George CORLISS 
George was born about 1617 in Exeter, Devonshire, England. George's father was Thomas CORLISS and his mother was Unk Unk. He was an only child. He died on October 19th, 1686 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.General Notes
George (Corliss) was born in county Devon, England, about 1617. Corliss reports that an old family record gave his father as Thomas Corliss of Devonshire, but that no other sources he had searched had given the same, or any other, information on this point. George came to this country in 1639 and settled that year at Newbury, Massachusetts, but soon afterward moved to Haverhill MA, where he was a farmer, and resided until his death in 1686. (No record has been found naming George Corliss as a passenger.)
George had land at Haverhill by 1640, and built a log house upon it in 1647. This tract was in the "West Parish" of Haverhill, and the farm became known as "Poplar Lawn". When Corliss wrote in 1875, the property had continuously belonged to George's descendants. George Corliss married Joanna Davis at Haverhill, Massachusetts on October 26, 1645. This was the second marriage in the town. There is a tradition in the family, to the effect that at the time of his marriage, George Corliss was possessed of a pair of silk breeches of such generous proportions that his wife afterwards converted them into a dress for herself.
In 1645, George Corliss was a freeman at Haverhill, Massachusetts. On January 22, 1648, and again in 1657, 1669-70, and 1679, he was chosen selectman. On March 26, 1650 he was chosen constable. 'It is a fact worthy of record, that George Corliss, his son John, and his grandson John, all died on the same farm, and each one when sitting in the same chair. George's will was dated, October 18, 1686, and he died the next day. He signed his will by his mark, rather than by signature, probably because of weakness. (A copy of his signature from 1653 has been preserved.) He made bequests of land to each of his children. The inventory, dated October 26, 1686, included 482 acres of land, livestock, plow iron and other iron wear; cotton, linen and woolen yard and 9 pounds of wool; butter and cheese; wheat and Indian corn; 10 pounds of hops; and a variety of other household possessions. On October 27, 1686, 'Johanah Corles' attested to the truth of the inventory and was granted administration of her husband's estate. She signed by mark. [Research of Bill Prokasy, WorldConnect]
"A Genealogical Record of the Corliss Family of America"; by Augustus W. Corliss; pp. 3, 201-206 and 233-235; Yarmouth, Maine; 1875
"A Reginald de Corlies was active at the Siege of Jerusalem during the Second Crusade which occurred during the period 1147 - 1188 A.D. Some of the Corlies family emigrated from Belgium to England in the 17th Century because of severe religious persecution which took place over an extended period of time. . . "The name in England has been variously spelled CORLIES, CORLASS, CORLISS and CORLESS. 'The first Corless (or Corliss, both spellings are found in print) that we found on record on this Continent was George, son of Thomas, born in Devonshire, England about 1617. He emigrated to New England in 1639, settled in Newbury, Massachusetts, and moved to Haverhill where he remained. . . " [Research of Bill Prokasy, WorldConnect]
"'A Family Study, Descendants of Jesse and Polly (Chase) Corless"; by Lee and Mae Corless; pp. 17-18: 1980
"George Corliss came from England to Newbury about the year 1639, being at the time about twenty-two years of age. He is believed to be the first one of the name who came to this country, and the ancestor of most if not all of that name in New England. . . "Corliss was an enterprising and industrious man, and well qualified to take a prominent part in the settlement of a new town. He settled in the West Parish, on the farm of the late Ephraim Corliss, now owned by his son Charles, who is of the seventh generation from the original grantee -- and at his death was possessed of a large landed property. He owned most of the land on both sides of the old "Spicket Path", as it was then called, for a distance of more than three miles." [Research of Bill Prokasy, WorldConnect]
"The History of Haverhill, Massachusetts"; by George Wingate Chase; pp. 6, 8-9, 60 and 72; New England History Press; 1983
George Corliss - then spelled Corle - was born in Devonshire County, England, about the year 1617. He immigrated to America, as nearly as can be ascertained, in 1639; and proceeded to Newbury. About 1640-41 he settled in Haverhill, where on October 26, 1645 he married Joanna Davis, a native of Wales. His was the second marriage in Haverhill. Tradition has it that, when married, he had a pair of silk breeches, which his wife afterward made into a dress for herself. In 1647, Mr. Corliss built a log house on his farm, about three miles west of the little settlement. The dwelling was erected on a sunny knoll, close by a small brook. In 1885, traces of its cellar were still visible. His will was dated, October 18, 1686 and he died on October 19, 1686, leaving a wife, one son and seven daughters. [Research of Bill Prokasy, WorldConnect]
"The History of a House"; by Allen Hazen; p. 30
"Vital Statistics of Haverhill, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 18490"; II:76, 1951
George and Joanna were married in a religious ceremony on October 26th, 1645 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. They had two sons and seven daughters, named George, John, Mary, Joanna, Deborah, Anne, Huldah, Martha and Sarah.
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Children
Mary CORLISS
Mary was born on September 6th, 1646 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. She died at the age of 76 on October 22nd, 1722 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
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