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Another son 'Basil' entered the Navy - and the bright 'Middy' sailed away one day, full of hope, with one of the few godly Captains then to be found in Her Majesty's Service - who was engaged to his eldest sister Mary Sophia. But neither ever came back again - for the great ship went down in mid-ocean with all hands on board, and none was left to tell the tale."
"Of the daughters of this family I will mention only two. Mary Sophia after her lover's and brother's death, never thought again of marrying - but being a clever woman, mixed in distinguished literary circles, and lived much amongst great and good men. The Wilberforces, Macaulays & Venns I have already mentioned as intimate in the family.Sir James Stephens - Colonial Secretary - Charles Keen & Mrs. Keen the well known recitors of Shakespere's plays - Cesar Malan of Geneva - and Mr. Charles Simeon of Trinity Church, Cambridge were a few that I can remember hearing of. Her close friendship with this last good man is proved by the fact that he left her, by Will, his preaching Bible- which has, during the last few years curiously enough come back to your Father as present Vicar and successor to Simeon’s Church from the husband of the last living member of that family Canon Babington and is now in our possession - where you may any day read on the fly leaf the copy of the extract from Mr. Simeon's will, leaving it to 'His dear friend' my Great Aunt Mary Sophia." *Memoirs of Emily Elliott pp2-3
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Nevertheless he did have one problem child—his youngest. In 1812 Basil Elliott, who was 13, was expelled from his school at Hammersmith. He became a midshipman under Capt. Coote, who was engaged to Basil's sister Mary. In 1813 they sailed in HMS Peacock for North America and were never heard of again. Thus Mary lost her brother and her fiancé at the same time. She later acted as amanuensis to Wilberforce but she never married."
*Barton 1966