Person:Frederick Elsey (1)

Advisory

Some researchers have questioned the existence of Frederick Elsey, and believe that this should be either an elder Nicholas Elsey or perhaps a John Elsey, possibly of Frederick County, Virginia. More research necessary. Source: http://groups.ancestry.com/group/elseyandelza/discussions/112402943

Notes

From Genforum Message Board:

PRESTON COUNTY HISTORY STORY:

ELSEY

The patriarch of this old and honored family was a Frederick Elsey, this is according to traditional family history and A History of Preston County: Part 1, written by Oren F. Morton, 1914. Frederick brought his family from east of the Blue Ridge Mountain's into the Preston and Monongalia County area's about 1796. They located their family on the east bank of the Cheat River just below the mouth of Elsey's Run, where Frederick lost his first wife. Their is some speculation as to who was Frederick's first wife, which I believe is Eva Floyd, due to the fact that on Nicholas Elsey's marriage records to Matilda (Jones, maiden name) Taylor, Nicholas has down that his mother was Mary, and his father was John. Once Eva Floyd Elsey died, Frederick's three sons by Eva, went back over the Blue Ridge Mountain's. Frederick remarried for a second time to Mary (unknown last name), they had a son together and named him Nicholas Elsey. Frederick died when Nicholas was a small child, and this is when Mary, married John Groves. It is this John Groves that I believe Nicholas called his father, because he raised him from the time that he was a small boy.

Nicholas Elsey was born in 1798, in the Preston Co., area, where he spent all of his life. Nicholas married Jane Elizabeth Wheeler, (another well documented family from Preston County) who was also born in 1798, and had fourteen children during their marriage together. Their children's names were; William W. - b. 1820 (killed in the Civil War), John - b. 1822, Samuel - b. 1823, Elisha - b. 1826 (killed in the Civil War), Matilda - b. 1827, Rebecca - b. 1829, Joshua - b. 1831 (killed in the Civil War), Elizabeth - b. 1832, Abraham - 1834 (fought in the Civil War), David - b. 1834 (killed in the Civil War), Sarah Jane - b. 1837, Mary Catherine - b. 1839, Rachel C. - b. 1842, Jacob Cornelius - b. 1844 (fought in the Civil War). The last information that I have about Jane Elizabeth (Wheeler) Elsey was on March 25, 1853, when she reported the birth of her granddaughter, Ruhama Elsey, in Preston County, Virginia.

On March 12, 1857, Nicholas married Matilda (Jones, maiden name) Taylor, b. 1824 (birth was estimated according to her marriage age of 33 yrs.), the widow of Alfred Taylor. Matilda brought into this marriage three boys, who names were; Charles M. Taylor - b. 1842 (killed in Civil War), William Baldwin Taylor - b. 1845 (fought in Civil War), Samuel N. Taylor - b. 1846, and two daughters, Ellen Louise Taylor - 1847 (she married Nicholas Elsey's son Jacob Cornelius, by Jane Elizabeth Elsey), and Persus A. Taylor - b. 1853.

Nicholas's family suffered greatly during the Civil War (1861 - 1865). Five of his and Jane's sons and one grandson joined the Union Army in Preston Co., Virginia. Their grandson, Nicholas and his father William W. lost their lives, along with William's brother's Elisha, Joshua, and David. Their is a 28 page story of Nicholas and Jane's sons, and the battles that they fought, written by Dorothy B. Snider. Matilda (Jones, maiden name - Taylor, 1st marriage name) Elsey's three son's joined the Union Army in Preston County, Virginia. She lost her son Charles M. Taylor to this war. Their is also a story about the son's that Matilda Jones Taylor Elsey sent to war. This story is on pages 12 thru 26, and written by the same person as the Elsey story.

Nicholas was one of the pioneers of Methodism in Virginia. He raised his family in this faith at the Wesley Chapel Methodist Church that was located between Rowlesburg and Terra Alta on the Salt Lick Road. in the Union District of Preston County. He was a member of this church for more than 50 years, a class member, and one of the original trustees. During this families trials and tribulations, they stuck together, and a large number of this family continued to live on in the Preston County area. Their is continuing research going on in this family history that will eventually be added, please feel free to contact me at Pamela Diane Bobila, 5100 Coe Ave. Sp. 146, Seaside, CA. 93955 or at pamaddy@netzero.net. Source: http://genforum.genealogy.com/elsey/messages/36.html