Contributed to the Pierce County WIGenWeb Project by Nance Sampson nsampson@spacestar.net
@2000 by Nance Sampson

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Submitted by Debbie Barrett June 13, 2001
mrsgrinnin@home.com

ELIAS R. CONDIT, merchant and farmer, Rock Elm, was born in Mont Clair,
Essex county, N. J., May 18, 1833.  His great-great-grandfather, John Condit,
was a native of England, of Norman descent, and immigrated to America in
1678.  His first wife, Catherine Barton, was a niece of Sir Isaac Newton. 
Our subject's grandfather and great-grandfather were each named Peter.  His
father, William Dodd Condit, was born at Orange, N. J., April 14, 1811, and 
died at Rock Elm, June 14, 1891.  William D. Condit married Margaret Hagar,
a native of Connecticut, whose family came originally from Holland.  Their
children were:  Elias R., Mary E. (Mrs. C. A. Ackerman), Theodore D., 
Edward O. (died in the United States service), Frances A. (Mrs. H. Tousley),
Harriet D. (Mrs. J. C. Anderson), Jesse M., Charles H., Sarah L. (Mrs. S.
Cook), Clarence A. and Cora A. (Mrs. F. Gilmore).  Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Condit
came to Wisconsin in 1850 and to Rock Elm township in 1867.  They will long
be remembered among the worthy pioneers of this place. Mrs. Condit died 
there September 12, 1884. Mr. Condit was an old-line abolitionist.  He voted
for William Henry Harrison, also for Benjamin Harrison, and at each 
intermediate presidential election.
	
Elias R. received but little schooling in his youth.  At the age of thirteen
years he began clerking in a jewelry store at Mount Morris, N. Y.  In 1850 he
came with his parents to Hartford, Washington county, Wis., and worked on a
farm.  In 1857 he engaged in keeping a hotel at Rubicon, Wis.  In 1867 he 
removed to Rock Elm township, Pierce county, and purchased 240 acres of wild
land, upon which he now resides.  At that time game was very plentiful, deer
often coming within a few rods of the house. Mr. Condit has bought and 
shipped many tons of venison from Rock Elm.  Upon one occasion Mr. C. A. 
Hawn was passing through the woods near Mr. Condit's farm and encountered a
bear stealing a pig.  Upon his arrival Bruin dropped the pig and threatened 
to attack Mr. Hawn, who, being unarmed, shouted lustily for help, and finally
succeeded in driving off the bear.  Hearing the noise, Mr. Condit ran to the 
rescue and although he found no bear, he found a man badly frightened.  Soon
after coming to Rock Elm Mr. Condit opened a general store which he still
carries on in partnership with his son William.  March 27, 1857, he married
Carolina Farmer, and six children blessed this union, namely: Emmaret (Mrs.
Burges), Wesley, William, Alice, Ida and Rena.  Mrs. Condit died October 16,
1889.  Mr. Condit is a republican.  He has filled the offices of postmaster
and chairman of the town board.  He is also a member of the Masonic and I. O.
O. F. fraternities.

--Taken from the "Historical and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley
Wisconsin Including A General Historical Sketch of the Chippewa Valley;
Ancestral Records fo Leading Families; Biographies of Representative Citizens,
Past and Present; and Portraits of Prominent Men.  Edited by George Forrester.
Published in Chicago, Illinois by A. Warner. Publisher. 1891-2. Pages 595-596