ELLIOTT FAMILY STORIES

Frederick Dawson Elliott & Melinda Parsons

1807-1876

Elliott Family in Guilford County, SC

We've traced the Elliott family to Randolph County, NC in the1700's. Their ancestors probably landed first in Virginia before moving to North Carolina first to Randolph County and then to Guilford County. They were part of the Society of Friends community in Deep River. According to some records (internet) Frederick Elliott's parents were William Elliott and ? Dawson (first name unknown). William and his wife were supposedly born in Randolph County, NC sometime around 1780. That's theoretical at this point - no records found yet with the NC Archives.

Frederick Dawson Elliott and Melinda Parsons

Frederick Dawson Elliott, the son of William Elliott and ? Dawson, was born on Saturday, January 24th, 1807 in Guilford County, NC. He died on June 23rd, 1858 and is buried in the Deep River Friends Cemetery, High Point, Guilford County, NC.

Melinda Parsons, the daughter of James William Parsons Sr and Mary Fields, was born on Sunday, February 8th, 1807 in Guilford County, SC. Some time after her husband's death, she moved to Houston County, Missouri where she died on January 25, 1876. She is buried in the Bethel Cemetery in Houston County.

Grandmother Rosa Baine Thornton Smith once mentioned to her son Thornton Beckham Smith that her maternal grandmother's name was Melinda.

The marriage of Frederick Dawson Elliott and Melinda Parsons

Frederick Elliott and Melinda Parsons were married on December 13th, 1828 in the Deep River Friends Meeting House in Guilford County, NC. Below is the information on the photocopy of their marriage license that I obtained from the NC State Archives in Raleigh, NC. By 1828 the authorities in the various states of the United States of America had printed forms for the usual official documents.

______________________

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
GUILFORD COUNTY

KNOW all men by these presents, that we ___Frederick Elliott & David Thrift____ are held and firmly bound unto __John Owen___ Esquire, Governor, &c. or his successors, in the full sum of five-hundred pounds current money, to be paid to the said Governor, his successors or assigns; for the payment of which, well and truly to be made and done, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally and firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals, and dated ___13th__ day of _December_ A. D. 182 8.

The condition of the above obligation is such, that the above bounden __Frederick Elliott__ hath
made application for a licence for marriage to be celebrated between him and _Melinda Parsons_ of the county aforesaid; now in case it shall not hereafter appear, that there is any lawful cause or impediment to obstruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to void [not legible] to remain in full force and [blank after that]
[SEAL]
Frederick Elliott

David Thrift

Frederick Elliott
To
Melinda Parsons

ML Bond
13th Ded. 1828.
John Owen, E. Gov.

______________________

The family of Frederick Dawson Elliott and Melinda Parsons

Frederick and Melinda Elliott had the following children:

George Washington Elliott (1831 - ?)
Elizabeth Laura Ann Elliott (1832 - ?)
Alexander Gray Elliott (1835 - 1915)
Robert Stewart Elliott (1837 - ?)
James Madison Elliott (1839 - ?)
daughter Elliott (still-born) (1840-1840)
Mary Jane "Polly" Elliott (1842 - 1913)
Thomas Benton Elliott (1 yr) (1844-1845)
Solomon Taylor Elliott (1846-1936)
Sarah Roxanne Elliott (14 yrs) (1850-1864)

The Estate of Frederick Elliott

The cover sheet of the 1st page of the estate records (photocopy received from the North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC) had the following inscription:

As with any other documents transcribed herein from photocopies from the state archives of North Carolina or any other state, the spelling is kept as it appears in the original documents. Keep in mind that before Noah Webster compiled and published a dictionary, spelling of any particular word varied according to who was writing, with words at times being spelled in 2 or more different ways by the writer in the same document - particularly with names and place names. Strange spellings of words were not an indication of a lack of education prior to the standardization of spelling by Webster. In instances (in the various documents transcribed on this website) where a name or other word is followed by " [Sp.?] ", that means that I'm personally not sure of the spelling in the photocopy. Handwriting is - to say the least - interesting - and at times atrocious. There were several people with the surnames "Armfield" and "Millis" listed in the book "Guilford County Cemeteries: Vol. I". So I am fairly certain of the accuracy of the spelling of those particular surnames listed below. Millis' initial(s) is/are not clear. In the same book there was a Methodist named Nicholson Millis who died in July 1859 at the age of 84. So I have transcribed his name as "N. Millis" - the closest possibility among the few Millis' listed there. " ???? " means the handwriting is too unclear for even a "good" guess.

__________p.1_________

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Guilford___ COUNTY.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That we Henry C. Lamb, Melinda Elliott, Hamilton Armfield, Emsley [Sp.?] Armfield, Jesse Wheeler & Anderson Lamb

are held and firmly bound unto the State of North Carolina, in the sum of fifteen thousand------------ dollars, current money, to be paid to the said State of North Carolina,–for which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors or administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 16 day of August__ A.D., 1858.

THE CONDITION of this obligation is such, that if the above bounden

Henry C. Lamb & Melinda Elliott

administrat ors of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits of Frederick Elliott _______, deceased, do make or cause to be made, a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the deceased, which have or shall come to the hands, knowledge or possession of the said Administrators___, or into the hands or possession of any person or persons for Adm. , and the same, so made, do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the County Court of Guilford within ninety days from the date of these presents: And the same goods, chattels and credits, and all other the goods, chattels and credits of the deceased, at the time of his death; or which at any time hereafter shall come into the hands or possession of the said Administrators______________ or into the hands or possession of any person for ___them___ , do well and truly administer according to law; and further do make, or cause to be made, a true and just account of ___their___ said administration, agreeably to law, and after the date of these presents; and all the rest and residue of the said goods, chattels and credits which shall be found remaining upon the administrat ors account, (the same being allowed by the County Court,) shall deliver and pay unto such person or persons, respectively, as the same shall become due, pursuant to the true intent and meaning of the General Assembly in that case made and provided. And if it shall appear that any Will or Testament was made by the deceased, and the executors therein named do exhibit the same to Court, making request to have it allowed and approved accordingly, if the said __________________Administrators___________ above bounden being thereunto required, do render and deliver the said letters of Administration, (approbation of such testament being made in said Court,) then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.

Signed, sealed, and delivered |
in presence of | H. C. Lamb [SEAL]
N. Millis Melinda Elliott [SEAL]
Jesse Wheeler [SEAL]
A. Lamb [SEAL]
Emsley Armfield [SEAL]
H. Armfield [SEAL]

[The 2nd page of the estate records is a handwritten petition. Also keep in mind that since paper was not overly abundant in those days, they wrote on both sides of every piece of paper. Therefore copies of these originals often are harder to read because some of the ink from the other side of the paper has "bled" through. The cover sheet of this 2nd page of the estate records had the following inscription:]

_________p.2__________

State of North Carolina, | Court of Pleas
Guilford County | Quarter Session
Aug Tenn 1858

To the worshipful 6 Justices of said Court.

The petition of Melinda Elliott widow of Frederick Elliott respectfully showest unto your worships that her said husband died intestate in the county aforesaid since the last term of this court, and that letters of administration in his estate have been granted to your petitioners and Henry C. Lamb during the present term.

[Your petitioner ???? ] that she desires to have her years support out of the estate of her said husband, allotted to her according to Law and to that end she prays your worships to appoint one Justice of the Peace and three freeholders unconnected with her to view the said estate and to allot and set apart to her so much of the crop, stock, and provisions belonging there to as may be adequate to the support of herself and family for one year and if there shall not be a sufficiency on hand to afford such allowances, then to assess the deficiency in money and report their proceedings in writing under their hands ??? to the next term of this Court. And your petitioner as is duty bound will ever stay.
Dr. ??? Mendenhall
??? ??? Ret.

An [On?] motion Shubal G. Coffin a Justice of the Peace, A. B. Scott [Sp.?], Harmon Bundy, and Henry Wright, freeholders, are appointed commissioners to view the estate of Frederick Elliott deceased and to allot and set apart to his widow Melinda Elliott, so much of the crop, stock and provisions in land belonging thereto as may be adequate to the support of herself and family for one year, and if there shall not be a sufficiency on hand to afford such an allowance then to assess the deficiency in money, said commissioners are to report to the next term of this Court ?????? .

[The 3rd page of the estate records is a typed form. The cover sheet of this 3rd page of the estate records had the following inscription:]

_________p.3__________

State of North Carolina, Guilford County.
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, __August__ Term, 1858

Melinda Elliott | Petition for year's allowance
Exparte. |

This case coming on to be heard on the reading of the petition and the argument and suggestion of the Counsel, it is declared by the Court, that the petitioner, ___Melinda Elliott___ is entitled to have a full year's support and maintenance for herself and family out of the personal estate of her deceased husband, ___Frederick Elliott___

It is therefore ordered by the Court, that ___Shubal G. Coffin___, Esq., with __A. B. Scott, Harmon Bundy & Henry Wright________ three freeholders, be appointed to go on the premises of the deceased, view the same, and out of the stock, crop, and provisions on hand, to allot and lay off to the petitioner a full and sufficient quantity for the comfortable support and maintenance of herself and family for one year, and in case there be a deficiency of stock, crop, &c., on hand, then to assess a sum of money sufficient to make up said deficiency to complete a whole year's allowance, and in addition thereto, appropriate and lay off to your petitioner one bed and its necessary furniture, and one wheel, and one pair of cards, to be the absolute property of the petitioner, and put her in the possession of the same; and that they report to the next term of this Court agreeably to an act of Assembly.

Witness, LYNDON SWAIM, Clerk of our said Court at office, this third Monday of __August__ A.D., 1858.
Lyndon Swaim
By H. A. Millis

_________p.4__________

The State of North Carolina
Guilford County, Sept 7 , 1858

Agreeable to an order of court to us hereto being freeholders we proceeded to go onto the premises of the Dec. and lay off the following articles of property and money for the support of Melinda Elliott and family for one year.

Two hundred pounds of bacon
Four bags her choice
One hundred bushels of corn
Fifty bushels of wheat
Two cows and also one yearling
Fruits on hand
Seventy dollars in cash

Together with one wheel and cords, our bid and function to be the absolute property of the petitioner.

Given under our hands and signature,

S. G. Coffin
A. B. Scott
Henry Wright
Harmon Bundy

Various possessions common in the 1800's

Following the fourth (4th) page of the estate papers are 11 pages (legal size paper) of property items belonging to the estate of Frederick Elliott. Each entry is listed as follows:

name item (& number) numbers (such as 11, 306, 37, 25, 121½ , etc.)

Each item has a different name "paired" with it and a different number - too numerous and hard to read and record accurately. The list is overwhelming. As a way to make those "days" come alive again, here follows a list of the kinds of items inventoried:

a lot of old iron / iron 1 wheel barrow 1 very small plow
casting plow shears one gold pick
large iron screw 2 plows iron crane
1 horse plow 1 set of smith tools brace N bitts
hand saw 2 augers 2 planes
1 jointer a hand axe 1 key hole saw
2 chisels screw plate tool chest
1 shovel shovel plow 1 single tree
hoe & axe iron wedge yoke & singletree
briar scythe man's saddle 1 collar
pair of lines 1 set bit straps 1 two-horse wagon
1 grindstone 1 buggy 1 set buggy harness
1 pickling tub 1 box of salt 1 barrel of cement
10 flour barrels 1 spotted hog 1 white no horned cow
1 speckled cow 2 bull calves 1 claw hammer
1 gallon jug 1 churn 1 small churn
1 cook stove 1 skillet 1 oven
1 flat iron 1 pair of tongs 1 table
2 bushels of coffee 1 strainer 1 cupboard
1 pewter dish 1 gold watch 1 thermometer
1 side saddle 1 rifle gun 1 hog
30 lbs iron 1 barrel one lot of books
1 large walnut table 1 dressing table 1 old man clock
1 looking glass 6 chairs 1 side board
1 clock 2 beds 1 pair of firedogs
½ sausage cutter 9 old chairs 1 loom
2 kegs 3 old barrels 1 door latch
a lot of bottles 1 apple peeler 1 smoking iron
1 shot gun 1 nest of crucibles 1 spade
bed mat 10 bushels of corn 15 bushels of wheat

More on the Estate of Frederick Elliott - (after the inventory lists)
__________________________

State of North Carolina, GUILFORD COUNTY.
Know all Men by these Presents, That We, H. C. Lamb, Uriah Lamb, Hamilton Armfield, Anderson Lamb & Samuel C. Sapp

All of said county in the State aforesaid, are held and firmly bound unto the State of North Carolina in the sum of six thousand --------- dollars, current money, to be paid the State of NORTH CAROLINA in trust, for the benefit of the child (ren) herein after named, committed to the tuition of the said H. C. Lamb. To which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and each of us, each and every of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 22 day of November A.D., 1859.

The Condition of the above Obligation Is such, that, Whereas,
the above-bound en is constituted and appointed GUARDIAN to Mary J, Solomon T., Sarah R. Elliott minor orphan: Now if the said H. C. Lamb shall faithfully execute his said Guardianship, and particularly shall well and truly secure and improve all the estate of the said children until they shall arrive at full age, or be sooner thereto required, and shall render a plain and true account of his guardianship, on oath, before the Justices of our said Court, and in all cases as required by act of Assembly, and deliver up, pay or possess the said children of all such estates as they ought to be possessed of when lawfully required by said children or to such other persons as shall be lawfully empowered or authorized to receive the same, and the profits arising therefrom, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered in presence of

__________________________________________

H. C. Lamb SEAL
U. L. Lamb SEAL
H. Armfield SEAL
A. Lamb SEAL
Samuel Sapp (?) SEAL

Present Jed H. Lindsey
J. H. Field Esquires
Anselm Reed
Eli Smith

Mo. received this Bond

L. Swaim SEAL

By H. A. Millis, Esq. SEAL

________________________________________

Return of H. C. Lamb guardian of Solomon T. Elliott and Sarah R. Elliott made as to February Court 1866 - in this??? Term 1866
Two thirds of amount
returned to February amt 1863 $2289.35
Interest in time to February 1866 __412.08
$2701.43
Amt paid ???? Return ____1.22 ½
$2700.30 ½

At February Court 1863 I was guardian for these children and the whole amount was $3434.02. Mary J. Elliott, my ward, intramarried with E. S. Thornton and is of age and I have made settlement and I now hold the funds of the other two. I have ???? had to hold the funds without realizing full interest and I have only accounted for simple interest as I was not able to make compound interest. I now hold Bank Bill which belong to my wards. I am informed that my ward Sarah R. Elliott died about two years ago in the State of Indiana.
H. C. Lamb

__________________________________

North Carolina, Guilford County

Know all men by these presents. That we [1½ lines of names crossed out & unreadable] H. C. Lamb, S. C. Sapp & Grafton Gardner

all of said county in the State aforesaid, are held and firmly bound unto the State of North Carolina in the sum of seven thousand --------- dollars, current money, to be paid the State of NORTH CAROLINA in trust, for the benefit of the child (ren) herein after named, committed to the tuition of the said H. C. Lamb to which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and each of us, each and every of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 18 day of February A.D., 18 63.

The condition of the above obligation is such, that, whereas, the above-bounden
H. C. Lamb is constituted and appointed GUARDIAN to

Mary J, Solomon T., Sarah R. Elliott, minor orphan ; Now if the said H. C. Lamb shall faithfully execute his Guardianship, and particularly shall well and truly secure and improve all the estate of the said children until they shall arrive at full age, or be sooner thereto required, and shall render a plain and true account of his Guardianship, on oath, before the Justices of our said Court, and in all cases as required by act of Assembly, and deliver up, pay or possess the said children of all such estates as they ought to be possessed of when lawfully required by said children or to such other persons as shall be lawfully empowered or authorized to receive the same, and the profits arising therefrom, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and effect.
H. C. Lamb SEAL
Grafton Gardner SEAL
S. C. Sapp SEAL

Signed, Sealed and Delivered in presence of
L. Swaim

Present Jed. H. Lindsey

Arch'd. Wilson (?) Esquires

Nathan Hiatt
Abner Apple

Mo. received this bond
L. Swaim SEAL
________________________________

North Carolina, Guilford County

Know all men by these presents. That we H. C. Lamb, W. H. Reece and Alson Oakey
all of said county in the State aforesaid, are held and firmly bound unto the State of North Carolina in the sum of six thousand --------- dollars, current money, to be paid to the State of NORTH CAROLINA in trust, for the benefit of the child hereinafter named, committed to the tuition of the said H. C. Lamb to which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and each of us, each and every of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 24 day of May A.D., 18 66.

The condition of the above obligation is such, that, whereas, the above-bounden
H. C. Lamb is constituted and appointed GUARDIAN to
Solomon T. Elliott, Sarah R. Elliott
minor orphan ; Now if the said H. C. Lamb shall faithfully execute his Guardianship, and particularly shall well and truly secure and improve all the estate of the said Solomon T. and Sarah R. Elliott until they shall arrive at full age, or be sooner thereto required, and shall render a plain and true account of his Guardianship, on oath, before the Justices of our said Court, and in all cases as required by act of Assembly, and deliver up, pay or possess the said minors of all such estates as they ought to be possessed of when lawfully required by said two minors or to such other persons as shall be lawfully empowered or authorized to receive the same, and the profits arising therefrom, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and effect.

H. C. Lamb SEAL
Alson Oakey SEAL
W. H. Reece SEAL

Signed, Sealed and Delivered in presence of

J. H. Payne

Present W. A. Caldwell
Jed. H. Lindsey
Jesse (or Jefre) Burhan (?) Esquires
A. Reid
A. P. Echel (?)

Mo. received this bond

L. Swaim SEAL

________________________________________