Family History of Ellender Gillis (bef. 1774-1807) : Dorchester County, Maryland Researched and Contributed by Bill Minish, ********************************************************************* USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. ********************************************************************* Wife: Ellender Gilliss Born: Bef. 1774 in: Near Rewastico Hundred, Somerset Co., Maryand Died: 1807 in: Port William KY, or during trip from MD to KY. Father: Joseph Gilliss Mother: Grace Unknown Other Spouses: Husband: Richard C. Minish Born: May 08, 1770 in: Probably Nantacoake Hundred, Dorchester County, MD Married: July 28, 1797 in: Somerset Co., MD Died: June 29, 1843 in: Carrollton, Carroll Co., Kentucky, aged 73yrs Imo 10dys Father: John Minish Mother: Elesabeth Unknown Other Spouses: Sarah Lester CHILDREN Name: George Gilliss Minish Born: March 12, 1798 in: Somerset Co., MD Married: June 04, 1829 in: Owen Co., Kentucky Died: May 16, 1871 in: Carrollton, Carroll Co., Kentucky Spouse: Melinda Martin Name: Ezekiel Minish Born: May 12, 1800 in: Somerset County, Maryland Died: November 05, 1830 in: Port William (Carrollton), Kentucky Spouse: Name: James Minish Born: Abt. 1799 in: ---------------------------------- Ellender Gilliss aka: Nelly Gilliss, Nellie Gilliss Notes Thomas Gillis and wife Mary were transported into Somerset from Northampton Co., VA, in 1665 by Mark Manlove. His son John patented 300 acres of land called "Barren Creek" a name still used for that area, which in 1724 was part of Nanticoke Hundred. In early records the name was spelled Gilis, Gilliss and Gilley. From 975.223D2d Somerset County Maryland 1850, Ruth T. Dryden. The Will of Richard C. Minish and a Codicil refers to George G. Minish specifically as his son. Since Sarah Lester and Richard were married in 1808, and Sarah was born in 1788, while George G., was born in 1798, Ellender Gilliss would be the first wife of Richard. The 1800 Census of Somerset Co., MD, which lists Richard's household has 1 white male (26 to 45), 1 white female (26 to 45), 1 white male (16 to 26) and 2 white males (under 10 years) and one slave. If George Gilliss Minish is one of the under 10 children (he would have been 2 years old then) ... who are the other two males? The female would be Ellender Gilliss Minish, first wife of Richard. From the Will of her father, Joseph Gilliss, April 5, 1793, Liber EB No. 17, folio 247,248,249,250: SEVENTHLY after the decease of my wife I give unto my daughter Ellender Gilliss one negro girl called Allaphar also one Heifer that has part of one Horn of (off?) or at her mothers death. Marriage Records of Somerset Co., (1796-1871) list a marriage of Richard Minnish to Eleanor Gilliss on July 28, 1797. Minish, Nelly listed May 23, 1803, as bound to Canons of Episcopal Church of Maryland (Parish Records) Stepney Parish, Somerset Co., Maryland, Green Hill Church, near Salisbury on the Wicomico River, erected 1733. From INDEX TO SOMERSET CO. COURT RECORDS: TO LIBER I K L, 1600-1720, page 229. Microfilm 0014416 item 3, L.D.S. Library. (NOTE: Internet queries suggest the terminology probably indicates joining the Episcopal Church from another Anglican Group.) From the Leslie Dryden Collection, at E.H.Nabb Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury State University, Salisbury, MD, in the Gillis section, page 179: Gillis family history, written by Rev. W.Wier Gillis. Richard Minish married Ellender Gillis in July, 1797. She was the daughter of Joseph Gillis and his wife Grace, and he was the son of John and Elizabeth Minish. They were both probably born near Rewastico Hundred in Somerset County. These notes were from a grand-son, W.R.Minish of Gratz, Ky. "Richard Minish & Nellie his 1st wife, emigrated to Kentucky in the year 1807 in company with several other families, among whom were the Carricos, Wallers and probably the Lesters. Before leaving Maryland, Richard was a farmer, a teacher and a merchant, having kept a store at a place called "The Warehouse". It is also said that he commanded a vessel on the Chesapeake Bay. One of his sons, viz; George Gillis Minish told this to the writer in the year 1855-6, and the writer purchased from him, a spy glass or telescope, that had belonged to Richard Minish. After coming to Ky., Richard and some of the other members of the party settled in Gallatin Co., now Carroll, at the mouth of the Ky. River near Port William, now Carrollton. Among the families known to have settled here were the Wallers and Carricos. Richard was a farmer, an inspector of tobacco and an inn or tavern keeper. His home in Carrollton was on the 5th St., East side, between Main & High Sts. and was purchased by him from a Mrs. Sullivan." The evidence of the third son, James, comes in the December 21, 1874 letter of Hardy J. Minish, of Jackson County, Georgia, to Wm. R. Minish Sr., of Gratz, KY, "my father's brother Richard went to Ky in early life & settled himself in Gallatin County near port william him & my father kept up corrispondence as long as my father lived I think Uncle Richard's first wife died & left 3 children all sons Their names was James, George & Ezekiel he married the second wife & I think her oldest daughter wrote several letters to daughter Elizabeth she died in 1859". The original letter is in the old trunk of Wm. R. Minish Sr., now in the possession of John Owen Suter, Campbellsburg, KY, a grandson of Wm. R. Sr.