Elijah Concilor

Elijah Concilor made his first appearance in the 1783 Duck Creek Hundred Taxables list so he was probably born sometime prior to 1765. We cannot say for sure who his parents were but it is possible he was the son of William and Mary Concilor .

Elijah was also listed in the 1788 Duck Creek Taxables list.

On February 14, 1788, Elijah Conselor, yeoman of Duck Creek Hundred, bought 38 acres and 120 perches of land from John Durham for 116 pounds 5 shillings. The land adjoined land owned by Benjamin Wells and James Dean who witnessed the deeds. We know that James Dean's lands were along the "great Dover to Smyrna Road" which is under the current Rte. 13, just north of its intersection with Fast Landing Road so we have a rough idea of the location of Elijah's lands.

We also know that Elijah was married to John Durham's daughter, Hannah Durham sometime before 1788 because he is mentioned in the papers filed on John's estate in 1788. On April 9, 1788 John Durham wrote his will and the accounts reveal that his daughter Hannah Durham was married to Elijah Concilor. Another daughter, Elizabeth Durham, was married to Thomas Concilor . One of the witnesses to the will was Mary Concilor, widow of William Concilor. This makes it highly likely that Elijah and Thomas were brothers and that both were sons of William and Mary.

Thomas and Elijah probably grew up on their father's property next door to John Durham and his family in Little Creek Hundred, on land their father purchased from John in 1756. The marriage between the two households would seem like a perfect expression of the bonds of friendship between the two families as well as the insularity of the emerging mixed blood community.

By 1783 Elijah was living on his own in Duck Creek Hundred so it is possible he was married to Hannah by that time.

On May 14, 1789 Francis Denney, Administrator on the estate of John Durham, sold 50 acres of John Durham's land to Elijah Conselor of Duck Creek Hundred for 60 pounds, 16 shillings and 6 pence.

In 1798 Elijah appeared in the Little Creek Hundred taxables (Negros & Mulattos Estates). Since Elijah's ties remained in Duck Creek Hundred until the time of his death, his listing here is probably only on those lands he held in Little Creek (lands in the tenure of James Dean who was married to Sarah Hewes, his wife's aunt).

This is the first time that any of the Concilors had been classified as "negro or mulatto" in the DE records although they had clearly been linked to the mixed blood community since the early part of the 18th century when Thomas Conselahs daughters had married Butchers and Franciscos.

On February 7, 1798 Joab Alston of New Castle Co., DE sold 120 acres of land to Elijah Concilor of Duck Creek Hundred for $1060.67.

The 1800 DE Federal Census listed Elijah Councilor, Charles Councilor, Jeremiah Councilor and Thomas Councilor all living in Kent Co. We know Elijah and Jeremiah were father and son. It is possible that Thomas was Elijah's brother (married to Elizabeth Durham). It is also possible that Charles was another brother.

In 1801, Elijah Concilor died. Letters of Administration on his estate were granted on December 29, 1801 to his widow, Hannah and his son, Jeremiah. The estate was appraised on Dec. 31, 1801 for 502 pounds. Mentioned in the accounting was also William Conselar

The known children of Elijah Concilor and Hannah Durham Concilor were:

Hannah Durham Concilor died in Duck Creek Hundred in 1840. Letters of Administration on her estate were granted on November 5, 1840 to John Durham of Little Creek Hundred (possibly her son-in-law)