Elijah P. Marrs
| Elijah P. Marrs | |
|---|---|
Marrs in 1915
|
|
| Born |
January , 1840 Shelby County, Kentucky |
| Died | August 30, 1910 (aged 70) Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
| Occupation | Educator, minister (Christianity) |
| Political party | Republican |
|
|
| Religion | Baptist |
| Born | Shelby County |
| Died | Louisville |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1864-1866 |
| Rank |
 Sergeant Major
|
| Unit | 12th Regiment Heavy Artillery U.S. Colored Troops, Company L |
Elijah P. Marrs (January 1840 – August 30, 1910) was a minister and educator in Louisville, Kentucky. He was a sergeant in the 12th Regiment Heavy Artillery U.S. Colored Troops during the American Civil War (1861-1865). After the war he taught in various schools and helped organize Loyal Leagues to defend blacks from attacks by the Ku Klux Klan. Together with his brother, Henry, he helped found what became Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville in 1879.
Elijah P. Marrs was born a slave in January 1840 in Shelby County, Kentucky to Andrews and Frances Marrs. His father, Andrew, had been granted his freedom by his master before Elijah was born, but his mother was still a slave, and with her sons was owned by a man named Jesse Robinson. His parents were born in Culpeper County, Virginia. He had one brother, Henry C. Marrs. He converted to the Baptist religion at the age of eleven by Rev. Charles Wells and received basic education studying at night under Ham Graves, a black man, and later at Sunday schools. When the American Civil War (1861-1865) started, Marrs read newspapers to other slaves, keeping people informed about the wars progress.
On September 25, 1864, Marrs organized a company of 27 men, armed with clubs, and Marrs armed himself with a broken pistol, and they marched 22 miles to Louisville and enlisted in the United States army. Soon after, he was made sergeant of Company L of the 12th Regiment Heavy Artillery U.S. Colored Troops. He may have been initially assigned to the another regiment, but was transferred and promoted when it was discovered he was literate. He temporarily held the position of regimental quartermaster sergeant. His brother, Henry, became orderly sergeant and then sergeant major in another company, in company C of the 5th United States Colored Cavalry. His regiment trained at Camp Nelson, Kentucky and took part in minor engagements at Glasgow and at Big Springs in Kentucky in 1865. With the permission of his captain, Marrs and another soldier, Swift Johnson, led prayer meetings in the barracks while the regiment was stationed in Bowling Green. While serving at Camp Nelson, Marrs started a relationship with a woman named Emma, who later died in a refugee camp.
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