Marion County >> 1915 Index

The History of Marion County, Iowa
John W. Wright and W. A. Young, supervising eds. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1915.

E

D. B. Elliott - page 288

The retired farmers living in Knoxville form one of the most valued elements in the population of the city and one of the best known of them is D. B. Elliott, who is leasing two farms to his sons. One tract of land is situated in Knoxville township and the other just over the line in Polk township. Altogether he owns five hundred and seventy-five acres of well improved and fertile land. He has resided in Knoxville and its vicinity since 1854 and his interests are thoroughly identified with those of the city and the surrounding country.

Mr. Elliott was born near Glasgow, in Barren county, Kentucky, on the 13th of September, 1850, a son of William and Mary A. (Underwood) Elliott, both likewise natives of the Blue Grass state. Their families were early established in Kentucky and were highly esteemed. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott came to Marion county, Iowa, and purchased government land four miles north of Knoxville, in Polk township, paying one dollar and a quarter per acre, but the same land is now easily worth one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. About 1867 Mr. Elliott sold out but afterward bought another farm in Polk township situated near the land which he formerly owned. For the second tract he paid twenty-five dollars per acre. A number of years later he sold that farm also and bought six acres and a residence in Knoxville. He subsequently purchased a farm in Cass county, Iowa, which he continued to own until his death. He made another trip to Kentucky and bought a farm there which he later sold. He was very successful in buying, trading and dealing in farms and became quite well-to-do. His political adherence was given to the democratic party. He died on the 19th of April, 1900, when eighty-four years of age. He came of a family noted for longevity, his father reaching the age of ninety-six years. His wife died in 1907, when seventy-eight years of age. She was a Baptist in religious faith. To their union were born eight children, of whom one daughter has passed away. Three daughters and two sons live in Cass county, Iowa, one daughter resides in South Dakota and the subject of this review is a resident of Knoxville.

D. B. Elliott completed the course in the country schools and subsequently attended the Central University at Pella for some time. He taught school for several years in early manhood but the greater part of his active life was devoted to farming. He was very successful and harvested annually large crops, which brought good returns upon the market. For four years he was engaged in the real-estate business in Knoxville. He still owns two fine farms which are operated by his sons.

On the 31st of December, 1871, Mr. Elliott was married in this county to Miss Margaret West, who was born in 1852 in Pike county, Ohio, and came to this county in 1856 with her parents, Jacob and Margaret (Johnson) West, the family locating in Polk township. Her father, who lives in Knoxville at the advanced age of eighty-six years, has always been a stanch democrat in politics. Mrs. Elliott was reared in this county and here educated. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are six in number. Edna married George McClain, of Knoxville township, and they have a daughter, Fern. Byrd is the wife of Carl Gamble, a merchant of Knoxville, and they are the parents of two daughters, Loraine and Virginia. Myrtle married Fred Woodruff, who is engaged in the boot, shoe and clothing business in Knoxville and to their union a son, Elliott Parker, has been born, Jacob who is operating one of his father's farms, married Miss Lena Johnson and has a son, Vance. Margaret is the wife of Ray E. Savage, who is engaged in the laundry business in Knoxville. Walter, the youngest of the family, is operating land belonging to his father. He married Miss Lulu Jones.

Mr. Elliott has always voted the democratic ticket and believes firmly in the wisdom of the policies of that party. He is a member of the Congregational church and his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. His fraternal associations are with the Masonic order, belonging to the blue lodge and chapter. He has built a comfortable home at No. 803 Douglas street and there he and his family reside. They are secure in the respect and esteem of those who know them, for their lives are characterized by integrity and honorable dealing.

Frank D. Elliot, devoting his attention to general farming and stock-raising, owns and cultivates one hundred acres of land in Knoxville township, upon which he has made many improvements, bringing his fields to a high state of cultivation. Marion county numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred March 6, 1862, in the township in which he still makes his home. He is a son of J. C. and Ludema R. (Johnson) Elliott. The father was born in Ohio and was a son of Robert Elliott, who died when J. C. Elliott was quite small. The latter was reared by his maternal grandfather and in the year 1857 or 1858 removed westward to Iowa, settling in Knoxville township, Marion county, where he followed farming successfully until he retired some years ago. He is now living in the city of Knoxville at the age of seventy-five years.

Although not a member, J. C. Elliott usually attends the Presbyterian church, and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party, which he has stanchly supported since attaining his majority. His wife was born in what is now West Virginia, not far from Wheeling. She held membership in the Presbyterian church and in that faith passed away in January, 1899, when sixty-eight years of age. Her mother and stepfather, S. Henry, came to this county prior to the Civil war, but it was in Ohio that Ludema R. Johnson became the wife of J. C. Elliott. All of their children, however, were born in this county, namely: Walter, who is now living in the city of Oklahoma; Evy, of Des Moines; Amanda, a resident of Knoxville; Mrs. Mary Dickerson, also of Knoxville; and Frank D., of this review.

Frank D. Elliott was reared upon the old homestead farm and attended the public schools, dividing his time between the acquirement of an education and the work of the fields. He has always followed farming and stock-raising and has been very successful. Indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his nature. He works persistently and energetically in the care of his fields, practices rotation of crops and keeps his land in excellent condition.

On the 3d of October, 1883, Mr. Elliott was married to Miss Rosa E. Owen, who was born in Ottumwa, Wapello county, Iowa, March 1, 1862, a daughter of William and Caroline (Rowel) Owen, who came to Iowa prior to the Civil war. The mother died in Des Moines and the father now resides in Knoxville at the age of eighty-five years. Many years ago he lived in Des Moines, where he engaged in teaming, and later he carried on general farming in Knoxville township. In the Owen family were four children: Mrs. Elliott; Mrs. Louisa Johnson, living in Des Moines; A. C., a resident of Seattle, Washington; and Mrs. Matilda Ricks, of Oklahoma City. Having lost his first wife Mr. Owen wedded Mrs. Mary McClain, and they have three children: Mrs. Effie Harmon, of Aberdeen, South Dakota; Mrs. Gertie Elliott, of Knoxville; and Claude, who is living at Dallas Center, Iowa. By her former marriage Mrs. Owen had one child, Marion, now of this county.

To Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have been born four children: Mrs. Eva Rees, of Franklin township; Ray, of Knoxville, who married Eva West and has two children; Mrs. Lena Cline, of Knoxville township, who has two children; and Everett, who died when ten years old. The parents are members of the Presbyterian church and are people of the highest respectability, enjoying the warm regard and friendship of all who know them.

Fraternally Mr. Elliott is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically he is a republican and has served as road supervisor. He has also been a member of the school board and is interested in various plans and projects for the upbuilding and benefit of the county in which his entire life has been spent. His friends, and they are many, know him as a man of genuine worth and his popularity is well deserved.

Hon. J. B. Elliott, president of the Knoxville National Bank and an influential factor in political as well as financial circles, was born in Poland, Ohio, in 1852, a son of J. K. and Mary (Brown) Elliott. The father was also a native of Poland but the mother was born in Ireland and with her parents came to the United States in her girlhood days. The Elliotts are of English descent and the father was a son of Daniel Elliott, of Connecticut, who traces his ancestry back to John Eliot, who was an apostle to the Indians and translated the Bible into their language. The marriage of J. K. Elliott and Mary Brown was celebrated in Ohio, where they continued their residence until 1868, when they came to Iowa and settled on a farm in Pleasant Grove township, Marion county. The father then devoted his attention with good success to general agricultural pursuits until his life's labors were ended in death in 1890. His widow survived him for about six years, passing away in 1896.

J. B. Elliott acquired a public-school education which was continued through various grades and also spent three years in Poland College at Poland, Ohio. He was a youth of sixteen when his parents came to this state. Later he engaged in teaching school here for several winter seasons and not only made a study of the best methods of instructing the young but was also a student of the questions and issues of the day, taking so active and prominent a part in politics that when he was but twenty-three years of age he was elected a member of the Iowa legislature. While continuing in the profession of teaching he devoted the hours which are usually termed leisure to the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1876, after which he engaged in practice at Knoxville for a few years. During the same period he conducted a loan business and it was but a logical step from that line of business into banking. In 1884 he was offered and accepted the position of cashier in the Knoxville National Bank, with which he has since been connected, covering a period of three decades, during which he has contributed largely to the development and substantial growth of the institution, of which he was made president in 1911. Into other fields of business he has also extended his efforts with equal success. He is an active farmer and stock-raiser and his place is widely known because of the fine trotting horses raised thereon. He has also been identified with the development of the coal fields of the county and is recognized as a most forceful and resourceful business man, who forms his plans carefully and then carries them forward to successful completion.

In 1878 Mr. Elliott was united in marriage to Miss Nora E. Miller, a daughter of Admiral B. and Eliza Miller, the former an attorney, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have become the parents of two daughters, Helene Eleanor and Genevieve. The former is the wife of R. S. Granger, who is now engaged in the lumber business at Harrison, Arkansas, and who is a son of Judge Granger, of the Iowa supreme court. The younger daughter is the wife of Waite Phillips, who is engaged in the oil business in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. They have a daughter, Helen Jane, three years of age.

Mr. Elliott is a valued member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics he has always been a stalwart republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and is recognized as one of the leaders of the party in his section of the state. For many years he has served as a member of the state central committee and for two terms he represented his district in the Iowa legislature, where he gave careful consideration to all the important and significant questions which came up for settlement. He has marked ability in bringing seemingly diverse elements into a unified and harmonious whole, whether in politics or in business, and this element in his character has been one of the strong forces in winning for him his substantial and enviable success.

William V. Elliot has been in business in Knoxville for many years as the proprietor of a drug store and is now the owner of a livery stable. He has been successful in both ventures and is one of the substantial residents of the city. His birth occurred in Knox county, Ohio, on the 9th of February, 1850, his parents being Reuben and Ellen (Richardson) Elliott, natives of Maryland and Ohio, respectively. The paternal grandfather, Eli Elliott, was a resident of Maryland and his son Reuben went to Ohio when that state was in its infancy and was there married. In 1852 he brought his family to Iowa and located in Cedar county, where he farmed until advancing years compelled him to retire from active work. He died in 1891, at the age of eighty-four years. His children numbered five, three daughters and two sons.

William V. Elliott took advantage of the opportunities for an education offered in his boyhood days and received a serviceable common-school training. In 1880 he began clerking in the drug store of J. P. Kelley, of Knoxville, and he rose from clerk to manager through application to business and the ready intelligence which enabled him to solve the problems of salesmanship and of management which presented themselves. On the death of Mr. Kelley, Davis & Mitchell purchased the store and Mr. Elliott subsequently bought Mr. Mitchell's interest, he and Mr. Davis conducting the business until 1886, when the latter was appointed postmaster of Knoxville and the firm sold out. Mr. Elliott went to Nebraska and took up a homestead but subsequently returned to Knoxville and for about a year was assistant postmaster. He then purchased the drug store in which he had formerly been interested and conducted it alone until 1902, when he again sold out. He had previously bought an interest in a livery stable and upon disposing of the drug store assumed entire charge of the business, his brother, I. R. Elliott, who was his partner, having died in 1896. The livery business is well patronized and is proving very remunerative.

In 1876 Mr. Elliott married Miss Elizabeth Henderson, of West Liberty, Iowa, a daughter of William and Sarah Henderson, natives of Ohio, who many years ago came to this state. Her father devoted his life to farming. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have had two children: Lewis, who married Miss Stella Weingardner, of Knoxville, by whom he has a son, John; and Carroll, who died when a child of seven years.

Mr. Elliott has supported the democratic party at the polls since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, as he believes firmly in its policies and principles. He is at present alderman at large and takes a great interest in everything affecting municipal welfare and progress. He holds membership in Oriental Lodge, No. 61, A. F. & A. M.; Tadmor Chapter, No. 18, R. A. M.; and the Knights of Pythias. His admirable qualities of character have gained him many friends, who prize highly his favorable opinion.