Person:Elliott Bliss (1)

Elliot Bliss was another Civil War Veteran. He and his family moved to Columbia [Clark County, Wisconsin] from Hales, Trempleau county in 1887. The government had given land for homesteading. There were no roads, just a winding path through the brush and tress. No bridges over the streams, no cleared land, no stores, no schools or churches. Elliott and his wife Elzorah had a Homestead two miles East of Columbia where he cleared land and built a cabin. There were eleven children: Addie, Elmira, an infant son, George, Laura, Victor, Fletie, Mathee and Myrtle (twins), Neuman, and Jewel. Seven of these children and a grandson passed on in the fall of 1891 of black diphtheria.

One had passed on in infancy in 1868. Three were married and away from home at the time of the epidemic. After this the log cabin had to be burned, through the orders of the Board of Health. All that was left was their dog, Shep. The authorities wanted to kill him but Mr. Bliss said he would shave, scrub and disinfect him. After the burning of the cabin, the neighbors all came to help erect a new frame building. These first settlers all had log cabins which were later replaced by frame buildings.

One married daughter passed on at childbirth in 1887. She had two daughters, Mabel and Myrtle Cooper. The Blisses took the two girls and raised them. They attended the Columbia school and were active in community affairs. Mabel married Columbia’s first cheese maker, Charles Harlow.

Mr. Bliss played "the fiddle" for dances. In the early 1900’s he sold the farm to Sam Cook, retired and moved to Neillsville where he passed on October 1915. His wife passed in 1927.
Source: "Recollections of Columbia, Wisconsin" by Mabel Schlender Jonkel, transcribed by Crystal Wendt & Michelle Harder. pp, 1, 31 Clark, Wisconsin, United States. Clark County, Wisconsin History Buffs

1. ↑ Freemont, Lake, Illinois, in United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432)
   HH 21, Fam 21.

   Bliss, Ambrose, 48, farmer, RE = $450, b. VT
   , Esther, 42, b. VT
   , Cornelius, 23, farmer, b. VT
   , Orleanna (female), 25, b. VT
   , Caroline, 22, b. VT
   , Ellen, 19, b. OH
   , Thaddews, 21, b. OH
   , Elliott, 19, b. OH,
   , Curkendale (male), 15, b. OH
   , Amelia, 12, b. OH
   , Maria M., 10, b. OH
   , Adelbert, 8, b. OH
   , Jane, 4, b. IL
   , George, 3,b. IL
   , Alfred, 1, b. IL
   Collins, James, 38, farmer, b. NY
   , Ann, 4, b. IL
   , Charles, 1, b. IL

2. ↑ Bliss, John Homer; Sylvester Bliss; and Oliver Bliss Morris. Genealogy of the Bliss family in America (1881): from about the year 1550 to 1880 ... including the compilations of Judge Oliver Bliss Morris ... and Sylvester Bliss. (Boston, Masachusetts: The author, 1881)
   p. 493.

   Child of Ambrose and Esther (Varney) Bliss
   Oramel Elliott, twin of Eliza Ellen (b. 17 Jull 1833, VT), of Arcadia, Trempealeau County, WI, m. Elzorn Campbell

3. ↑ United States. Veterans Administration. General index to pension files, 1861-1934. (Washington, District of Columbia, United States: NARA).

   Bliss, Elliott O.
   Service I 15 Ill Inf
   Widow Bliss, Elzorah
   23 Nov 1880 Invalid Application 412,511, Certificate 513,547, filed from Wisconsin
   1915, widow application 1,055,241, Certificate 804,720, filed from Wisconsin

4. ↑ United States. Veterans Administration. Veterans Administration pension payment cards, 1907-1933. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M850, 1971-1976)
   No. 2865.

   Bliss, Elliott O, Certificate 513,547, Private I 15 Ill Inf
   died 10/21/15
   Widow Elzorah Bliss, Neillsville, WI

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Elliot Oramel Bliss, in Find A Grave
   accessed 9 Mar 2015.

   Elliot Oramel Bliss
   Birth: Jul. 17, 1833
   Death: Oct. 21, 1915
   Burial: South Pine Valley Cemetery, Clark County, Wisconsin, USA
   
   NOTE: Has photo of a grave marker in a style contemporary with time of death

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Elliot Oramel Bliss, in Find A Grave
   accessed 9 Mar 2015.
   Elliot Oramel Bliss
   Birth: Jul. 17, 1833, Essex County, Vermont, USA
   Death: Oct. 21, 1915, Neillsville, Clark County, Wisconsin, USA
   Burial: Neillsville City Cemetery, Neillsville, Clark County, Wisconsin, USA
   Plot: IF=24
   
   

   CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN & PRESS (Neillsville, Wis.) 10/28/1915
   Bliss, Elliott O. (17 JUL 1833 – 21 OCT 1915)
   Mr. E.O. Bliss, 12th St. north side, passed away Thursday at 11 o'clock p.m. Oct. 21, 1915.
   Elliott Oramel Bliss was born at Essex, Vt. July 17, 1833, came to Ohio with his parents and later to Waukegan, Ill., and then to Grant Co., Wis.
   He was married to Elzora L. Campbell Aug. 24, 1863. To this union eleven children were born, only one surviving, Mrs. Laura E. Masters; also 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
   He enlisted in May 1861 in Co. I 15th, Ill., infantry and served 3 months re-enlisting for 3 years more during the war.
   In 1872, he moved to Trempealeau Co., where they lived about 14 years, then took a homestead in Clark County six miles southwest of Neillsville, where he and his family resided until 9 years ago when he bought the James Furlong place here, where they lived up to the time of his demise.
   He has been practically helpless for two years, and since February last has kept to his bed, and his faithful wife, ministered to him the best care.
   The funeral was held Sunday afternoon, Rev. L.B. Colman officiating. Interment took place at Neillsville Cemetery.
   Members of the G.A.R. acted as pallbearers and a firing squad of Co. A. gave military honors. Quite a number of the W.R.C. were in attendance.
   Source: http://wvls.lib.wi.us/ClarkCounty/clark/data/1/bbs2/2117.htm

   
   
   [NOTE: There is no gravestone photo]
7. ↑ South Pine Valley Cemetery, Clark County, WI Internet Library Death Records, in Clark, Wisconsin, United States. Clark County, Wisconsin History Buffs.

   Bliss, Elliot Oramel, 17-Jul-1833 - 21-Oct-1915
   b. Essex, VT; Civil War - 15 Il Inf., Co. IF=24 Oct 1915;
   It is unclear if Elliot & Elzorah are actually buried here as they are also listed for the Neillsville City Cemetery. Their remains may have been moved. Elzorah L. Campbell 24-Aug-1863
   Sources: tombstone, family records, obituary

8. ↑ Neillsville City Cemetery, Clark County, WI Internet Library Death Records, in Clark, Wisconsin, United States. Clark County, Wisconsin History Buffs.

   Bliss, Elliot, 17-Jul-1833 - 21-Oct-1915
   
   Civil War - 15 Il Inf., Co. IF=24 Oct 1915; D. rcd 7-167
   spouse: Elzora L. Campbell, married 24-Aug-1863
   Parents: Ambrose & Esther (Varney) Bliss
   Sources of information: tombstone, obituary, family records, Courthouse Records

9. ↑ Little Grant, Grant, Wisconsin, in United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   HH 1049, Fam 1025.

   Gilman, Byron, 22, farmer, [no RE listed], PE =$150, b. VT
   , Amelia, 21, b. IL
   , Ida, 1, b. WI
   Bliss, Antoinette, 20, seamstress, b. OH
   , Elliott, 26, farmer, b. VT