Person:William Elliott (39)

In 1847, he homesteaded the place at which he still lived when he died in 1890. It consisted of 200 acres with 125 acres under cultivation. He was a farmer and was extensively engaged in stock raising and had a good steam gin with a capacity of ten bales per day.

    On June 13, 1861, enlisted in the Fifth Arkansas Regiment, Company A, Infantry at Madison, Arkansas, and participated in several of the most important battles of the war, among them being Paducah (Grant occupied it in 1861), Tupelo (battle was on July13-14, 1864), Prairie Grove (battle was on December 7, 1862), and Union City.
   In 1864, he transferred to the Eighth Kentucky, Company C and was honorably discharged on or about May 19th, 1865.  "Returned from absence without leave, April 1, 1864."
    Was a democrat and a baptist.  He held the office of magistrate, coroner and deputy sheriff in his township.  He was the Justice of the Peace in Oct 1883, Nov 1883, Mar 1884 & Dec 1885.

1860 Census: Had $1200 in real estate and $1274 in personal estate

Melissa applied for widow's pension from civil war on 8-20-1902.

In May of 1877, he homesteaded 80 acres in St. Francis County, in the same township that his father had homesteaded in (Township 5N, Range 2E)

In 1880 St. Francis county had 4923 whites and 3467 blacks.

Arkansas and Kentucky were confederate states during the civil war but 2/3's of Kentucky soldiers fought for the north.

Had 200 acres in 1890 according to Real Estate Tax Book 1889-1890 of St. Francis County.

On May 18, 1888 the Forrest City Times reported: "A report was going the rounds the first of the week, that a skeleton of a man was lying on the bank of the St. Francis river one mile below Madison, and that the stench was so great one could not approach it. Coroner Wm Elliott went to examine these bones and finds them perfectly dry. the man has been dead for months. The bones were buried.

On August 6, 1977, William Elliott petitioned the county to build a new road from Forrest City to Madison and said they could use Elliott Bridge (see Elliott file).

July 13, 1880 was a grand juror and was paid $20.

Oct 1879 was paid $3 for attending County Court as Justice of the Peace.

Sep. 26, 1882 was paid $4 for killing a wolf.j

Mar. 14, 1882 was paid 75 cents for a Justice of the Peace fee.

Was paid $4 for his duty as Judge and for his messenger.

June and Oct of 1874 he was paid $4 for his service in elections.

1. ↑ History of Arkansas Book.
2. ↑ Arkansas Confederate Widow Pension Book.