BIOGRAPHIES OF SIOUX COUNTY
SURNAMES "E"

ALONZO MARTIN EASTWOOD

Alonzo was born in September 1836 in Ontario, Canada. On 23 September 1861 he enlisted, as a Private, in Company G, 14th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He was mustered out on 30 January 1865. In 1890 he lived in Sioux Valley, Union County, South Dakota where he started to receive his pension on 5 April 1890. His wife Ellen died in 1887 in South Dakota. Alonzo died on 22 February 1898 in Winona, Emmons County, North Dakota. His daughter Anna married Edward McConville of Emmons County who arranged to have a Veterans tombstone placed at his gravesite. Alonzo is buried in Saint Peters Catholic Church Cemetery at Fort Yates. Burial.
There is more information on Alonzo located here.

JOHN GILES ELK

John was known as John Giles, John, and Giles. He was born 18 March 1897 at Standing Rock, Sioux County, North Dakota and died on 18 February 1976 while in Cass County, North Dakota. John was a World War I veteran Code Talker enlisting at Fort Yates from Cannon Ball on 28 March 1918 and arriving in France on 20 May 1918. He served on the war front from 30 July to 1 September 1918.
From the Roster of the Men and Women Who Served in the Army or Naval Service:
"ELK, JOHN. Army number 2,559,179; registrant, Sioux county; born, Cannon Ball, N. Dak., March 15, 1896, of American parents; occupation, farmer; inducted at Fort Yates on March 29, 1918; sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa; served in Company D, 139th Infantry, to discharge. Grade: Private 1st Class, Nov. 14, 1918; overseas from May 2, 1918, to April 28, 1919. Engagements: Offensive: Meuse-Argonne. Defensive Sectors: Gerardmer (Alsace); Grange—le-Comte (Lorraine). Discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa, on May 7, 1919, as a Private 1st Class." In 2008 the government recognized the service of the World War Code Talkers of which John was one of them.
More veteran service information can be found here.

Family:
Wife: Catherine (Streakedeye) (Mary Thunder), born 1898
Son: Justus, born 15 Mar 1925 (1927). In 1919 Census (John), in 1931 Census (John Elk, Jr.), in 1940 living with Aunt Maggie and listed as surname Russell. Married Melda Many Horses 7 May 1946 in Montana, died in Burleigh County 19 July 1971.
Step-Daughter: Belina Thunder (Kennedy Belva), born 1922
Step-Daughter: Josephine Thunder, born 1924

Parents/Siblings:
Father: Jerome (Heraka), born 1849, died 6 January 1937, Sioux County
Mother: Takanagewin (First Born) - various spellings, born 1866, died probably after 1925/before 1930
Sister: Margaret (Maggie), born 2 January 1891, married Rozer Graystone (Gray Stone) before 1910 and divorced before 1915, married Howard Russell before 1940, died 15 Oct 1966 in Cannon Ball. Burial.
Brother: Andrew, born 1901. Cannot find in census after 1906 nor death notice or burial location.

Photo from British National Archives

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