Born Knox County, Tennessee 20 November 1806, he married (1) 21 February 1828 and probably in Rutherford County, Emaline L. Northcott, born Rutherford County, Tennessee 7 December 1806, a daughter of John Northcott and Rumahah Tucker. They moved to Gibson County, Tennessee where they resided in 1830 and about 1835 they moved to Pontotoc County where they resided to about 1845 then moved to Iowa. Sometime during the 1840's he become a convert to the Mormon Church and it is believed this took place in Mississippi just prior to the move to Iowa. They resided in Mount Pisgah, Iowa to about 1850 then moved to Utah Territory with the general exodus of the Mormons from Iowa, and settled near Provo where they resided some years. He married (2) in February 1857 Mary DeGraw, born Illinois 6 October 1844. In January of 1868 they resided at St. Joseph, Pah Ute County, Arizona and there is in existence a letter written by him addressed to any brothers, sisters, nephews or nieces living in Texas asking them or any of them to write him upon which he would tell them more of the wonderful country where he lived, etc. It is now know how long they remained in this locality, they had returned to Kane County, Utah prior to November 1882 where Emaline, the first wife, died 5 November 1882. Elijah died 28 September 1888 and Mary, the second wife, survived and died 23 November 1899. Dates can be verified from Temple records at Salt Lake City. In these records Elijah left permanent data concerning his uncles and his grand father, Samuel Billingsley, unfortunately he failed to make any record of his grand mother Billingsley.