Turner-Clay County, SD Biographies.....Elliott, W. 
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Author: Geo. A. Ogle & Co. (1897)

JUDGE W. ELLIOTT, Turner county court's present judicial incumbent, and as
popular and well-known a gentleman as there is in the community, was born in
Cheltenham, England. His father and mother, William and Ann (Crooks) Elliott,
were also natives of the British islands and came to America about 1836,
locating at Pittsburg, Pa. The senior Elliott worked in the rolling-mills there,
was a gasmaker by trade, and manufactured the first gas ever made in Pittsburg.
In 1848 he removed from that city to Brown county, Ill., and located with his
family on a farm. He died at the age of seventy-three years, and Mrs. Elliott at
 the age of sixty-five years. They were the parents of thirteen children, seven
of whom grew to man and womanhood.

    The subject of this biography was the third child, and about three years old
when he left his native shores with his parents for the new world. His first
education was such as was dispensed in the common schools of his day, and then,
when eighteen years old, he attended the high school at Mount Sterling, Ill.,
about a year. He supplemented this with a term at the Virginia college in Cass
county, Ill., and later taught school and read law in the office of J. B. Moore
at Mount Sterling. He was admitted to the bar at Springfield, Ill., in 1856, and
immediately engaged in the practice of his profession in partnership with his
preceptor, Mr. Moore. From Illinois he went to Mount Ayr, Iowa, in 1860, hung
out his "shingle" and practiced law for two years, at the expiration of which
time he walked from that town to St. Joseph, Mo., to enlist in the defense of
the nation's honor. He was mustered into company I, Fifth Missouri regiment,
cavalry, as a private, and was discharged in 1863 on account of failing
eyesight. He returned to Iowa, and that fall was elected to the legislature on
the Republican ticket, and represented Ringgold and Taylor counties in the lower
house. The following spring he again enlisted, this time in company A,
Forty-sixth Iowa regiment, infantry, and while the command was at Collierville,
Tenn., he received a commission from President Lincoln promoting him to
assistant quartermaster of volunteers, with the rank of captain, and in that
capacity he served until the close of hostilities. He received an honorable
discharge and returned to Mount Ayr, Iowa, where he engaged in the practice of
law until 1867. That year he went to Panora, Iowa, where he remained till 1872.
While a resident there he was elected judge of the county court, and also county
auditor, serving also in the appointed position of deputy treasurer of Guthrie
county. The year 1872 was the date of Judge Elliott's settlement in Dakota
territory. He located on a ranch in Clay county, and experienced the severe
trials in the loss of crops during the grasshopper times, and was forced to go
to work on the railroad for $1.10 per day. In 1881, after he had somewhat
retrieved his fortunes, he had the further misfortune to lose everything he
possessed by high water and overflow of the Missouri river. He had nothing but
the clothes he wore, and starvation stared him in the face should he remain; it
was either "work or steal," as the Judge says, and he chose the former
prerogative and again found employment on the railroad at $1.10 per day until he
got fairly started again. In 1884 he came to Hurley, Turner county, and engaged
in the practice of law until 1891, when he located at Parker in the same
business in partnership with S. V. Jones. This partnership continued about a
year when our subject was elected judge of the county court, which position he
now holds, being re-elected in the fall of 1896 to his third consecutive term.
He belongs to the E. S. McCook post, G. A. R., at Hurley, and was a member also
of the convention which framed the present state constitution, as well as of the
commission which divided the property of Dakota territory at the time of the
organization of the two states.

   Judge Elliott and Miss Mary McPhail were united in wedlock in November, 1856,
the lady being a native of Toronto, Canada, and a daughter of Angus and Mary
McPhail. She was reared and grew to maturity in Brown county, Ill. This union
has been blessed with twelve children, five of whom are now living, viz.: James
D., of Tyndall, S. D., chairman of the Republican state central committee; Mary
Belle, wife of Charles Baker, of Condon, Ore.; Effie, wife of Thomas Ferguson,
of Augusta, Kans.; Lydia M., and Cliffie M., at home.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF 
Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties,
SOUTH DAKOTA.

Containing Biographical Sketches of Hundreds of Prominent Old Settlers and
Representative Citizens, with a Review of their Life Work; their Identity with
the Growth and Development of these Counties; Reminiscences of Personal History
and Pioneer Life; and other Interesting and Valuable Matter which should be
Preserved in History.

ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO.
GEO. A. OGLE & CO.
Publishers, Engravers and Book Manufacturers.
1897.


Biography is the only true history.—EMERSON.

A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
generations.—MACAULAY.

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