JOHN ELLIOTT

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    JOHN ELLIOTT was born October 14, 1823, in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and during his childhood and younger manhood lived with his parents on a farm. When yet young he enlisted in the Mounted Rifle Regiment going from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, July 10, 1846. In his service of three years he had many experiences. He was promoted to second sergeant of his company. He owns a parchment certificate of honorable mention signed by James K. Polk, president, and Wm. L. Marcy, secretary of war, August, 1847. He served under General Taylor at Monterey, and under General Scott on the Vera Cruz line and in the taking of the City of Mexico, fighting in the battles of Contrares, Cherubusco, Molena del Rey and Chapultepec, receiving honors for distinguished service in first-named engagement. Among other valuable relics of that war Mr. Elliott has a badge in the shape of a pin and shield made for and presented by the United States government to soldiers, moulded from a bronze cannon captured in Mexico. After returning from the war Mr. Elliott was a merchant at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, until in 1876, when he came to Platte county, settling on his farm on Shell creek, west of Platte Center. In about 1883, he came to Columbus, where he has resided ever since. For seven years he was the city street commissioner, during which time he performed his work faithfully and satisfactorily. November 1, 1849, Mr. Elliott was married to Mary Jane Smiley. They have five children. Joseph, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mrs. Charles Gillon of Neosho, Missouri, Hanson S. of Columbus and Mrs. E.H. Andrews of Leadville, Colorado. Mr. Elliott is related to the Robert McCormick family of inventor fame. A few years ago Mr. Elliott received a handsome leather-bound, finely-illustrated volume of a family history with his portrait and biography included with hundreds of other relatives. The book was sent as a present from Leander McCormick, son of the world-famous Robert McCormick. "The Colonel," as he is familiarly called by his intimate acquaintances, is so free-hearted as to remind one of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes's answer to the question of how old he was--"I am eighty years young," only our friend is in his 76th year.