Vanison  M.  Elliott

          Alexander Elliott, or McElliott, as it seems to have been written in his day, figured as an early settler of Ohio at an early period of the state's history.  He was married in Montgomery county, to  Rebecca Ewing, and removed to Kentucky, but a few years later came to North Vernon, Indiana.  An old patent for land, handed down in the family, indicates that he settled in Decatur county prior to December 26, 1826, and the amount called for by the document was ninety-nine and sixty one-hundredths acres, all woodland.  He settled on this wild tract and spent the remainder of his life in clearing and cultivating his property.  He was eighty-five years of age when he died, and ranked among the first pioneers of that part of Indiana where he located.  His children were:  James,  John P.,  Robert,  Joseph,  Rebecca  and  Pursilla.  Robert, the third of this family, was born at North Vernon, Indiana, and later in life became the owner of a farm in Noble township.  His first wife was  Martha Neal, by whom he had two children, now dead.  His second marriage was to  Eliza Neal, by whom he had one son, Vanison Elliott, who was born in Noble township, Shelby county, Indiana, January 1, 1857.  He grew up on the farm where he now resides, and attended the district school in winter, helped on the farm in the busy seasons, and otherwise fulfilled the destiny of the typical country boy.  He has prospered in life,and owns four hundred and thirty acres of land in Noble township, an interest in forty-six acres in Washington township, and one hundred and twenty acres in Stoddard county, Missouri.  For some years past he has been taking life more easily than in the strenuous days of early manhood, now contenting himself with supervising the management of his fine estate.  He is one of the township's most substantial citizens and enjoys the general respect of his neighbors.  He is a member of the Red Men's Lodge, also of the Eagles, at Shelbyville.
          In 1879 Mr. Elliott married  Rozella Vaughn, by whom he had four children:  Ava, wife of  Charles Hendrickson, of Nebraska;  Robert,  Fred  and  Harry.  December 16, 1890, Mr. Elliott married  Emma, daughter of  Joseph  and  Sarah J. (Cookson) Fately, and born March 17, 1854, in Shelby county.  Her father walked to Indiana from Augusta county, Virginia, and was married in Decatur county, of which his wife was a native.  The paternal great-grandparents of  Mrs. Emma (Fately) Elliott came from Germany and the father settled in Virginia.  The maternal great-grandparents settled in December county, Indiana, and Grandfather Cookson, soon after coming from the same section in German, married Barbara Castetter, by whom he had six children, of whom  Sarah J., mother of Mrs. Elliott, was one.  She married  Joseph Fately, and became the mother of  Mariah L.,  Nancy E.,  Dorothy A.,  Harriett,  Melissa E.,  David W.,  Shelby C.,  Franklin,  Emma,  Winnie E.,  Laura O.  and  William Z.  Of this large family seven are still living.  Mrs. Elliott's father died December 16, 1888, and her mother, February 1, 1903.
History of Shelby County Indiana,  by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A.  Assisted by well known local talent.  Illustrated, pages 974-975.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

Biography Index       Main Page