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 LARK ELKIN, farmer and carpenter, is pursuing the even tenor of his way as a thrifty and industrious citizen, making his headquarters at a snug homestead on section 4, in Humbolt Township. He has been a resident of Illinois for over twenty years, and with the exception of two years, has spent his time mostly in Coles County. He first opened his eyes to the light in Kenawha County, Va., on the 8th of May, 1832, and was the fifth in a family of seven children, the offspring of Edley and Frances (Toney) Elkin, also natives of the Old Dominion. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Richard Elkin by name, was a farmer by occupation and a native of the eastern part of Virginia. The mother of our subject, who in her girlhood was Miss Frances Toney, was the daughter of Poindexter and Frances Jane (Lilley) Toney, who were among the earliest settlers of the Old Dominion. Grand father Toney was also a farmer, and served in the War of 1812. They settled in Kanawha County while it was a wilderness, reared a family, and built up a comfortable homestead. The subject of this history learned the carpenter’s trade at an early age, and after reaching his majority, left the parental roof to care for himself. He first began farming on a portion of his father’s land, and not long after his twenty-first birthday was married, Dec. 1, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth, the third child in a family of eleven, the offspring of James and Elizabeth (Kinder) Barker, natives of Virginia. Mr. B. engaged in farming in Kanawha, where he still resides, being about eighty-six years old. Mr. Elkin lived ten years on his father’s farm, and after the outbreak of the late Civil War, enlisted Feb. 11, 1862, in Co. G, 11th W. Va. Vol. Inf., under command of Capt. Young. He was mustered in at Colesmouth, now St. Albans, and first detailed to detached duty in the Kenawha Valley, where he remained with his regiment nearly two years, but aside from a skirmish now and then with the enemy, saw little of the darker side of war. Afterward the regiment was assigned to Cook’s command, and went southwest to capture the Tennessee & Virginia Railroad. During this raid our subject with his comrades was engaged in several important battles, and subsequently went to the Shenandoah Valley and remained with the command of Gen. Sheridan from June until September. In the meantime occurred the battle of Winchester, and other important engagements with the enemy. Mr. Elkin, after the term of his first enlistment had expired, re-entered the ranks and was promoted from private through the intermediate grades to First Lieutenant. He served in this capacity until his honorable discharge in February, 1865, being compelled to leave the scene of conflict on account of ill-health, brought on by exposure and hardship. Returning to his home in West Virginia he remained until April following, then came North with his family, and located first at Tuscola, Douglas County, where he followed carpentering and building for two years. In 1867 he came to Humbolt Township, and purchased his home place in the village of Humbolt. Mr. and Mrs. Elkin became the parents of eleven children, seven now living, namely, Dryden P., born July 4, 1855; Frances E., June 11, 1859; John C., Aug. 14, 1862; Mary J., Nov. 15, 1866; James E., Jan. 14, 1871; George T., Oct. 10, 1872, and Dora E., Oct. 20, 1875. Those deceased are Edward I., who died in infancy; Charles, Benjamin, and Edward. Frances became the wife of R. B. Finch, a farmer, and a resident of Humbolt Township, but who is now deceased; she is living in Humbolt; Mary married John McWilliams, a farmer of Humbolt Township; the others are at home with their parents. Mr. Elkin has given his children the advantages of as good an education as his means would justify, and fitted them to take their rightful position in an intelligent community. With his estimable wife and children he is a member and regular attendant of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Humbolt. in which he officiates as Trustee. Politically he uniformly votes with the Republican party. He was elected Police Magistrate in 1885, the duties of which office he has since discharged with credit to himself and satisfaction to all concerned. |
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