FRED ELLIOTT

Fred Elliott was born July 24, 1852, in Sheffield, England. He came to Canada at the age of 10. He first worked for George Collard of Gormley and later for Bishop Samuel Snider for six years at Edgeley, then he worked for his step-father in Nebraska, U.S.A. for one year and later for Daniel Smith, deacon of the Old Mennonite Church at Edgeley. He married Elizabeth Horner in 1874, by the Rev. Mr. Dick, minister of the Presbyterian church of Richmond Hill. They were both converted about 1876 and joined the Tunker church. He was chosen to the ministry in 1882 and was ordained by Bishop Levi Lukenbach of Ohio. He was one of the outstanding funeral sermon ministers and was often called to preach English for the Old Order Mennonites and other churches. He preached in sincerity and in truth and made a great impression on his hearers. He had only a common school education. Nevertheless he was a fluent speaker that brought conviction to the sinner and many were converted. It has been said at a revival meeting in Nottawa one stormy night that unless the wind would cease they would have to close the meeting. Then the wind immediately ceased and a lot were converted. He also wrote a lot of articles for the Evangelical Visitor and was gifted in writing poetry and also wrote articles in the Richmond Hill papers. He settled on a farm near Richmond Hill. His son, John, still lives on the place. He was of Church of England descent which he never forgot what that church stood for.

Some hymns he gave out were:

Come thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise,
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above,
Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

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A mighty Fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing,
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing,
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work His woe
His craft and power are great
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Fred Elliott had a family of five sons and one daughter. He had the misfortune of losing his wife. It can be truly said of her that in quietness and confidence was her strength. Brother Elliott married Jemima Nicely of Walpole. She was raised in Elder Christian Winger's home. She was a cousin of Bishop Christian Gayman of the Old Order Mennonites who was a great man to visit the sick, not only his own members but others as well. He always had a warm place in his heart for Fred Elliott and offered the last prayer for him before he died. Also John W. Hoover of South Cayuga as they were boys together and would visit each other.