Acerca de
Alexander Elliott
Alexander Elliott was born July 17, 1847, in Kentucky.
As of this writing Alexander Elliott’s parents and siblings, if any, have not been found.
FindAGrave.com lists Alexanders parents as Hugh Jacob Elliott born in 1823 and Mary Lydia Engle born in 1824, both born in Kentucky. Hugh and Mary Elliott were married September 12, 1843, in Knox County, Kentucky and had at least 10 children. But there are no documents showing Alexander as being their child. The 1850 Knox County Kentucky census lists Hugh and Mary Elliott along with their three oldest children, Jesse Vail Elliott born about 1846, Jacob Caleb Elliott born about 1847 and Sarah A. Elliott born about 1849. These three children lived to be adults, married, and died in Kentucky, in which all is documented in FindAGrave or FamilySearch.org.
Alexander Elliott married Harriet Ann Ferguson December 21, 1865, in Bullitt County, Kentucky.
Harriet Ann Ferguson was born to Martin Ferguson of Asheville, North Carolina, born in 1818 and Margaret Elizabeth Caldwell Monroe, born in 1817 in Kentucky. Martin and Margaret Ferguson married on June 7, 1846, in Bullitt County, Kentucky and would have 3 children.
Harriet Ferguson’s mother Margaret Ferguson had a previous marriage to John Monroe Jr. which produced one son, Sidney Smith Monroe born in 1843 in Kentucky. Sidney appears in the 1860 census living with his mother Margaret, stepfather Martin and step siblings Harriett, James, and Kate (Catherine). Sidney married in 1866 and had a family. He died in 1888 and is interred in Bullitt County, Kentucky.
Harriet Ferguson was born in 1847, in Bullitt County, Kentucky, where her parents had married in 1846 and would live the remainder of their lives. Harriet’s mother Margaret Elizabeth Ferguson died at age 62 in 1879 and her father Martin Ferguson died at age 73 in 1892. Both are buried in Knob Creek Cemetery in Bullitt County, Kentucky.
After Alexander Elliott and Harriet Ferguson married in 1865, they appear in Bullitt County, Kentucky in the 1870 census with one child, Thomas E. (Edward) Elliott, age 1. Alexanders occupation was as a farm laborer. Harriet’s parents are living next door with children James and Catherine, and they were also farmers.
‘Alex’ Elliott is recorded in the 1878 Dallas County, Texas tax rolls as owning 1 buggy/carriage/wagon valued at $20. The Elliott family is listed in the Dallas County 1880 census living in the Sowers Community and continued to farm.
Though census records are not always accurate both the 1870 and 1880 census shows Alex’s estimated birth year to be 1844 or 1846, which is earlier than the birth date of 1847 on his headstone. Even with an earlier or different birth year, historical documents would still not plausibly make Alex the son of Hugh and Mary Elliott.
The 1880 census recorded that Alex and Harriet Elliott had four daughters, Eliza, Goldina, Catherine, and Mary. The three oldest girls were born in Kentucky and the youngest, Mary, was born in Texas. Also living in the household was a Farm hand, John Wolfe, age 29 from Mississippi.
Their eldest child Thomas Edward Elliott is not listed. It is presumed that he passed prior to 1880 in Kentucky. His resting place is unknown.
In the 1900 census, Harriet indicates that she had 11 children with 7 then living.
Besides Thomas, Eliza, Goldina (Denna), Catherine, and Mary, their other known children were George born in 1881, Hattie L. born in 1886 and Sam born in 1891.
Alexander Elliott died Mar 24, 1892, age 44. His headstone reads:
Gone Home
In Memory
Of
Alexander
Elliott
Born
July 17, 1847
Died
Mar. 24, 1892
Meet me in Heaven
Alex and Harriett’s son Sam Houston Elliott was born in the Sowers community less than one year prior to his father’s passing. Sam Elliott would marry Sally Belle Pearson in 1925.
Sally Pearson was born in Oklahoma and grew up in McKinney, Collin County, Texas. With a degree from North Texas State University and a Master’s degree from SMU, Sally began her 26 year teaching career in Irving in 1923, retiring in 1965. After their marriage in 1925, Sam and Sally Elliott settled on Sam’s farm in south Irving and had one daughter, Mary Belle Elliott.
Sam Elliott passed in 1938 at age 47 and was interred in Sowers cemetery. Sally B. Pearson Elliott would become the namesake of Sally B. Elliott Elementary school on South Story Road in Irving. The dedication of the school was held on Sunday, December 14, 1969, and at the time, was one of 21 schools in the Irving school system. Sally B. Elliott passed in 1998 at age 93 and was interred in Pecan Grove Cemetery in McKinney, Texas where daughter Mary Elliott Findley McIlroy has also been laid to rest.
Alexander’s wife Harriet Ferguson Elliott would continue to farm her own land in the Sowers Community with the help of her sons until she passes in 1928. Her death certificate shows she is buried in Sowers cemetery, but she has no marker and it’s assumed she was interred next to her husband Alexander.
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Alexander Elliott’s monument is located in the far southwest portion of Sowers Cemetery. His marker is an impressive obelisk next to the west fence adjacent to the parking area of the IISD facility next door.
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Special thanks to Sowers cemetery volunteer Mike Rowlands for the restoration of Alexander’s monument. Mike is a talented monument conservator. He not only straightened and leveled the monument but also properly reset the multiple stone components and repaired the broken Obelisk, filling in missing areas of the stone. The Sowers Cemetery Association very much appreciates his time and expertise.
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Sam Houston Elliott’s marker is to the right of the drive-in entrance into Sowers Cemetery. His marker is 6 rows to the east of the driveway and approximately 90 feet from Pioneer Drive.
Historical information was found on Findagrave.com, familysearch.org, the Irving History publication ‘Irving: A Texas Odyssey’ by Joseph Rice and irving.net/irvingwiki.