Elias Stillwell Jr
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Elias Stillwell Jr (abt. 1707 - 1792)

Elias Stillwell Jr [uncertain]
Born about in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jerseymap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married about 1730 in New Jerseymap [uncertain]
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 84 in Bethel Township, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
Profile last modified | Created 20 Feb 2011
This page has been accessed 3,180 times.

Biography

Daughters of the American Revolution
Elias Stillwell Jr is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A135079.
1776 Project
Elias Stillwell Jr performed Patriotic Service in Pennsylvania in the American Revolution.

Notes of John E. Stillwell:[1]

"Elias Stillwell, supposed son of Elias Stillwell, 4, resided in Freehold, Monmouth County, N. J. in his youth and moved thence to Pennsylvania where he died at an advanced age."
New Jersey References
...
1730, Dec. 28. Elias Stillwell, of Freehold, Monmouth County, N. J., yeoman, gave a bond to James Holmes for £12. Original in possession of Dr. John E. Stillwell.
1731, Apr. 1. Elias Stillwell on the Tax List of Upper Freehold, owning twenty-five acres.
This Elias Stillwell, of Monmouth County, is doubtless he who became a pioneer settler of Pennsylvania, and was born, according to his tombstone date, in the year 1708. It is said, which, however, I think is somewhat too early, that he came into Pennsylvania in 1736, via Maryland, bringing with him a son John Stillwell. This statement appeared in an old book, since lost, but remembered and passed on as tradition in the family of Banner Graves, who was his descendant, and whose family still occupy a portion of his original land, lying in what is now Thomson Township, Fulton County, Pa.
“Mr. Charlton, a grandson of Lieut. John Stillwell, said that Lieut. Stillwell’s father came on horseback in early colonial times prior to 1746, from Frederick County, Md., to Pennsylvania. He was searching for a stream of water and finding well watered lands in Bedford County (now Fulton County) occupied then by the Indians, he bought the land from them for blankets, beads and trinkets. It was the site of an Indian village, which later became known as Green Valley Farm. The house he erected is now situated on the same site, and is owned by a descendant, Ralph Graves. It is about four miles north of Hancock, Md. He arrived in the Spring of the year and during the summer planted corn, built a log house, and in the Fall returned to Frederick Co., and married there. He then shortly came back with his family.” "

"ELIAS owned land in Monmouth County, NJ as early as 1731. He married MERIAM EDDY (MIRIAM or MERIEM) b. 29 Jan 1708 Woodbridge, NJ daughter of JOHN and ELIZABETH EDWARDS EDDY. They moved from NJ to Frederick County, MD and from there to the farm near Hancock, MD, known as the Green Valley Farm. He thought that he was buying land in MD, but when the Mason-Dixon Line was established, his farm proved to be in PA. Sarah McKebbin Harris, in her "Descendants of Meriam Eddy", stated that he left his family in MD, and traveled on horseback north to locate a good farm. He located a field known as the Island Field, and traded with the Indians for the land. He built a cabin, planted some corn, and that same year, 1746, he returned to Frederick County and brought his family to their new home. During the French and Indian Wars they were forced to flee to Fort Frederick which had been built to protect the settlers (1755-1757). On 12 Jan 1756 CATHERINE STILLWELL, the wife of a relative was killed and scalped by the Indians along with one child. Two of her other children, 3 and 8 years old, were carried away. Her husband, RICHARD, escaped to Coombs Fort. ELIAS lost 7 horses and 2 cows to the Indians in this raid. ELIAS took out a patent from MD on Konolawa Creek and in 1762 he patented 150 acres on Big Conoloway Creek for which he paid $110. In 1767 he patented 300 acres in the same area. Konolawa became Conoloway and later Tonoloway."[2]

Excerpt from "History of Tonoloway Baptist Church":[3]
"ELIAS STILLWELL, ESQ. was the first name listed among those belonging to the church. He was baptized in 1752. He stood at the door and collected money to pay for the land that the church owned. Stillwell came from Monmouth County, New Jersey, where he owned land as early as 1731. He came to the area in 1746, by way of Maryland. He purchased his farm from Indians who had a village there (on the "Island Field"). This farm became known as "Green Valley Farm" and it passed down through the family for many years. In the early part of the century, it was owned by Stillwell's McCandish descendants, and it is now owned by Mr. Robert Souders. Elias Stillwell returned to Maryland for his family, and his brothers Jeremiah and Richard soon followed. During the Indian raids of the 1750's the family suffered greatly: Catherine Stillwell, Richard's wife, was killed, along with one child, while two other small children were carried away; Elias lost seven horses, one mare, and two cows. Stillwell's farm amounted to 300 acres in 1779, at which time it was appraised at $4,700 -- the best farm in that part of the county. At that time, he was made a justice of the peace for the township. He married Meriam Eddy, daughter of John and Elizabeth Edwards Eddy of Woodbridge, New Jersey, and granddaughter of James Edwards of Stevenston, Haddington Par., Scotland. The Stillwells had a number of children: Obediah, who died before 1785, leaving a number of children; Jeremiah (1739-1781); John, Esq. (1746-1823); Mary, wife of Samuel Pain (Payne); Elizabeth Graham; Rebecca Coombs; Sarah Truax; and Rachel Warford. Nearly all of these children belonged to the church and are discussed in various places in this work. Elias Stillwell's sons-in-law were James Graham. Edward Coombs, Samuel Payne, Samuel Truax, and Joseph Warford. The Paynes went to Springhill Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Stillwell died February 4, 1792, aged eighty-four years old. His wife lived until October 19, 1803, at which time she was ninety-five. Elias Stillwell remembered the ministry of the gospel at Tonoloway, stating in his will, "I do give and bequest unto My Friend the Rev'd. Joseph Powell, the present Baptist minister of this place, for the love I bear to him, five pounds of Pennsylvania currency ..." He also cancelled payment of a note held against the church."

Elias was one of the signers of the following letter, written on 21 July 1750:
“To the Inhabitants of the Big Cove, In Pennsylvania.”
“The Petition of the Settlers of the Little Cove on the Temporary Line, -
“To the Honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, &ca.
“The Petition of the Subscribers, Inhabitants of small Tracts of Land situate Westward of the Kittochtinny or Blue Hills, at a Place known by the Name of the Little Cove and Conolloway's Creek, humbly sheweth : - - . "
“Whereas, sundry Inhabitants of the Province of Maryland (some of 'em vested with Authority) divers times within these three Years past have attempted to survey and take possession of the aforesaid Tracts, being at or near where the Temporary Line when extended will run, as we believe; We, therefore, willing to live under the Protection of the good Constitution and Government of the Province of Pennsylvania, have hitherto prevented the various Attempts of the People of Maryland, and have presumed to seat ourselves, and have made small improvements on the said Lands. “As we have done this purely to defend it from the People of Maryland, and not in Contempt of the Laws of the Province of Pennsylvania nor the Governor's Proclamation, we humbly pray that we may be permitted to live on our respective Improvements at least untill the Temporary Line shall be extended."
Joseph Coombe
John Herrod (J his mark)
William James
Thomas Yates (T his mark)
Lewis Williams
Elias Stilwell
John Messer
Joan Newhouse (2 his mark)
Rees Shelby
William Lofton (O his mark)
Charles Woods (his mark)
Henry Peirson
George Rees
William Morgan (W M his mark)
John Lloyed (his mark)
Levi Moore (his mark)
John Graham
William Lin
Andrew Coombs
John Poolk
Thomas Huston[4]

17 October 1766 - Joseph Powell, Elias Stillwell, and David Bowen applied for 50 acres of land under Stillwell's Ridge in Air Township, Cumberland County, including a meeting house in trust for the Baptist congregation of Minister Joseph Powell.[5]

Minutes of the Church of Jesus Christ called Tonoloway in Bedford County, Pennsylvania:
February 1767 - Elias Stillwell, John Mellott and Edward Coombs were authorized to buy a parsonage.[6]

Elias Stilwell appeared in a 1773 tax list for Ayr Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

The will of Elias Stillwell (of Bethel Township) was written on August 30, 1785, and proved on 27 February 1792 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.[7]
The will mentions the following family members:
Wife - Marian
Sons:
Obadiah (deceased) - children: Elias, Elenor, Susanne, Obadiah
Jeremiah
John - son: Elias
Daughters:
Elizabeth Graham (Widow)
Rebecca Coombs
Sarah Truax
Mary Pain
Rachel Wharford
Grandson Elias Pain (son of Samuel Pain)
Elias directed the sale of his land in the Great Cove.
Elias left all of the land where he then lived (held by a Maryland survey) to his son John Stillwell.
Elias left money to Joseph Powel, the Baptist minister, and he left additional money for the use of the local Baptist Church.

Elias was buried at Tonoloway Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. His tombstone reads:
Elias Stillwell who departed
this life Febuary the 4th
Anno 1792 aged 84 years
Good God on what a strand
Hang everlasting things
The eternal fates of all the dead
Upon lifes feeble strings

Note

Note: @NI22610@
@NI22610@ NOTE Elias, at the age of 70 renounced his King, resigned his commission as Justice of the Peace, picked up his rifle, saddled up one of his horses and rode off to fight in the Revolution.

Sources

  1. John E. Stillwell, "The History of Captain Nicholas Stillwell", New York City, (1930).
  2. Errata and Addenda to Upon the Shoulders of Giants. Edited by Eric R. Zeitler, Volume II, page 43.
  3. Harry Stuart Holman, "History of Tonoloway Baptist Church", Fulton County Historical Society, (1980), pages 119-120.
  4. Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania: Volume V, pages 453-454, (1745-1754).
  5. Harry Stuart Holman, "History of Tonoloway Baptist Church", Fulton County Historical Society, (1980), page 12.
  6. Harry Stuart Holman, "History of Tonoloway Baptist Church", Fulton County Historical Society, (1980), page 35.
  7. Bedford County, Pennsylvania Wills, Volume 21, page 278.
  • Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 26 Dec 2021), "Record of Elias Stillwell", Ancestor # A135079.




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Elias by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Elias:

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Comments: 2

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Stillwell-618 and Stillwell-50 appear to represent the same person because: same name, b-date and spouse
posted by Patricia Roche
Stilwell-181 and Stillwell-398 appear to represent the same person because: same person. Resolve mother and birth date.
posted by [Living McQueen]