Surnames: Elliott, Crawford, Cunningham, Forsyth, Wells, Cook
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 Ellliott; 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 whome 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 whetever 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.