A History of Kentucky Baptists From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 
800 Biographical Sketches, J. H. Spencer, Manuscript Revised and 
Corrected by Mrs. Burilla B. Spencer, In Two Volumes.  Printed For the 
Author.  1886.  Republished By Church History Research & Archives 1976 
Lafayette, Tennessee. Vol. 2, p 134 [Marion County]

RICHARD ELLIOT was one of the pioneer preachers in Washington county.  
He was a native of Virginia, and was born about 1765.  At an early age, 
he began his ministry as a Methodist preacher.  During an extensive 
revival, which prevailed in Virginia, from 1785 to 1791, several 
Methodists joined the Baptists, in Mr. Elliot's neighborhood.  Being a 
zealot for his church, he sent for the circuit rider to come and preach 
a sermon on Baptism.  At the next meeting of the Baptist church, Mr. 
Elliot and the circuit rider being present, an influential Methodist 
woman offered herself for membership.  Being asked to give her reason 
for making the change, she replied, in substance:  "I have been in doubt 
concerning my baptism, for several months.  But when I heard the 
arguments our preacher used, in his sermon, preached against the 
Baptists, and in defence of Methodism, I was fully convinced that I had 
never been rightly baptized."  The pastor stepped up to the circuit 
rider, and, playfully stroking his head, said:  "I have been trying to 
convince this woman of her error, several months; but you have 
accompished it with one sermon:  come and preach for us again!"  This 
circumstance set Mr. Elliot to investigating.  A few months' study 
convinced him that he was in error, and he decided to offer himself to 
the Baptist church.  But wishing to be open and candid with his 
brethren, he went to the class-meeting, to inform them of his change of 
views, and to justify himself by giving his reasons.  He had not 
proceeded far in reading and explaining the scriptures, when the circuit 
rider cried out:  "Stop that man:  he will convince everybody in the 
house!"
	Mr. Elliot soon afterwards joined the Baptists, and was set apart 
to the ministry.  While yet comparatively a young man he emigrated to 
Kentucky, and settled in what is now Marion county.  Here he spent the 
remainder of his days, laboring with his hands for a support, and 
preaching the gospel to the poor around him.  He died, in the triumph of 
the Christian's hope, about the year 1835.  He was a man of moderate 
gifts, but possessing true piety and zeal, he added his quota to the sum 
of evangelical labors, performed in the wilderness of the Great West.

Elliot
=
Washington-KY VA

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/marion/elliot.r.txt