Editor’s Note: The fascinating story below is provided by Mitch Mitchell. Mitch’s Baldwin connection is through Martha Ellen Baldwin, his gr-gr grandmother, wife of Ambrose Jones, who was a Civil War soldier in the 39th Kentucky. Thanks Mitch!

While we await further results from the game changing Solomon Baldwin DNA tests, I thought I would share some of the findings outlined in the new book “Elliott’s of Elliott’s Risque” by Clarence Shepard. Mr. Shepard is 80 years old and has written several other books focused on Floyd County records. He’s been researching the Elliott’s for years. His book is two hard bound volumes totaling about 1,000 pages…much of it copies of photos. It looks like hand typed much of it. I believe he’s selling the set for $95, if I recall what I paid. He wants money orders only. His address is: 2641 Delmonte Avenue, Dayton, OH 45419-2670

These are his conclusions so far, in a nutshell:

Sarah Elliott, wife of Solomon Baldwin, is a descendant of the Elliott’s of Elliott’s Risque, which is located in Baltimore, Maryland. Sarah born about 1812 in Virginia (Russell County, most likely)

Her father was John Elliott born about 1781 in Washington County, Va, son of Michael Elliott and Mary Trim. John Elliott’s wife, mother of Sarah, is Mary “Polly” Unknown. He says he has never seen a last name or even a middle initial for her in all the years he’s been doing  research. She is always referred to as Mary or Polly. Some people claim her name was Powers, but Shepard doesn’t believe it. Has no idea where that came from. (Do any of you know?)

Shepard says our John Elliott is the same John Elliott who was charged with murder in Russell County in 1817. He apparently served some jail time, but got off easy. And here’s the cool part!

The Elliott referred to in the song below is our John Elliott! Abner Vance, while in prison awaiting trail composed a ballad, “The Vance Song or Abner Vance’s Death Ballad, which is recognized by the Southwest Virginia Folk Lore Society, as the oldest song still in existence, written west of the Blue Ridge. The whole story is on the web. Google it!

Vance Song
Green are the woods where Sandy flows,
And peace it dwelleth there;
In the valley the bear they lie secure,
The red buck roves the knobs.
But Vance no more shall Sandy behold,
Nor drink its crystal waves;
The partial judge pronounced his doom,
The hunter has found his grave.
The judge said I was an incarnate fiend,
For Elliott I tried to save;
I agreed as a juryman Elliott’s life to save,
Humanity belongs to the brave.
John Elliott left Virginia for obvious reasons, moved to Kentucky and became a Methodist minister and died in 1850. 

John Elliott’s father was Michael Elliott, born Oct 29, 1747 in Baltimore, Maryland. Michael Elliott left Maryland and apparently arrived in SW Virginia about 1782…living in Washington, Russell and Scott Counties over the years. Michael died in Scott County, Va 1823. 

Michael’s parents were James Elliott and Mary Weecks…and it appears James’ father was John Elliott. This John Elliott may have been the immigrant ancestor, but then again maybe not. First record of him is a deed in 1715 in Baltimore County, Maryland.  James Elliott was born about 1714, not sure where. Elliott’s Risque was the name of the property where the Elliott’s lived. It was part of the land owned by Lord Baltimore. There is no smoking gun link proving that John was the father of James, but there is solid circumstantial evidence linking the two. The best evidence is John Elliott’s will. John Elliott apparently got into some trouble with the church and his own wife in 1743 for cohabitating with a woman, who was married to a neighbor. John and the woman left Maryland and disappeared from the records for years. Finally in 1764 a will surfaces in Amherst County, Virginia for a John Elliott who writes, ” I give unto James Elliott of Baltimore County in Maryland all that tract of land called Elliott’s Risque.” He never says James is his son, but it sure looks that way. 

Another Solomon Baldwin direct descendant submits a DNA sample.

Tim Baldwin, a cousin who is a direct descendant of Solomon Baldwin, has submitted a DNA sample to FTDNA. And, Tim also has joined the Baldwin surname project. A second DNA sample is needed to confirm or refute the supposition that our ancestry roots are in the Maness Family and not the Baldwin Family. Tim’s DNA analyses should be complete by the end of this year.