The unending search for Daniel Elliott

This came from a mailing list I am on. I am not posting the author since I don't give out anyones personal information wtihotu their permission...It's interesting in any case since Daniel is a particular stone wall for me!

The UNPROVEN THEORY of Daniel Elliott & His Ancestors


Daniel Elliott, made famous by his testimony at the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. He was born about 1665, most likely Marlborough Massachusetts. He states in his Witch Trials testimony that "he was 27 years of age or thereabouts." According to "Savages account of New England Genealogy", puts Daniel coming from Marlborough or Sudbury. In the General Court records for Sudbury and Marlborough, we know that a Mr. Elliot was living in Marlborough in 1661, he was one of the signers on a petition asking that taxes should be suspended until such time as a town could be established. We also find on the IGI a Mrs Daniel Elliot death about 1680 in the "Salem Area". The statement has been made in the "Loren S. Elliott" papers "Daniel Elliot, son of Daniel", and makes a further claim that the father of Daniel was "born ca. 1630". There is one Daniell Elliot found in Ides, Devon, England born 1636. He married Dorcas Pope 1659 in Ides, Devon, England. As of this date nothing has been located!
as to their arrival in America, but the search goes on for a passenger list with this couple on it. I doubt that one will be found, but the search goes on. The subtle clues are beginning to take form.

In 1690 a Daniel Elliot was killed by Indians, along with a George Ingersoll and others. In the testimony of Daniel Elliot at the Salem Witch trials, he was at the place of Nathaniel Ingersoll who was a relative of the George Ingersoll who was killed by Indians. Another clue?

In Josiah Temple' "History of Framingham Mass", he states that Daniel Elliott removed to the "Pope" farm after signing his grist mill at Oxford over to his 2 sons, James and Ebenezer. I believe that he was related to the Pope's by way of his mother Dorcas Pope. This has not been proven and one should not take these notes as proof at this time.

If we are to make the assumption that Daniel Elliot is the father of Daniel Elliot (of Salem) and Dorcas Pope is his mother then his ancestry can certainly be traced back to Devonshire, England.

If we follow this line of thinking, ie; Daniel and Dorcas (Pope) Elliot were the parents of Daniel Elliot of Salem fame, we will call Daniel of Devonshire the 1st Daniel.

1st Daniel christened April 3, 1636 Morten Hampstead, Devon, England, by Morten Hampstead Parish Register Vol 1, Baptisms 1603-1710, held by the Devon-Cornwall Record Society. His parents are listed as Daniell Elliot and Dorothy Southmead, daughter of William. Children born to them were Anne born April 12, 1635, and died April 14 of the same year, daughter Hannah born ? and Daniel born 1636. Daniel and Dorothy were married June 29, 1633 Morten Hampstead, England. Daniel was born 1599 to Richard Elliot and Amy Moxworthie. Richard was the son of John Elliot and Johanna Browne they were married about 1580. John Elliot was the son of Nycolas Elliot and unkown. Nycolas was the son of Richard Elliot and Dorothy ?.

Back to Massachusetts we find Daniel of Salem marriage to Hannah Cloyce, daughter of Peter Cloyce and Hannah Littlefield, parents Edmund and Annis(Agnes)Austin Littlefield. The children of Daniel and Hannah were Daniel JR, Ebenezer, James, John, Nathaniel, Jonathon, Peter & unknown son(died young). From the Essex Antiquarian, Daniel Elliot from Salem Village settled in Framingham 1693 along with the Coyce family, Daniel's step mother in law was found guilty as a witch but escaped and the Elliott and Cloyce families left Salem along with other family's named in the Salem Witch hunts. Daniel and his family moved once again about 1704 to Oxford where we find Daniel recieving the grist mill stones from Gabriel Bernon in 1715. Daniel Elliot handed over the grist mill to sons James and Ebenzer and it appears that some of the mill was sold to John Provender, brother to Sarah Provender who later married son Daniel JR. After leaving his grist mill we find he "removed to the Pope farm! ." The names of Daniel , father, Daniel JR and James Elliot appear on the propietors records. That of Daniel, the father, Sept 14, 1722 as the purchaser of fifty acres in the 3rd division, on both sides of the great brook, near Coffin's farm, that of Daniel JR, June 28, 1728 as the purchaser of 25 acres in the 5th division, adjoining the land of Daniel Elliot, that of James Elliot July 15 1734 as purchaser of twelve and 1/2 acres of land in the 6th division, adjoining to his other land, where he know lives. Land information is from "The History of Sutton Massachusetts from 1704-1876 by Hiram Averill Tracy & William Addison."

Please note that the history of Daniel, the father, is not proven and is only conjecture at this point. Although many clues are pointing some of us Elliot researchers to this conclusion, please do not take this a source or proof of ancestry. As more information is uncovered we will, of course, add to it to this story.