Allegheny-Cumberland County PA Archives History - Letters .....History Or John & William Elliott November 7, 1920
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Lynn Beatty klbeatty@npgcable.com February 2, 2007, 6:55 am
Letter of Mrs Laverty to Mrs Rhey.
611 Grandview Avenue East Pittsburgh,
Pa Nov 7, 1920
My dear Mrs Rhey:
Was very glad to receive your letter of Oct 27, & will be pleased to
hear from you later when you get more information on the family. I shall be
patient as i fully realize how church & civic work takes up ones time. This
time last year, I was President of the Woman's Civic Club & had an office in
every organization in our church. Since I had the "flu" last January have not
been able to keep up with the procession, & have had to give up most of my
outside work. That is the only reason I have time to hunt up family records
and history.
It is really getting interesting. Have found a DD, LLD, and a Judge and now I
hear of a "Jesse James". I never heard of the "Renegade" William Elliott. Now
wont you please tell me about him when you write. If you have a few dates, it
makes it easier to understand things.
If Edward Elliotts son William was your ancestor, William Sr, then the Charles
Elliott who was was [sic] killed by the Indians in 1763 was William Sr's
brother John Elliott who was in the same Indian fight, but who escaped &
afterwards was a Revolutionary soldier, was Charles' brother also. John was
17 years old when Charles was killed in 1763. That means John was born in
1746. He was next to the youngest & there were seven children. Now do you
think William Sr would have been old enough to go to Fort Duquesne in 1756? In
the Perry Co history where I got my information, there isn't anything said
about William leaving Perry Co. I thought he lived there, because the history
said in reference to his estate after his death, "the land of William Sr was
devised to James & the five daughters" You can tell when you hear from your
aunts, if the names of Williams children compare with the names I have given
you. If Edwards son William was your great great grandfather, then Robert
would be your great great great great grandfather & he is only my great great
grandfather. Was looking at a History of Allegheny Co last Saturday in the
Library & I found a Major Kirkpatrick was at Fort Duquesne & there is a
Kirkpatrick Street in Pittsburgh. The Perry Co History said William Elliott
married Elizabeth Kirkpatrick.
Robert Elliotts third & fourth sons were William & Robert. Have been thinking
your ancestor William Sr might have been Roberts son William who may have had
a son William Jr, but his is only guessing. The William Elliott who was a
renegade might have been the son of William or Robert. For some reason our
people know nothing at all about those two boys William & Robert. Edward &
Thomas lived in Saville Tp, Perry Co & David & James lived in Middleton (now
Middlesex) township, Cumberland Co. The daughter Margaret who married William
Clark lived in Cumberland Co also, but we know nothing about Grisel (Mrs
Joseph McMin) Mary (Mrs John Irwin) and Ann beyond the fact that they were all
living when their fathers will was made in 1765, and were in middle life as
James, the youngest was 32 at that time, having been born in 1733.
Roberts children were all born in Ireland. James was 4 yrs old when they came
here in 1737. The Presbyterians were driven out of Scotland by religious
persecutions, and for the same reason, they left Ireland. Father said the
Elliotts were of pure Scotch blood. You know at that time, the Presbyterians
would not intermarry with the Catholics, and the Irish were Catholic. There
is a "Clan Eliot" in Scotland & they have their Tartan or Plaid & there are
ever so many Elliotts in Ulster Province, Ireland at the present time. Our
people came from near Armagh. They were farmers of course. They were three
months on the ocean in a sailing vessel. Arrived in America toward Fall.
Imagine coming to a new county and settling as they did, in an entirely new
section, no houses, no land cleared. They built a log house as soon as they
could. Poor Mary, with a family of ten children, think of it. But they were
Christian people and were glad to bring their children to the land of freedom.
The Silver Spring Congregation had built a log church in 1736 so they had a
place of worship in their new home. I think Robert & Mary are buried in the
Silver Spring Churchyard. I Know James and Margaret (my great grandparents)
are buried there.
When Robert and his family came, they brought some furniture along, two
bureaus and a "chest of drawers". Fathers sister Mary got one of the bureaus
& my sister Tillie has the other one. They are walnut. The "chest of
drawers' is out in the farm house. My brothers own it.
Then they had their clothing & bed clothing packed in great chests. Two of
them are in the barn now, used to keep feed in when they first came, they
built their house in the field across the road from where the present house
stands. They had built the second house, that is Robert had. Then his son
James built a two story log house with weather boards in 1781. It is still
standing. All of James' children were born in the old log house, or block
house, except John, my grandfather, who was born in the house built in 1781.
When grandfather was married he built a stone house, 1816, which father tore
down, and built a frame house in 1888 beside the house built in 1781. Some of
the folks wanted father to tear the old house down, when he built, but he said
his Father was born in that house, and it should stand as long as he lived,
and it will stand a good while longer for sentimental reasons.
There were Indians on the land when our people came and they lived on friendly
terms until the Paxtang Rangers killed the Conestoga Indians, when they became
frightened and left. The Elliotts and the "other Indians" got their water
from the same spring.
I have heard that story too about being distantly related to John Eliot, the
apostle to the Indians, but he was born in England, according to the
Encyclopedia. However, Robert Spelled his name Eliot when they came here.
Will send you a copy of his will. You might like to have it. The name is
spelled two ways in the will. Poor dear old Robert could not write, but thats
no reflection on him, but on the times in which he lived. He was a good man.
Am practicing on making a family tree, but have not succeeded in getting more
than about half the names in it, that I have. I'll give you this one, so you
can see who some of your relations are, outside your own branch of the
family. A granddaughter of Dr David Elliott (son of Thomas) has promised to
make me a copy of the Elliott family record as kept by Dr Elliott, that will
settle some questions. I'll give you all the information I can, and will try
to reward you for your trouble in helping me,
with love and best wishes, Anna Elliott Laverty.
Additional Comments:
Extracted from Josiah V. Thompson Journals, Vol. 4, pg 150-154
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