Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 2nd ed., 
1885, Butler Co.

HENRY ELDER was born in Grayson County, Ky., February 21, 1845, and is a 
son of William and Frances (Sirls) Elder, the former of whom was a native 
of Grayson County, and the latter of Logan County, Ky.  They were of 
English and Irish descent, respectively.  William Elder was educated and 
married in his native county, where he was engaged in agricultural 
pursuits all his life.  He was also engaged for several years in the 
distilling business in connection with farming.  His death occurred in 
April, 1869, in his fifty-fifth year.  His father, Thomas Elder, was one 
of the earliest pioneers of Grayson County, Ky., having moved to that 
county from Virginia in the latter part of the last century.  Henry Elder 
received only a limited education in youth, but has, since he became a 
man, by his own exertions, acquired an excellent practical business 
education.  He was employed on his father's farm until he was seventeen 
years old.  He then came to Butler County, Ky., where he was employed as 
a laborer on a farm for some two years, after which he bought a half 
interest in a saw and grist-mill, at Brooklyn, on Welch's Creek, 
continuing the mill business, in connection with farming, for two 
years.  [sic] After which he kept a hotel and farmed at the same place 
for three years.  In the fall of 1870, he rented a farm two miles and a 
half below Aberdeen, on the Green River, where he remained for four 
years.  In the fall of 1874, he bought 160 acres of wild land, one mile 
and a half below Aberdeen, moved into a log-cabin and improved the farm 
on which he now resides, which is one of the best improved farms in the 
county.  In 1876, he and his brother, Perry, bought jointly 99 acres of 
timbered lands adjoining his home place, when he engaged in the lumber 
business, running logs down the Green River to the Evansville market.  
In 1878, he took in a partner in the lumber business, viz.: J. H. Moore; 
this partnership continued one year.  In the fall of 1879, he went into 
partnership in the lumber and stave business with C. W. Neel, continuing 
the business with abundant success until the spring of 1883; since which 
time, and for some time before, he has been the agent of Messrs. H. & B. 
Ahlering, of Evansville, Ind., buying logs in the Green River country at 
a salary of $1,000 per annum.  Mr. Elder commenced life a poor boy, but 
by honesty, integrity, industry and economy, he has amassed a handsome 
fortune, being now one of the wealthy men of the county.  He was married, 
May 9, 1865, to Emily J. Galloway, also a native of Grayson County, Ky., 
born July 20, 1840; she is a daughter of Smith and Phoebe (Deweese) 
Galloway.  Mr. Elder and wife are firm believers in the Christian 
religion, but do not belong to any church.  He is a member of the Masonic 
fraternity, having held various official positions in his lodge.  In 
politics he is a stanch Republican.

Elder Sirls Moore Neel Ahlering Galloway Deweese
=
Grayson-KY Logan-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/butler/elder.h.txt