328                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

able, and on which both he and his wife lived to advanced ages, her death
occurring about a year before his. Mrs. Bluford Elliott survived her
husband, passing away at the age of eighty years. She reared seven
children, namely: Franklin Pierce, Milton, Edward, Clifford, Mary,
Martha and Philander.
    But a year old when his parents settled in Vigo county, Franklin P.
Elliott was brought up amid pioneer scenes. There were at that time no
railroads in the state, transportation being made by teams, and Terre
Haute, the most convenient market, was but a small village. He began
as a boy to assist on the farm, remaining at home until twenty-five years
old. Working then by the day or month, he saved his earnings until he
had enough to buy a team, when he rented land and commenced his career
as an independent farmer. Prosperity greeting his efforts, he was enabled
in 1888 to buy in section thirty-four, Perry township, a farm which had
been partly cleared and had a fair set of farm buildings. Selling out in
1898, Mr. Elliott bought the place which he now occupies and has since
carried on general farming with good results. He has eighty acres of rich
land, well improved, and a substantial set of buildings, the whole estate
being a credit to his industry and good management.
    Mr. Elliott married first, November 16, 1882, Louisa Latham, who
was born in North Carolina, and died on the home farm in Perry town-
ship November 18, 1903. Her parents, Solomon and Elizabeth (Bolin)
Latham, came from North Carolina to Indiana in November, 1860, locat-
ing in Montgomery county at first, but afterwards living in Putnam
county, and then at Sugar Ridge township, Clay county, and later in
Perry township, where both spent their last days, Mrs. Latham surviving
her husband a few years. Mr. Elliott married second Mrs. Senna
(Goedeker) Latham, who was born in Holland, a daughter of Joseph
Goedeker. Mr. Goedeker was born, reared and married in Germany. On
leaving the Fatherland he lived for awhile in Holland, and then, accom-
panied by his wife, two children and his mother, emigrated to Indiana,
settling in Terre Haute, where he worked for awhile at the carpenter’s
trade. He subsequently bought land in Perry township, and was here
engaged in carpentering and farming until his death.
    Mrs. Elliott married for her first husband Noah Latham, who was
born in North Carolina, a son of Solomon Latham. He died in 1902, leav-
ing six children, namely: John F., Lon, Lana, Lizzie, Annie and Elsie.
John F. Latham married Mattie Gibbons, and they have four children,
Ruth, Carl, Daisy and Iretha. Lon Latham married Minnie Varner, and
they have two children, Clifford and Dorothy. Lana, wife of George
Cortner, has four children, Jessie, Rosa, Glendolin and Willis. Lizzie
married Oliver Bosley and they have one child, Esther. Mr. Elliott is a
Democrat.

    JOSEPH V. AYER, who is now living retired in Brazil, was one of the
first to develop the clay working industry in this part of the state and
his labors in this direction proved a source of revenue to the county and
were therefore of inestimable value. His birth occurred upon a farm
about four and a half miles south of Staunton, Indiana, August 15, 1856,
his parents being John M. and Mary Ayer. He was educated in the pub-
lic schools and in the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso. In
1880 he came to Brazil and entered the office of the county clerk in the
capacity of deputy, serving for four years and seven months. On the