HONOR THY FATHER & THY MOTHER:Information about Jacob Elliott

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Jacob Elliott (b. January 1739/40, d. 1828)

Back Creek Friends Meeting, established in 1792: 5x Great Grandfather Jacob Elliott was a charter member of this Quaker Meeting located in Randolph County, NC.

Jacob Elliott (son of Abraham Elliott and Mary White) was born January 1739/40 in Perquimans County, North Carolina, and died 1828 in Randolph County, North Carolina. He married (1) Zilpha Davenport on March 03, 1762 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. He married (2) Hepzibah Marshall on May 24, 1804 in Centre Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina.

Notes for Jacob Elliott:
Jacob Elliott, my great great great great great grandfather, was born in Perquimans County, North Carolina about the year 1739-40. He was raised in the Religious Society of Friends and remained true to the Quaker faith to his death. There are gaps in the life of Jacob which remain a mystery. It appears that he had at least three wives, though we know the names of only two. The years of these three marriages come from the Quaker Meeting records as detailed below. The first marriage was in 1760. Another marriage took place in 1762 and a third marriage took place in 1804. Was there yet a another marriage between the 1765 & 1804 marriages? The proof is still lacking, though it is very unlikely that he was a widower for such a very long time before he married his last wife in 1804 when he was 64-65 years of age.

These are PERQUIMANS Monthly Meeting minutes with reference to Jacob -
> 1758, the 6th of the 12th month: Jacob requested to be restored in Unity; remained for further tryal. [Though we know not why, this statement confirms that Jacob Elliott had been disowned by this Meeting.] (Hinshaw's Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy)

> "At a Monthly Meeting held at Perqs. the 4th of the 4th mo. 1759... "It is the mind of this Meeting that Jacob Elliot be accepted as a member in Unity." [This refers to Jacob Elliott's formal request to be reinstated as a member of Perquimans Monthly Meeting. He would have been about 20 years old at the time.]

> 1760, 7th of the 5th month: Jacob disowned-married out of Society. [Jacob was once again disowned from Meeting. Disownment was common in those days.
We know nothing of this wife. That he married "out of Society" means that he married a non Quaker.] (Hinshaw's Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy)

> "At a Monthly Meeting held at Perqs. the 3rd of the 6th mo. 1762... there was aComplaint made against Samuel Skinner and Jacob Elliot for Marrying out of the Unity of Friends and Friends appoints Jacob Wilson to write a testimony of Denial against them to be signed Next Monthly Meeting,"
[For the third time poor Jacob Elliott was disowned from Meeting. This disownment by Perquimans Monthly Meeting in 1762 was the result of his marriage to Zilpha Davenport, who was not a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker). She bore two sons with Jacob. The youngest child, Exum, was born in Perquimans County, NC in 1765. Zilpha may have died in childbirth at the birth of Exum or a short time thereafter.]

Jacob was the first in our direct line to leave Perquimans County, North Carolina for a life elsewhere. Although the reason for Jacob Elliott's move from Perquimans County to Randolph County is unknown, one can imagine that he had a desire to get away from his troubles back east and start a new life in the Piedmont region. The year that he and his son Exum left the coastal region of North Carolina and migrated to the central Piedmont region of the state is unknown. The gap in records spans the years 1765 to 1781. Based on a minute of Perquimans Monthly Meeting dated the 3rd day of the 4th month, 1782, we can confirm that Jacob was already living in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The minute reads:
"Jacob Elliott Sent a Written condemnation of his former Misconduct to this Meeting and also request to be Admitted in Unity again. Likewise a recommendation from sundry friends in Guilford County in his favor, this Meeting therefore, agree to receive him in Membership and appoints Jacob Wilson & William Townsend to prepare a Certificate for him to friends of the Monthly Meeting at Centor in Guilford County, and produce the same at Next Mo. Meeting."

At the next Monthly Meeting which was held at Wells Meetinghouse a minute releasing Jacob Elliot to Centre Meeting was approved. It states:
"At a Monthly Meeting held at Wells's in Perquimans County the 1st day of the 5th Month 1782 .... The friends appointed produced a Certificate for Jacob Elliott to friends of Senter Mo. Meeting in Guilford County which being Read was approved and Signed."

Jacob Elliott was listed among the witnesses to the marriage of William Reynolds & Rhoda Elliott the 26th day of the 9th month 1781 at Centre Meeting, Guilford County, NC. This is the known earliest reference to him in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

The earliest reference mentioning Jacob Elliott and his son Axum (Exum) Elliott together in the Piedmont region comes from the record of being witnesses to the marriage of Benjamin Hall & Elizabeth Newby on the 6th day of the 12th month 1787 at Centre Monthly Meeting in Guilford County.

Jacob Elliott purchased 170 acres from Samuel Newbee for 50 pounds on the 12th day of the eighth month 1789. The land was part of a tract of 400 acres "whereon he now lives" on Back Creek waters, in Randolph Co., NC. [Randolph County Deed Book 4, page 22]

On the "Eighth Day of the third month" 1797 Jacob Elliott executed a "Deed of Convayance", giving the same 170 acres on Back Creek waters to his son Exum Elliott " for & in consideration of the Love & affection which he Beareth towards his Son Axom." [Randolph County Deed Book 7, page 167]

Jacob Elliott was listed in the U.S. Census of 1790. He was recorded as living in the Hillsborough District of Randolph County, North Carolina.

These are CENTRE Monthly Meeting (Guilford County) minutes with reference to Jacob -
> 1788, 19th of the 3rd month : Axom (Exum Elliott) son of Jacob & Zilpha, Randolph Co., married Sarah Pearson.

> 1788, 7th of the 8th month: Sarah, wife of Axom (Exum, son of Jacob), died, buried on the 8th.

> 1790, 28th of the 3rd month : Axsom (Exum Elliott) son of Jacob & Zilpha, Randolph Co., married Catherine Lamb.

> 1804, 24th of the 5th month : Jacob, son of Abraham & Mary, Randolph Co. married Hepzibah nee Marshall Stanton.

These are BACK CREEK Monthly Meeting (Randolph County) minutes with reference to Jacob -
> Jacob Elliott, along with his son, Exum Elliott, were listed as original members of BACK CREEK Monthly Meeting, Randolph Co., NC, which was set up on the 29th of the 12th month, 1792. Previously Back Creek Preparative Meeting had been set up in 1785 & had been under the care of Centre Monthly Meeting, Guilford Co., NC.
> 1804, 31st of the 3rd month : "Jacob Elliott Requests a Certificate to Center Monthly Meeting in order to accomplish his Marriage with a member of that Meeting."

> 1804, 28th of the 7th month : Hepsibeth received on certificate from Centre MM, NC dated 1804, 7,21.

> 1807, 28th of the 11th month : "Jacob Elliott requests A Certificate to Center Monthly Meeting. James White & Joshua Baswell are appointed to enquire & if no objections produce one to next Meeting."

> 1807, 26th of the 12th month : Hepsibeth (wife of Jacob) granted certificate to Centre Monthly Meeting.

This is a MARLBOROUGH Monthly Meeting (Randolph County) minute with reference to Jacob -
> 1818, 3rd of the 1st month : Jacob & his wife Hepsiba granted certificate to Centre MM, Guilford Co., NC.
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Transscription of a letter written by Jacob Elliott in 1828 to his son, Exum Elliott, who was living in Wayne County, Indiana. The letter was written at a time when there was an upheaval within the Religious Society of Friends. This upheaval resulted in the first scism within the Society. A group known as "Hicksites" eventually broke off from the Religious Society of Friends that same year. Jacob Elliott laments these happenings in this letter to his son, Exum, in Indiana.

"State of North Carolina, Randolph County.
. 8th mo, 30. 1828

"Dear Son:

"I again close in with the opportunity of sending thee a few lines, as I feel deeply engaged for thy welfare and prosperity these may inform thee that I, with my wife, are in a tolerable state of health, though she has not, for some days past, been altogether so well as usual. I received thine dates the twenty-ninth of the seventh month last which gave us great satisfaction, and we are glad to hear you are doing well.

"We are also informed in your letter that the spirit of disbelief is widely spreading desolation amongst us as a religious society, in the section of country in which you live, which we deeply regret with surprise that so many thousands should be carried away into the dark recesses of Deism and infidelity in a country and day which are so enlightened as these. But we, with pleasure, read your letter that none of you have adopted these pernicious principles, and we sincerely hope that you will continue these fast and unshaken, particularly our grandchildren. We desire that they be encouraged to stand firm in the belief of redemption by the meritous blood of a crucified and merciful Saviour. We are glad to hear that Benaya Hyatt (a) is still sound, as it has been reported that he has adopted the Hicks principle.

"I may inform thee that we have not heard of any disturbance in our society on account of E. Hick's (b) principles in these parts, yet we hear there are some that are drawn into them, though we hope their number is as yet few.

"I may further inform thee that I believe that none of my family connection, within my acquaintance, have adopted these pernicious principles.

"But now, to draw to a conclusion, I will inform thee that I am yet living here where we were when I wrote my last, and are comfortably provided for by our lands. I am now in my eighty-ninth year of my age, and as it appears from thy letter that it is not probable that any of you can come soon, in this state of existence, as it is reasonable, from my advanced age full of infirmity and debility that my abode here cannot be very long, yet I hope that we will meet hereafter in a world that is infinitely better to part no more. I think it is hardly likely that any of us shall see each other again in this existence.

"So in love, I conclude with desires for your present and future welfare.

. Thy affectionate Father.
. JACOB ELLIOTT

. In which my wife joins me
. HEPSABETH ELLIOTT

"Exum Elliott:
"P.S.: Please to remember us to William Hastings and family, tell him we received his letter, which was very acceptable and satisfactory, have not had the opportunity of answering him at present, and desire him to write to us every opportunity with theyself.

. J.E."

[This letter is kept in the Elliott Family Collection (SC97) at Lilly Library, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana]

(a) Benajah Hiatt (1773-1847) was a son of William and Charity (Williams) Hiatt of New Garden Monthly Meeting in Guilford County, North Carolina. He married Elizabeth White (1770-1862) at New Garden in 1797. She was a daughter of Isaac and Catherine White. They transferred to Milford Monthly Meeting in Wayne County, Indiana in 1824. Benajah was a minister among Friends. He and Elizabeth died in Wayne County, Indiana.

(b) Elias Hicks (1748-1830) was a New York Quaker minister. His teachings, in part, led to the Separation of 1827-28 among American Quakers, later known as the “Hicksite Separation.”

More About Jacob Elliott:
Burial: Unknown, Back Creek Meeting Burying Ground (probably), Randolph County, NC.

More About Jacob Elliott and Zilpha Davenport:
Marriage: March 03, 1762, Perquimans County, North Carolina.

More About Jacob Elliott and Hepzibah Marshall:
Marriage: May 24, 1804, Centre Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina.

Children of Jacob Elliott and Zilpha Davenport are:

Abel Elliott, b. Abt. 1763, Perquimans County, North Carolina, d. 1789, Perquimans County, North Carolina.
+Exum Elliott, b. April 10, 1765, Perquimans County, North Carolina, d. October 08, 1841, Centre Township, Wayne County, Indiana.