Marrs, Elijah P.  REV.  Company L, 12^th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment.  Born January 1840, Shelby Co. Kentucky, twenty miles East of Louisville.  Parents were Andrew and Frances Marrs, born in Culpepper Co. Va.  His father was born in 1810, and mother approximately 1815.  In 1885, whem Elijah’s autobiography was printed his father was still living at 75.  His father was free, but his mother was a slave of Jesse Robinson.  One of his grandmothers was a slave of the Goodnough’s near Simpsonville, Ky, who died at ninety.  Elijah was raised on a farm with about thirty slaves.  He learned to read and write through white boys on the farm, and from a Negro teacher, as well as much self-learning and practice.  As a young man, he decided to join the Union army, and got twenty-seven friends to join him, making their way to Louisville. All but one, who was too young enlisted.  Elijah enlisted on Sept. 26, 1864, and was soon utilized as a Duty Sergeant for the 12^th.  After he mustered out, he began a teamster business with his brother H.C. which did well, but Elijah was persuaded by friends to begin teaching, which he did at Simpsonville September 1, 1866.  In Simpsonville, he became a member of the Baptist church.  The following year he took over teaching in Lagrange, where his brother had taught. During his time at Lagrange, he was also superintendent of the Sunday School, and secretary of the Loyal League.  After four years, he returned to Shelbyville and formed an Agricultural and Mechanical Association with his brother, starting a colored fair.  In 1869, he was elected President of the Republican Club of Oldham County.  In 1870, he moved to Newcastle in Henry County, Ky.  He founded the Colored Normal and Theological Institute with his brother in 1879.  In 1880 he became pastor of Beargrass Baptist Church.