Elkanah Parris (1728 - 1813)

Born 16 Dec 1728 in Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Jun 1813 at age 84 in Danby, Rutland, Vermont, USA

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Biography

Elkanah was a Friend (Quaker)

Birth

Elkanah Parris was born in Pembroke, Plymouth, Mass 16 December 1728, his parents were Thomas Harris and Hanna.^[1] Elkanah served in the French and Indian war under Elisha Chapin^[2]. Elkanah began his working life in Canaan Connecticut and returned to Scituate Mass to Marry Grace Mott 20 December 1760^[3]. Elkanah and Grace established their family in Williamstown Mass (quite a way north of Canaan in the Housitonic Valley). ^[4] Elkanah and Grace then moved most of their family to Danby Vermont (just a few towns farther North) where Elkanah is recognized as a founding member of the Quakers there.^[5][6] Closer inspection of the Quaker records by Hellen Ullmann et al. suggests that the Parris's may not have been Quaker's in good standing^[7]. The History of Danby shows Elkanah and his family arriving 1797 and lists their children, all born in Williamstown Mass as:^[6]

Siblings

1. Micah
2. Daniel
3. Hannah b 1765
4. Caleb b 1766
5. Debrah b 1770
6. Phebe b 1772
7. Thankful b 1778
8. Huldah b 1779
9. Cloe b 1781

Death

Elkanah died in Danby 1813^[8]

PARRIS, ELKANAH born 1728, from Williamstown, Massachusetts. In 1797, settled on the farm, and near where his grandson, Wesley, now lives. He was originally from Pembroke, Massachusetts, and the son of Thomas Parris. whose father's name was also Thomas, who emigrated from England during the latter part of the seventeenth century. He married GRACE MOTT, of Scituate, Massachusetts, and soon after settled in Williamstown, where they remained until the spring of 1797 when they removed to Danby the country then being comparatively new. The log house in which they lived, stood a few rods west of the present framed dwelling. He was one of the early members of the Quaker society, of exemplary habits and morals. He was a man of considerable wealth and a respectable farmer, and a worthy peaceable, influential member of the community.

Although a man of intelligence and ability, he did not take a prominent part in political affairs, and having been considerably advanced in years at the time of settling here.

The descendants of Elkanah Parris are quite numerous, many of whom still remain here a while others are scattered throughout this and other states, being men of wealth and prominence, good abilities and education, and of respectability of character.

Mr. Parris died June 16th, 1813, aged 85; his wife August 19th, 1819, aged 81.

The names of their children are as follows:

MICHAH born and died at Williamstown

DANIEL

HANNAH born 1765

CALEB born 1766

DEBRAH born 1770

PHEBE born 1772

THANKFUL born 1773

HULDAH born 1779 and

CHLOE born 1781

Hannah married DAVID COMSTOCK of Berlin, New York

Of her children were:

DEBRA

AMOS lived in Adams, Massachusetts

PHEBE and PARRIS settled in western New York

DAVID settled in Adams, Massachusetts

HANNAH and ELIZABETH settled at Lockport, New York

ELKANAH

THOMAS and

EUNICE

Phebe married JOSEPH DILLINGHAM and lived in Middle Granville, New York. He died in 1821.

Chloe married NATHAN COMSTOCK and removed to Luzerne, New York.

They had three children:

CYRUS

THANKFUL and

RHODA

______________________________________

The History and Maps of Danby, Vermont

By John C Williams

Rutland, Vermont

Printed by McClean & Robbins—

Independent Office 1869

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1869,

By J. C. Williams

In the desk's Office of the District Court of the United States

for the District of Vermont.

Page 218

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ6Z-X2H : 10 February 2018), Elkenah Parris, 16 Dec 1728; citing PEMBROKE,PLYMOUTH,MASSACHUSETTS, ; FHL microfilm 0873752 IT 1.
2. ↑ Colonial Soldiers and Officers in New England, 1620-1775. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB494/i/13259/339/236066967
3. ↑ http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Plymouth/Scituate/Images/Scituate_M229.shtml viewed July 2019
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKG-KWG : accessed 26 July 2019), Elkanah Parish, Williamstown, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States; citing p. 692, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 4; FHL microfilm 568,144.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRQ-R2W : accessed 26 July 2019), Elkanah Parrish, Danby, Rutland, Vermont, United States; citing p. 81, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 52; FHL microfilm 218,689.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} The History and Map of Danby, Vermont : John C. Williams : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming. (1869, January 01). Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/historyandmapda00willgoog/page/n106 pages 106 and 227
7. ↑ Western Massachusetts Families in 1790. (Original Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012. (From various authors, Helen S. Ullmann, FASG, ed.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB475/rd/13272/1/235997359
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 September 2020), memorial page for Elkanah Parris (1728–16 Jun 1813), Find A Grave: Memorial #138918015, citing Maple Grove Cemetery, Danby, Rutland County, Vermont, USA ; Maintained by Lela Parris Koch (contributor 47311410) .

• Biographical Sketch: Western Massachusetts Families in 1790. (Original Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012. (From various authors, Helen S. Ullmann, FASG, ed.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB475/rd/13272/1/235997359

• http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/p/a/r/Jesse-Edward-Parris/GENE2-0007.html

• http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/p/a/r/Jesse-Edward-Parris/GENE2-0008.html
• Ancestry.com. North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.