Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Elliott, Joseph S. April 18, 1827 - ????
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Marta Burns marta43@juno.com October 11, 2024, 4:40 pm

Source: History of Fayette County, L H Everts and Company 1882, page 628
Author: Franklin Ellis

    Joseph S Elliott is the son of James Elliott, whose father, William
Elliott, came to Fayette County from Westmoreland County at an early day,
and had what is now called "the old Elliott homestead" in Jefferson
township, patented.  His wife was Ruth Crawford.  They had eleven children.
James was the fifth child and only son who grew to manhood and was born
in Jefferson township, April 25, 1785, and was a farmer.  
    June 3, 1813 he married Mary Cunningham of Rostraver township,
Westmoreland County.  They had ten children: William Elliott; James C
Elliott; Edward J Elliott; Robert Elliott; Ruth Elliott; Mary A Elliott;
Joseph S Elliott; Alexander Elliott; Sarah R Elliott; and Marth Elliott,
all of whom grew to maturity.
    Joseph S Elliott was born at the old Elliott homestead, Jefferson
township, Fayette County, Penna, April 18, 1827.  His school education was
limited.  His business education, gathered from observation and contact
with businessmen, is excellent.
    He was married October 7, 1852, to Nancy J Forsythe.  They have six
children: William F Elliott married Laura A Wells; Violette H Elliott
married to Joseph A Cook; Oliphant P Elliott; Ida J Elliott, Eva M
Elliott; and Gracie F Elliott.  
    Mr Elliott spent his early life upon his father's farm.  In 1850 he began
work for himself upon the farm where he now resides and ever since has
been engaged in farming and stock dealing.  He is a shrewd, energetic,
successful businessman, one of the real businessmen of the county.  He has
no church record, but is a liberal supporter of all causes which he deems
worthy.  His business status among those who know him is as good as need
be.  He has held the usual township offices entrusted to businessmen in a
business township.  His possessions are chiefly stock and lands.  
    He owns a thousand acres of as good land as there is in Western
Pennsylvania and all underlaid with bituminous coal except one hundred
and thirty two acres.  He has made his own fortune with the assistance of
a most excellent wife.  Mrs Elliott is a lady of rare general intelligence
and has a wider knowledge of the requirements of business life than have
most ladies, and has always eagerly united with her husband in his
various enterprises, while at the same time paying special attention to
domestic affairs.
    A lesson for the young men of Fayette County may be gleaned from Mr
Elliott's career in the fact that he began with but little means and
contrary to Horace Greeley's well known advice to young men, refused to
"go west," he holding that a dollar earned here in a settled country is
worth two wrought out in the far West.  So he settled down in Jefferson
township, and went into debt in the purchase against the judgment of his
neighbors one and all, of the "Tark farm," feeling that if he could not
make a great sum of money on it he could at least so manage as to make on
it a good practical savings bank which would on sale render up whatever
deposits he might make into it; and by extreme industry, by tact in
management, and by possessing himself of and applying the best arts of
agriculture under a system of mixed farming, including the raising of
sheep for their fleeces, etc, demonstrate that Fayette County is as good
a land as any in the West, or anywhere else, to stay at home in and grow
up to fortune.  

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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