Vanderburgh County, Indiana - Biographical sketches, 1897 (part 5 of 5)

It was upon this farm in Gloucester county, that Peter Elliott, the father of the author, was born in 1774. He was but a small boy when Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army to General Washington, but he remembered many events of that long siege and of the final events of the War of the Revolution. He remembered when the red-coats were encamped upon the family plantation, and how the dashing young officers often secured him to carry delicate love notes to the blushing young Tory maidens of that locality. These young English officers, some of them at least, were even quartered in the dwelling of the family. And many a time was he trotted on a red-coat's knee, while his father was iu the depleted ranks of the little patriot army under General Washington and his generals.

When the first call for soldiers was made iu 1776, the oldest of the three Elliott brothers at once enlisted in the service of the thirteen colonies. vSometime in the course of the war the other two entered the army, and as it happened each brother was in a different division of the troops. They were in many contests in the course ol the long struggle for freedom, and it happened that all three were in the struggle at Yorktown, and each was wounded there in a final onslaught upon the works of the entrenched British. Wounded and broken down from long years of exposure, they were taken home. When white-winged peace came at last, they did not survive many years to enjoy it. The namesof these three Revolutionary soldiers were James, Thomas and Robert Elliott. They died comparatively young.

During the winter campaign against Yorktown, the patriots groomed their horses in caves dugiu the hillsides and arranged with jjrops like rooms in coal mines. The three brothers were in the charge made by Washington and his generals upon the breastworks, and tradition has it that this was a bold and bloody conflict, in which many personal heroic adventures were performed. It is with pleasure that the author recollects that he has walked over the old breastworks at Yorktown, and had depicted to him by the old soldiers the contest that waged there for liberty many years before. These old war ruins are yet vivid and clear in his mind and heart. The fireside history of this glorious victory is deeply imbedded in his very nature, and it seems to him, when he thinks of it, that there is no country on the face of the earth equal to his own beloved land, over which the star-spangled banner waves in beauty and glory.

James and Thomas left many sons and daughters. The descendants of one became sea-faring men, and of the other merchants and traders, near Baltimore. Numerous relationships have been discovered, and some of them have been traced back to their origin by the author. Robert Elliott, the grandfather of the author, married a Dobson, and she bore one son, named Peter. After the death of Robert, the widow married James Hall. Their daughter, Martha, married a man named Ran.son ; their son, John Hall, Martha's brother, was a prominent figure at one time in commercial affiiirs, at Richmond, Virginia, and

Peter Elliott was born November 29, 1774, in Gloucester county, Virginia, as heretofore stated. He was brought up, or as they say in Virgiuia, raised on a farm. When nineteen years old he went to Richmond and bound himself out to a man named Mr. McKin, a carpenter. When the Whisky Rebellion, as it is called, broke out in western Pennsylvania he was drafted to help suppress the revolt. The troops were ordered to rendezvous at Fort Pitt. The prompt measures of President Washingtou quelled the trouble without much difficulty. Afterward young Peter Elliott returned to Richmond and finished his trade apprenticeship. He pursued his occupation with Mr. McKin until he was twenty-four years old, when he married Miss Jane Morton, a sister-in-law of Mr. McKin, and a descendant of English ancestors. Their only child died iu infancy, and the mother herself died within a year after her marriage. About a year subsequent to his wife's death, Peter Elliott married Miss Mary Pritchett, of Richmond. To them were born Ann Elizabeth, June 13, 1809. She married Alexander Duval, and is to-day residing in Louisville, Ky., a widow, in feeble health. William Morton Elliott was born January 15, 1812. He was a physician and a minister, and a man of exceeding fine qualities. His death occurred December, 1874.

On the death of his second wife, which occurred shortly after the birth of her only son, Peter Elliott married again, and this time a Miss Ann Brown, a daughter of Stephen Brown. She was born September 24, 1790, in London, England. She was a woman of many lovable qualities and a true helpmeet.

When the awful holocaust occurred in the Richmond theatre in 1811 Miss Brown was there. She remembered being pressed towards the door in the wild rush, and of being thrown down in the panic that prevailed and was trampled upon, and when she recovered consciousness she was lying in a ditch somewhere alone. Some one had dragged her unconscious form from there for safety. She was scarred and cut M'ith iron heel-taps, and the .scars remained till the day of her death. It will be remembered that the Governor-elect of Virginia was so horribly charred by the fire that his body was only identified by a gold watch chain worn around his neck. The names of all the dead, who are buried in one wide grave, are carved ujion a monument that marks their final resting place.

After the death of Ann Brown Elliott, Peter married a fourth wife, and this time it was a Miss Godfrey, of Lynchburg, Virginia, formerly of Richmond. No issue resulted from this union.

Peter closed his business affairs in Richmond about the time of his marriage to Ann Brown and located in Lynchburg, where most of his children were born. His pursuit as a contractor and builder brought him neat and substantial gains. In time, however, he settled farther west in the pioneer country, and took up his residence in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1824, where he added the wagon-maker's and blacksmith's trades to his other labors. He owned slaves there as he owned them in Virginia, and the refractory ones gave him considerable trouble to manage, and with his business worries he began to decline in general health. He always sympathized with the sentiment that would liberate the slaves, believing freedom to all to be right in a land of the free and a home of the brave. When poor health overtook him he found homes for his slaves in Lexington, quit his business and came to Evansville, where he lived with his son Joseph Peter Elliott. This was about 1849. Joseph Peter, the author, settled up his father's affairs in 1850, dispofsed of his property in Lexington, and managed his funds thereafter. He died on the 24th of June, 1863. He sleeps to-day in Oak Hill Cemetery.

He was a man of many sterling qualities, faithful in agreements, correct in his moral instincts and true to his friends. He was a member of the Methodist church. He was a patriotic citizen and a lover of his country. He believed in its institutions and its destiny, and he loved and honored the flag, the stars and stripes that led his father to victory and established a country without an equal upon the earth.

Joseph Peter Elliott, as already stated, was born April 3, 1815, at Lynchburg, Virginia. He was named after Joseph of biblical fame. It was his mother's delight to read that story to her young son. Before he could read he could repeat this romantic history by heart, so often had she read it to him. She was a religious woman and was often called from her secret devotion to her meals by the servants.

The family resided about ten years in Lynchburg, and came to Lexington, Kentucky, in 1824, traveling by teams through the wilderness. That was, in fact, the only means of transportation in these pioneer times. His mother, Mrs. Ann Brown Elliott, had died the previous year in 1823. The author set out from there in 1836 to become the architect of his own fortunes, and spent the first winter in Louisville, learning the saddlery business. In February, 1837, he settled in Evansville, where his long life has been spent. His elder brother, William Morton, had come in December, 1826, prospecting for business and had rented a house in which to conduct the saddlery business.

Here the author's life has been open and known of all men. The first twenty-five years of his life in this city were devoted exclusively to saddlery manufacturing. Many learned the trade under his directions. The last he did iu that line of industry was filling contracts with the government iu 1861-2, during the war. He made six hundred cavalry saddles and equipments for an Indiana cavalry regiment, and the harness for a park ot artillery consisting of six pieces and seventy-two horses. He then became a merchant and pork packer, a line of trade he followed up to about 1880. After that, for about five years, he traveled through the south for the Heilman plow works. He was elected as magistrate or justice of the peace in 1889, a position he is still filling. In middle life he dealt largely in real estate and laid out several additions to the town.

During the war he was active in the protection of the city. At that time he was township trustee, and had much to do with the care of the fugitives from the south. He served as a member of the council almost all along through the history of the town, and after it became a city, and was a member of the various boards connected therewith, doing his work with great care and concern for the general welfare. To glance briefly at the author's domestic life is the next step in this condensed family history. He was married to Miss Mary Ann Harrison, daughter of Elisha Harrison, who figured in the early legislature of Indiana, in September, 1838. She was a kind and tender woman. To them one child was born, but both mother and child died iu October, 1838.

He married his second wife. Miss Mary Louisa Wheeler, daughter of Rev. Joseph Wheeler, October 6, 1839. She was born in London. She was a woman of many fine and estimable qualities, and trained her family in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This union brought forth the following children, all born in this city : Edward Peter, Mrs. Mary Louisa Oakley, Lizzie Early Elliott, John Wheeler, Joseph Brown and John Douglas Elliott. But death has invaded his home and taken some away. John W. died September 12, 1850; Lizzie

The author married his third wife, Margaret Reilly, July 19, 1854. She became a mother to the bereft children, trained them with careful Christian grace, and was so kind to them that they loved her as dearly as they ever could have loved their real mother. No children were born to them. Mrs. Margaret Reilly Elliott died, full of grace and Christian character, beloved for her temporizing power and great sweetness, on August 16, 1889. She was born in Drummond, county of Armagh, Ireland, May 10, 1810, and came to this country in 1839, and to Evansville in 1843. " Cousin Margai-et Reilly," as she was affectionately called, was a willing and capable helper wherever sickness, sorrow or charity made its appeal. She never thought of herself until she had brought comfort and relief to others. She was a shining example of cheerfulness and contentment, and her gentleness radiated out and made others softer and better. The local press, in noting and noticing her death, complimented her highly and paid a beautiful tribute to her sweet memory.

And now, you will permit us to complete this family record. William Morton Elliott, M. D., whom you will remember, married Miss Hannah Ellison, November 9, 1831. To them were born the following children : William W., born January 21, 1833; Mary Elizabeth, November 17,1836; Thomas M., December 30,1838; James P., May 26, 1840 ; Hannah E., December 15, 1845, and John G., June 13, 1851.

His sister, Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Duval, wife of Alexander Duval, was the mother of the following children : Henry, born May, 1836 ; Virginia, May 20, 1839; Claudeus P., September, 1840; Louis E., November, 1845, and Mary E., May, 1848.

Edward Peter Elliott, son of the author, was married to Miss Annie E. Leonard, who was born in Mt. Vernon, Ind., November 8, 1846, and the date of their marriage was Maj' 9, 1866. The dates of the births of their children are as follows : C. Fred., born February 5, 1867; Mary L., May 12, 1868; Bessie E., September 23, 1869; Nettie C, October 16, 1871 ; Joseph P., October 15, 1878; James M., April 24,1880; Edward Leonard, June 3, 1885, and William Manning, February 11, 1887. James M. died August 12, 1880.

of friends and the general reader. Much has been left unwritten, much that might be added with profit ; but the writer preferred to give only an outline, leaving the reader to supply all omissions.

Brown Family

The author's mother was a Brown, as you well remember. It is the purpose now to give a family tree of a part of the Brown race. Edward Brown was a son of Stephen Brown, the father of the author's mother, Ann Brown Elliott. Edward Brown married Miss Elizabeth Godfrey, and to whom there were born Edward and Sarah (Mrs. Rock), twins, Edward dying young and Sarah still living in Gordonsville, Va.; Elizabeth (Mrs. Benson), who died in 1853; Dr. Samuel P. Brown, who died December, 1896; Douglas Brown, who was a captain in the Mexican war and died at Pennington, Mississippi, on his way home after peace had been obtained; and Lucy, (Mrs. Pettitt), still living in Columbia, Virginia. After the death of his wife Edward Brown married Miss Martha Rucker, of Amherst county, Virginia. Out of this union there came Edward Brown, who was born in 1836; William Brown, who was born in 1839; Philip F. Brown, who Avas born June 2, 1842; Mary F. Brown, who was born in 1845, and Benjamin R. Brown, who was born in 1847. The mother of these children died in the autumn of 1847, and the father in the spring of 1852. They were of a kind, loving disposition, and their children loved and revered them. For many years the father was superintendent of the Episcopal Sunday school in Columbia, Virginia. Both parents sleep in the church yard at Columbia. The parents of Edwai'd Brown lie in the church yard at Richmond, Virginia.

Phil F. Brown was born at Columbia, Fulvanna county, Virginia. An orphan at eleven years, he began life under trying circumstances. At the age of sixteen he accepted a position in a large general merchandise store, where he was engaged for the next two years. He joined the army and started for Norfolk April 19, 1861 ; served on General J. C. Pemberton's staff; was in the seven-day battle around Richmond; was severely wounded at Crampton's Gap September 14 which practically ended his military career. After his recovery he clerked at the old American hotel in Richmond, and soon after bought the lease on this hostelry, but three days afterward, when the Union forces entered the evacuated city - April 3, 1865 - this hotel was burned. lu October he became cashier of the Exchange hotel. He conducted a hotel at Petersburg subsequently, and in 1870 went to " The Baths," in Rockbridge county, and three years later he went to Blue Ridge Springs. He is now the proprietor of this popular resort in Botetourt county, Virginia. He has at the same time managed successfully large hostelries in Chattanooga, Atlanta, Ocala, New Orleans and elsewhere. He has a wide reputation as a landlord. In 1891 he was elected to the house of delegates, a position he filled creditabl}', with honor to himself and good to his constituency.

On ])age 191 the name of Mrs. Lucy Archer Hunting should be added as one with a highly cultivated soprano voice. She sang often in local concei'ts and oratorios.

In the list of vocalists on page 191 should be included the names of Mrs. Thomas Wheeler, Mrs. Fannie Tileston Henson, Mr. William Tileston and Mr. Charles M. Tileston.