Hobbit2 - Chapter 03 - A Short Rest

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Originally posted by Jallinite
Tolkien writes:
In those days of our tale there were still some people who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors, and Elrond the master of the house was their chief.

This is puzzling for any stage of Tolkien’s pseudo-history. Elrond was originally the sole ancestor of such persons rather than just their chief. It does feel like Tolkien conceives this Elrond as one of the descendants of the original Elrond and the chieftain of a household of half-elven folk.

But if you recall, from Melian (and Luthien hearting Beren---and their descendants via Numenor) there is, especially in the Dunedain and through them extending eventually through Men a trace of elvishness. Perhaps that is what is alluded to.

Of course, the elves in this chapter do seem rather like JRRT's early imaginings of elves (as contrasted to the elves later in TH in Mirkwood and the Battle of Five Armies).