Elijah Isaacs was born in Virginia in about 1730. He later moved to Surry County and served as a captain in the Surry County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia from 1776-1777. He then served as a captain in the Wilkes County Regiment from 1777-1778, during with time he directed troops to build Fort Defiance on the Yadkin River. He was later promoted to major and lt. colonel. He was captured by the enemy during the Battle of Fishing Creek in August 1780, but was exchanged in 1781 and served throughout the remainder of the war. He died in Anderson County, South Carolina in about June 1799.