Selected Person
This page collects working genealogy notes for James Elliott, reportedly born in April 1817 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and reportedly deceased in 1906 in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The main surnames connected to this research page include Elliott, Scott, McKean, McCan, McCandless, McCabe, and O'Neal.
Relationship Context
The current working relationship path is:
James Elliott → father of Alice S. Elliott → mother of Lester McCabe → father of Doug O'Neal → father of Jeremiah O'Neal.
This relationship path is being preserved as a working genealogy structure. Each parent-child link should be checked against census records, death records, marriage records, cemetery records, probate files, and county histories.
Known and Working Facts
- Name: James Elliott
- Birth: April 1817, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Death: 1906, Butler County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Possible spouse in older online notes: Margaret Scott
- Possible spouse or mother of children from record clues: Margaret McKean, McCan, or McCandless
- Known research child for this line: Alice S. Elliott
Important Spouse Identity Question
Some online trees and copied genealogy notes may connect James Elliott to Margaret Scott, reportedly born on 10 February 1793 in Mercer, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and deceased on 1 April 1868 in Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
This relationship needs careful review. If James Elliott was born in 1817, then Margaret Scott, born in 1793, would have been about twenty-four years older than James. That does not make the relationship impossible by itself, but it creates a major evidence problem if she is claimed as the mother of children born in the 1830s, 1840s, or 1850s.
A separate research lead suggests that James Elliott’s spouse, or the mother of at least some of his children, may have been a younger Margaret with the surname McKean, McCan, or McCandless. This page does not treat that as proven. It records the issue so later researchers can test the claim with primary records.
Possible Children and Household Clues
A reported 1850 Butler County, Pennsylvania household for a James Elliott includes a wife named Margaret of similar age and several children. This needs direct source review from the original census image or a reliable indexed record.
- John Elliott, born about 1836
- William Elliott, born about 1838
- Mary J. Elliott, born about 1841
- James A. Elliott, born about 1844
- Margaret E. Elliott, born about 1846
- Sarah A. Elliott, born about 1848
- Robert S. Elliott, born about 1850
- Alice S. Elliott, relationship link needing direct record support
These names should be treated as research targets, not final proof. Death certificates, marriage records, obituaries, cemetery records, and probate records may help confirm whether these children belong to the same James Elliott family group.
Research Notes
The key research problem is separating at least two possible Margaret identities. Margaret Scott, born in 1793, may belong to a different Elliott family branch, may be connected by marriage to another Elliott relative, or may have been incorrectly attached to this James Elliott in online trees.
The strongest next clue may come from Pennsylvania death certificates for children of James Elliott. Death certificates created after statewide Pennsylvania registration began may list the names of both parents. These records can be wrong, but when several siblings name the same mother, that pattern becomes important evidence.
County histories can also help, especially if they identify William Elliott, James A. Elliott, Robert S. Elliott, or Alice S. Elliott as children of James Elliott. However, county histories should be checked against original records because they can contain family memory errors.
Evidence Placeholders
- 1850 U.S. Census: Needed for James Elliott household in Worth Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
- 1860 U.S. Census: Needed to compare household structure and spouse identity.
- 1870 U.S. Census: Needed to track older children and possible nearby relatives.
- Death certificates: Needed for children born in the 1830s through 1850s.
- Marriage records: Needed for James Elliott, Margaret Scott, Margaret McKean, Alice S. Elliott, and related Elliott children.
- Probate records: Needed for James Elliott, Margaret Scott, and possible Elliott relatives in Butler and Somerset Counties.
- Cemetery records: Needed to compare burial groupings and spouse dates.
Suggested Next Records
- Find the original 1850 census image for James Elliott in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
- Find the 1860 and 1870 census records for the same household or nearby Elliott households.
- Search Pennsylvania death certificates for Robert S. Elliott, James A. Elliott, William Elliott, Sarah A. Elliott, and Margaret E. Elliott.
- Search for a will or estate file for James Elliott, deceased 1906 in Butler County.
- Search for a will or estate file for Margaret Scott, deceased 1868 in Butler County.
- Search Butler County cemetery records for James Elliott and a spouse named Margaret.
- Search Somerset County records for Elliott families who may identify James Elliott’s parents or siblings.
- Verify Alice S. Elliott through marriage, death, census, or child records connecting her to Lester McCabe.
Graphic / Image Note
Add graphic here if available.
Related Research Links
Research Caution
This page is a public research aid. It preserves clues and organizes the next evidence steps. It should not be treated as final proof that Margaret Scott was the spouse of James Elliott or the mother of his children. The Margaret identity issue is one of the main questions this page is designed to investigate.