He was born aboard ship in Boston harbor. His parents died in Toronto leaving him and a sister orphaned. They were adopted by Rev Gore Elliott and were raised & educated in Colchester, Canada.
He went to Amherstburg in 1856 to apprentice in the drug business. He was a druggist in Detroit, Michigan & Amherstburg, Ontario. He owned stores in both cities. He married Mary Ann Venn 03 October 1859. They had ten children, five of whom died in childhood. His wife Mary died unexpectedly in 1883. On 22 June 1886 he married Charlotte Bury-Anderson, widow of Captain Anderson. William drowned in a boating accident, crossing the river to Amherstburg from Grosse Isle. His children surviving him were William, Maggie, Amy & Stella.
Cemetery record of family lot 281, Section I, showing 2yo Bella in Lot 9, 2yo Charles in Lot 1, 1mo William in Lot 2, 12yo Stanley in Lot 10,14do Walter in Lot 3, mother Mary in Lot 4, father William in Lot 6, dau Ellen in Lot 5, her husband George Twomey in Lot 8 and 13yo Stella in Lot 7.