Francis Perceval Eliot

Francis Perceval Eliot (September 1755 – 23 August 1818) was an English soldier, auditor, and man of letters. In 1814 he succeeded his half-brother as Count Eliot, however he did not feel it was proper to assume the title.
Life.
Eliot was the son of General Granville Elliott (1713–1759) and his second wife, Elizabeth Duckett (1724–1804). He was born at Kew Green, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, and baptised on 9 October 1755 at St Anne's Church, Kew Green.
Following his father's death on 10 October 1759, the family moved on 15 April 1760 to Richmond. In 1762, Francis lodged at Hargreaves in St Martin's Lane, London. On 17 April 1764, he lodged with Mrs Bathurst, Charterhouse Square and attended the public school of St Bartholomew. In 1770, he went to Mrs Betesworth's Academy in Kingston, near Portsmouth, Hampshire, leaving in 1772 to join Mr Lockee's Military Academy, Little Chelsea, London, and later to Colonel Gallatin's School of Equitation for 7 months.
On 15 December 1773, he was commissioned as Ensign in the 14th Regiment of Foot. On 28 March 1774, he joined his first regiment, moving to quarters in Dover on 13 May 1774. In March 1775, he left for America, where, on 25 August 1775, he was appointed Lieutenant in the 14th Regiment of Foot. By 28 November 1778, he had returned to St George's, Hanover Square, London, where he married Anne Breynton ( 1756 – 15 August 1829), the daughter of the famous minister in Nova Scotia, Rev Dr John Breynton ( 1719–1799). In 1790, he bought Elmhurst Hall and various other properties in Staffordshire, while still maintaining a house in London. In 1794 he raised the Staffordshire Yeomanry Cavalry and became its Major and subsequently Colonel, raising the Staffordshire Yeomanry Infantry in 1798. On 25 April 1798 he was commissioned colonel of the 3rd Staffordshire Militia, but this was disbanded the following year. On 28 June 1803 he was commissioned colonel of a new 2nd Staffordshire Militia, but this was also disbanded in 1805.
In 1797, he tried to sell off his Staffordshire estates and by 1800 he had moved to Lichfield. In 1806, he finally disposed of his Staffordshire properties, pulling down the derelict Elmhurst Hall. He moved back to London full-time, and took an oath as a Commissioner of Public Accounts, based at Somerset House in the Strand. Around this time he became a man of letters, addressing the foremost politicians of the time, while also writing for a magazine — The Aegis. The next year, he attempted to be elected as MP for Westminster in the 1807 United Kingdom general election. On Friday 8 May 1807, he attended a meeting at Covent Garden, London where he was introduced to the meeting, by Col. Robinson who at that time commanded London Recruiting District, and the Pimlico battalion of the Queen's Loyal Volunteers from about 1803. His election was unsuccessful and he returned to his literary pursuits.
Family.
On 28 November 1778 at St George's, Hanover Square, London, Francis married Anne Breynton ( 1756 – 15 August 1829), the daughter of Rev Dr John Breynton, and had by her 7 sons and 3 daughters:
Many of his sons went on to play significant roles in the British Armed Forces.
He died at his home at 22 Portman Street, London on 23 August 1818 and was buried on 28 August in or by the western wall of the St Marylebone burial ground on the south side of Paddington Street, London — near to his father-in-law, Rev Dr John Breynton. 
His widow died 15 August 1829 at Blackheath, and was buried 19 August at St Mary's Church, Lewisham, Kent.