Elson, Richard T.

ELSON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 14:38:01

RICHARD T. ELSON
born Mar 14, 1843, Indiana

Richard T. Elson, an honored resident of Indianola, was born in Marion county, Indiana, March 14, 1843, a son of Cornelius and Eliza A. (Thomas) Elson. The father was born in Kentucky in 1820, and the mother was born in Jefferson county, Indiana in 1823. They were married at LaFayette, in the latter State in December, 1842. They were the parents of eight children, namely: Richard T., the subject of this sketch; David T., a retired business man of Malvern, Iowa; Mary E., wife of Henry Smith, a mechanic of Denver, Colorado; Joseph N., a farmer of Smith county, Kansas; Lucy B., wife of Henry B, Allen, a fruit raiser of Pawnee, Nebraska; John W., a farmer of Smith county, Kansas; Eliza A., now Mrs. George W Vinsonhaler, of Longmont, Colorado; and Cornelius Grant, a farmer of Decatur county, Kansas. David T. was a member of the Fifteenth Iowa Infantry during the late war, and served through the entire struggle. The parents of our subject located in Marion county, Iowa in 1855. In 1874 they removed to Kansas, where the father died in 1878, while the aged mother now resides with the family of our subject. The latter received such early educational training as the schools of the State afforded, but, being of a studious turn of mind, he supplemented the work of the country schools by careful and systematic private study, thus fitting himself for teaching, although he did not take up that work until after the war.
He enlisted in August, 1861, as a private in Company G, Tenth Iowa Infantry, and served three years and two months. The greater part of his military service was under the command of General Sherman. His first engagement was at New Madrid, Missouri. The next movement was in General Pope's command, which started down the river to occupy Vicksburg, but they did not reach their objective point by reason of the stirring events brought about at the battles of Pittsburg Landing and Shiloh. They then joined General Grant's army in the siege of Corinth. There Mr Elson was prostrated with disease and sent to the hospital returning to his regiment in time to take part in the battle of Corinth some months later, but was not sufficiently recovered to stand the heavy duties imposed by the active operations in the field. He was therefore returned to the hospital and saw no more active service. Rejoining his regiment at Kingston, Georgia in July, 1864, Mr. Elson was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky in the following September. But the disease incurred has been permanent in character, and prostrating in degree, so that he is today almost a physical wreck. He receives a small pension in recognition of his disabilities. Although his regiment re-enlisted, Mr. Elson was obliged to leave the service at the expiration of his term. He returned to his parental home in Marion county, and, after recuperating until the winter of 1865, he engaged in teaching, following that work for nine or ten years and spending his vacations on the farm. Finally Mr. Elson embarked in mercantile pursuits at Pleasantville, Iowa, but four years afterward sold his 1 his machinery to Milo Warren county and and established the Pleasantville News, conducting the paper and filling the office of Postmaster for six years. He then removed his machinery to Milo, Warren County, and founded the “Motor “which still exists. Failing health then compelled his retirement, and after a year spent in that city, Mr. Elson opened a furniture and undertaking establishment at Lacona, where he remained three years and then retired from business. In December 1892 our subject was appointed Deputy Clerk of the District Court, in which position he is now serving his second term. He has always taken a great interest in politicial affairs, as an ardent and uncompromising Republican, and is a man of prominence and influence in the councils of his party. His name has often been mentioned in connection with prominent officers among which are those of State Senator and County Auditor. In his social relations Mr. Elson is a member of the Masonic Order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. The Elson family have long been established in America. The paternal great grandfather of our subject was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and our subject was named in honor of this noble patriot, whom he remembers distinctly. A great uncle John Elson is now living in Ohio, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven. He recently honored our subject with a letter written by his own hand, without the aid of glasses.
Mr. Elson was married January 11, 1865 to Miss Julia A Thompson, born in Loudoun county, Virginia, August 28, 1842, a daughter of Morris and Lydia A (Russell) Thompson . When a child she accompanied her parents to Ohio, thence to Illinois, and from there to Warren county, Iowa in 1858. The family consisted of two sons and two daughters as follows: Julia A., wife of our subject; L. M., farming the old homestead in Belmont township, Warren county; J. W., a merchant and proprietor of a hotel at Lacona, Iowa; and Anzie B., now Mrs. Clevenger, of Des Moines. Mr. and Mrs. Elson have no children of their own, but have reared an adopted daughter, Viola, now Mrs. Fee, of Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Elson are prominent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianola and manifest great interest in the social and regular meetings of their chosen religious home. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.503

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.635
RICHARD T. ELSON
Richard T. Elson, who is familiarly called "Dick" by his many friends, is one of the few remaining veterans of the Civil War and is one who has wielded a wide interest in the public life of Warren County as well as in other localities in which he has made his home. He was born in Marion County, near Indianap­olis, Indiana, March 14, 1843, a son of C. J. and Eliza Ann (Thomas) Elson, the former born in Kentucky, while the latter was a native of Madison County, Indiana. The father was reared in the Blue Grass state, after which he re moved to Marion County, Indiana, becoming one of its pioneer settlers. In 1854, however, he removed to Warren County, Iowa, where he entered forty acres of land from the government, and also entered forty acres adjoining in Marion County. Later he disposed of this land and made his way to Wayne County but once more returned to Warren County, locating on a farm near Milo. In 1872 he made his way to Smith County, Kansas, where he took up land from the government, on which he spent his remaining days, his death occurring in 1878. His wife survived him for many years, passing away in October, 1906.
Richard T. Elson was a lad of eleven years when he accompanied his parents to Warren County and was here reared and educated. When the Civil War broke out and volunteers were needed he offered his aid to the government, enlisting in July 1861 at Indianola, as a member of the Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He went south with his regiment where he partici­pated in many important engagements, including those at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Island No. 10, the siege at New Madrid, where they captured many confederate soldiers. He was later in the siege at Corinth where he was taken sick and was in a hospital for eight months. Upon his recovery he rejoined his regiment at Iuka and was with the army until the expiration of his three years' term, when he was honorably discharged in the fall of 1864.
Upon his return from the war Mr. Elson engaed in teaching, being thus being employed for thirty-three terms in Warren and .Marion Counties, mostly dur­ing the winter months. He also taught for three years in the Pleasantville schools and later established the Pleasantville News, which he conducted for seven years. He also served as postmaster at that place for six years and then removed his paper to Milo, establishing the Milo Motor, which he conducted during the succeeding two years. He then returned to Pleasantville and conducted a mercantile establishment for two years, when he took up his abode in Des Moines, where he conducted a grocery for three years. He then traded his property there for land in Liberty Township, Warren County and for three years during the spring and summer months was engaged in general farming, while during the winter seasons he engaged in teaching. In 1889 he sold his farm and removed to Lacona, where he was engaged in the furniture and undertaking business for three years, at the end of which time he was appointed deputy clerk, this necessitating his removal to In­dianola. He served in that capacity for six years, when he was elected to the office of county clerk and through reelection filled the office for two terms, or four years. He was ever known as a prompt and capable official and made many friends during his term of office. After his term of office expired he removed to a ranch near Los Angeles, California, where he went for the benefit of his wife's health.
Mr. Elson was married in Warren County, January 12, 1865, to Miss Julia Thompson, who was born in Virginia but was reared and educated in the Buck­eye state, where she was engaged in teaching prior to her marriage.
Mr. Elson is a Republican in his political views and cast his first presi­dential ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, while serving in the army. He has never aspired to office holding but took the census of Liberty Township in 1890. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Elson is a Master Mason, having served as master of the lodges at Liberty Center, Pleasantville and Lacona. He is also an Odd Fellow, belonging to Indianola Lodge, No. 70, while he and his wife are identified with the Re­bekah lodge, of which Mr. Elson served as a delegate to the grand lodge and he also served as a delegate of the Odd Fellows in the grand lodge.
Mr. Elson has a very wide acquaintance both in Marion and Warren Counties, wherein he has wielded a wide influence. He is one to whom has been entrusted important public service and over his record there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, so that this section of the state num­bers him as one of her most honored and highly respected citizens.