't had a chance to analyze them yet.

In 1860, Ellis stated his land was worth $3000 and his personal property worth $830. This was before the Civil War.  From the agricultural schedule, he had 160 acres of improved land and 160 acres unimproved. He also had $175 worth of machinery.  Livestock included 2 horses, 6 milk cows, 4 other types of cattle, 24 swine for a value of $459.  He also produced 200 bushels of Indian corn and 250 bushels of oats.
Here is Ellis Lancaster on the 1860 Agricultural Schedule
Ellis died sometime before 13 Sep 1866, when his wife, Elizabeth and son, William T. appeared in court concerning the estate of E.W. Lancaster.[5] Elizabeth was appointed executrix and William T. Lancaster and J.O. Monday as sureties. 
Kaufman County Probate, 1866, p 342
In October of the same year, Elizabeth returned to the court with the inventory of the estate. It was divided in two parts: E.W.’s property valued at $405 and separate property claimed by his wife, totaled at $1397. 
Kaufman County Probate, 1866, p 361
It is interesting that she had separate property claimed by her. How did she obtain this property? From an inheritance? Had she brought property into the marriage? More research is needed! The other interesting this was the short list. Other probates had lists that ran 1-2 pages long. Where were the kitchen items and other furniture besides beds?  The appraisers stated this was the complete list of items "pointed out" to them by the administrator.

I didn't find any other reports about this estate. No other pages were listed in the index and I checked page by page until the June 1867 session. I will keep looking in case I missed any more records.


[1] For birth & parentage: see Robert “Robin” Lancaster, “Lancaster Family Genealogy Forum: Shelby Co,” posted by Nancy Mathews, http://genforum.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?Robert,Lancaster::lancaster::2599.html : accessed 4 Jul 2014; for marriage: Shelby County, Kentucky Marriages, 1792-1851,compiled by Annie Walker Burns Bell, p 49, Lancaster-Neel, FHL film 851648, i4; for children’s birth: 1850 & 1860 census records, 1850 Lewis Co MO, p 707 (355 stamped), dwelling 355, family 415, Ellis W. Lancaster and 1860 Kaufman Co TX, p. 41, dwelling 338, family 340, E. W. Lancaster; and for death: Kaufman Co, Texas, Probate records 1858-1870, p 342, FHL film 1451663 Item 5
[2] Birthplace from census records 1850-1900; birthdate from Findagrave.com memorial 51036012, Sara A. Bourn, Campground Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman Co, TX.
[3] I’m descend through George W.
[4] Rockwall County, Texas, Deeds, bk I, p 360, # 270, Standifer & McHenry to Lancaster, FHL film 1289128. Note, this portion of Kaufman county became Rockwall County in 1873.
[5] "Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990," Kaufman County Probate 1858-1870, digital images, familysearch.org : accessed 4 Jul 2014, 1866, p 342-43 & 360-61, E.W. Lancaster.

Copyright © 2014 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family

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