Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Hiram A. Elam

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Hiram A. Elam is the son of James and Marinda (Sharp) Elam, and 
grandson of Louallen and Polly (Eans) Elam, and great-grandson of 
Richard Elam. The latter emigrated from Scotland to the United States 
with his two brothers, John A. and Samuel, and is supposed to have 
settled in Virginia. Louallen Elam was born in Campbell County, Va., 
in 1780, and in 1817 immigrated to Butler County, Ky., thence to Clark 
County, Ill., in 1825. Here Louallen Elam died in 1835. He was a 
soldier in the War of 1812. His wife was born in Amelia County, Va., 
in 1783 and died in 1850. The following are their children who are 
living: James, Susan, Elizabeth, Alfred, Nancy and William. James Elam 
was eight years old when his parents moved to Kentucky, and sixteen 
years of age when they located in Illinois. He was born in Campbell 
County, Va., February 25, 1809, and in 1832 was married to Miss Sharp, 
a daughter of Levi and Margaret (Coffee) Sharp, who were natives of 
North Carolina. Mrs. Elam was born in that State in 1811, and at 
the age of three years was taken by her parents to Clark County, Ill., 
where she afterward met and married Mr. Elam. Seven of their children 
lived to be grown: Mary J., wife of J. Y. Black; John, Alfred M., 
Louisa, wife of H. T. Cork; Hiram A. and Margaret, widow of John F. 
Owen. Henry died in 1887 at the age of fifty years. Mr. Elam resided 
in the State of Illinois until 1866, when he located in Benton County, 
Ark., where he has since resided. He is one of the oldest citizens of 
the county, and he and wife have celebrated their golden wedding. He 
is a Republican in politics, and was a Whig previous to the war. He 
has been successful in all his business transactions. and has 
accumulated a comfortable competency. He is highly esteemed and 
commands the respect of all. Hiram A. Elam was married, April 6, 1879, 
to Miss Palestine M. Baxley, a native of Benton County, born in 1860. 
She is the [p.832] mother of six children' Era Earl, James E., Myrtie, 
Marinda. Etta and Lou Allen. Mr. Elam cast his first presidential 
vote for Grant, and is a Republican in politics. He was born in Clark 
County. Ill., October 1. 1848, and was educated in the common schools 
of his native State, and also received two years' instruction at a 
college located in Marshall. Ill. From 1868 to 1870 he was deputy 
sheriff of his county, and was at one time United States Marshal. In 
1870 he was clerk of the board of registration. He owns an excellent 
farm of eighty acres. on which is a spring which affords the clearest 
and coldest of water. It bursts forth from the ground a convenient 
distance from his residence and supplies water to a number of 
neighboring farms.