John Ellicott (December 28, 1739 – December 28, 1794)[1] was one of three Quaker brothers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania who chose the picturesque wilderness up river from Elk Ridge Landing (known today as Elkridge, Maryland) to establish a flour mill.[2] John and Andrew Ellicott moved to Baltimore County, Maryland in May 1771 purchasing 50 acres of Baltimore County land from Emanuel Teal and 35 acres from William Williams.[1][3] John, Andrew, and Joseph Ellicott founded Ellicott's Mills which became one of the largest milling and manufacturing towns in the East.
Ellicott, John | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Ellicott December 28, 1739 |
| Died | December 28, 1794 (aged 55) |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Cassandra |
| Children | John Jr. (-1820), William (-1838), Nathanial H. |
The Ellicott brothers helped revolutionize farming in the area by persuading farmers to plant wheat instead of tobacco and also by introducing fertilizer to revitalize depleted soil. Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was an early influential convert from tobacco to wheat.
Cassandra Ellicott remarried in 1800 at the opening of the Quaker Meeting House.[4]
John Ellicott was the uncle of surveyors Andrew Ellicott and Joseph Ellicott.
References
edit- ^ a b "Ellicott Family Graveyard: Ellicott Mills, Howard Co., MD". USGenWeb Tombstone Project. USGenWeb Archives. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
- ^ James A Clark Jr. Jim Clark Soldier Farmer Legislator. p. 23.
- ^ Henry K. Sharpe. The Patapsco River Valley. p. 7.
- ^ Janet Kusterer, Victoria Goeller. Ellicott City. p. 43.