Historic Paxton, her days and her ways, 1722-1913

There seems to be no portrait of Mr. Elder extant but we learn from a letter written in 1843 by his son Thomas Elder to the historian Redmond Conyngham : "My father had a good and very handsome face. The features were regular, yet no one feature prominent — good complexion, with blue eyes. In speaking with an old and estimable gentleman last Saturday about my father, I asked his recollection of his face. He replied, "I remember him perfectly, indeed, as well as if he was now before my eyes, and say that he had as good a face as could be found in ten thousand. He was a portly, long, straight man, over six feet in height, large frame in body, with rather heavy legs.' " "My father did not talk broad Scotch — a dialect, however, always pleasing to me. He talked and spoke much as we do now, but grammatically. By the way, there was no little Puritan feeling about him." The old parson seems to have been regarded with awe by his flock; and he had an uncompromising way of bringing offenders to task however important they might be. There is an amusing tale of his catching his leading elder, Thomas Rennox, and his richest parishioner, John Harris, attending a match of Long Bullets, a game played by throwing as far as possible iron balls weighing from one to five pounds. Rennox prudently went behind a tree at the approach of his formidable pastor, but Harris stood his ground and meekly took a sound drubbing from the outspoken parson, who declared solemnly, "Of all ye men in my congregation I am most surprised to see you here, John Harris!" The lecture closed, Harris suddenly called, "Thomas Rennox come out here !" And the last state of that elder was worse than the first ! He had a right cutting tongue, this fighting man of God. His great grandchild says, "I have often heard my mother say that her grandfather rarely laughed, though he had a keen sense of humor, albeit, rather sardonic, especially, when he felt his rights infringed. Her father, Thomas Elder, often told her laughingly of the time Parson Hogg, was appointed to supply Paxton and Derry in 1775. He was not in favor with our pastor and at the next meeting of Presbytery Parson Elder complains "of having been annoyed by the rooting around of a Hogg that had been turned into his fields.' " This anecdote, which is given in the history of Carlisle Presbytery, is thus confirmed by family lore. According to the stone in the old graveyard Mr. Elder was pastor at Paxton fifty-six years. In reality he was there but fifty-two years, three months and twenty-one days; he was ordained pastor of Paxton, December 22, 1738, and resigned because of advancing years, April 13, 1791. He died fifteen months later, July 17, 1792, at the ripe age of eighty-six. He lies buried in the same grave with his two wives, Mary Baker and Mary Simpson, and his daughter Grizzel. Mary Baker, the first wife, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1715, and married her famous husband in 1740. As the old "mansion" and barn are supposed to have been built about this time. Parson Elder probably erected it for his bride. She died June 12, 1749. She had two sons, Kobert and Joshua, and two daughters, Grizzel and Eleanor.