BIO: Alexander Elliott, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 52, 55.
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  ALEXANDER ELLIOTT, freight agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at 
Huntingdon, Pa., was born in Indiana county, Pa., November 25, 1835.  He is 
a son of Benjamin and Jane (Smith) Elliott.  His ancestors came from England 
during the eighteenth century, his paternal grandfather settling in 
Huntingdon county, where Benjamin Elliott was born in 1790.  Benjamin 
Elliott was a tanner, and carried on the business of tanning, as well as 
that of agriculture, in Indiana county, Pa., where he spent the greater part 
of his life.  His wife, Jane Smith, was born in Indiana county in 1800.  
They had a family of eleven children, nine of whom are living: Daniel S., of 
Philadelphia; James B., of Rochester, Indiana; Alexander R. Stewart, of New 
Florence, Pa.; Benjamin, of Washington, D.C.; Elizabeth, wife of John G. 
Ferguson, residing in Kansas; Rebecca, widow of Ephraim Wallace, of Peru, 
Ind.; Amanda M., wife of Robert H. Beatty, of Philadelphia; and Mary, wife 
of Dr. Andrew Lewis, a practising dentist of Newcastle, Pa.  Benjamin 
Elliott died in Westmoreland county in 1858, and Mrs. Elliott at East 
Liberty, near Pittsburg, Pa., in 1885.
  The early years of Alexander Elliott were spent in Indiana county, Pa., 
where he was educated in the common schools.  He was afterwards a pupil at 
the academy of Newcastle, Pa.  After spending two years as salesman in a 
general store, Mr. Elliott became, in 1856, by appointment of the late Col. 
Thomas A. Scott, assistant in the freight office of the P.R.R. at Indiana 
station.  In 1859, he was transferred to Manor station as passenger and 
freight agent, and to Huntingdon, June 1, 1865, as freight agent.  Since the 
latter date, he has been a continuous resident of the borough, efficiently 
performing the duties of his office.  He has always taken an active and 
influential part in local affairs, working for the welfare and improvement 
of the borough, in which he is deeply interested, as one of its most 
extensive property owners.  He has acted as treasurer of a number of 
organizations especially designed to promote local improvement.  Mr. Elliott 
is a Past Master of Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 300, F. and A. M.; Past High 
Priest of Standing Stone Chapter, No. 201, R.A.M.; Past Eminent Commander of 
Huntingdon Commandery, No. 65, K.T., and at present District Deputy Grand 
Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for the counties of Huntingdon and 
Bedford and part of Blair.  He is a Republican, and has served the borough 
in the offices of school director and burgess.
  Alexander Elliott was first married in Indiana, Pa., to Mary E., daughter 
of Ephraim and Elizabeth Carpenter, old settlers of Indiana, where Mr. 
Carpenter was a prominent member of the bar.  Mr. and Mrs. Elliott had three 
children: Leonard C., now chief clerk in the freight department, P.R.R., at 
Huntingdon; Gertrude E. (Mrs. A. L. Schreiber), of Oakland, Cal.; and Bessie 
C. (Mrs. B. Frank Royer), residing in Philadelphia, where Mr. Royer is 
largely engaged in the iron business.  Mr. Elliott was married the second 
time in Philadelphia to Mrs. Emma (Desha) Coolidge, of Philadelphia, a 
daughter of the late General Desha, of Alabama.  Mr. Elliott is a member of 
the Presbyterian church at Huntingdon.