My Genealogy Hound

N. T. Elliott, one of the successful farmers and self made men of Holly township, Oakland County, owning a very superior farm of 180 acres in sections 16 and 21, was born in Montgomery County, New York, May 21, 1821, and is a son of Alexis and Elizabeth (Tripp) Elliott, who came to Michigan in 1844, and died in Holly township, Oakland County, the father about 1847, aged 48 years, and the mother in 1852, aged 53 years. The two survivors of their family of seven children are our subject and his distinguished brother, Capt. M. D. Elliott, of the village of Holly, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. During the Civil War, Captain Elliott commanded in DeGoliers battery of artillery and was placed in charge of the battery after the death of Captain DeGolier, and served for three years in General Logan’s division. Since the close of his army service he has been engaged in farming in Rose township, but now at the age of 76 years is living somewhat retired.

Until he was 17 years old, our subject lived in Otsego County, and from 17 to 23 years made his home in Herkimer County, New York, where he was given excellent educational advantages. He learned the trade of broom-making in a factory on the Mohawk River and followed the same for some years until he had come to the decision of finding a wider career for himself in the West. In 1844, with no means except what he earned for himself, he left the home of his uncle, in Herkimer County, and finally reached Buffalo, on his way to Michigan. There was then no steam transportation any farther west, and he reached Detroit by making a round-about way through Canada. Finally he reached the home of his cousin, Chester Elliott, in Holly township, Oakland County, and remained a member of the latter’ s household for six years, teaching school for three winters and resuming his business of broom-making. He raised the broom corn and sold great numbers of the completed household necessity, traveling as far as Saginaw. In 1852 he moved to his present farm, located in sections 16 and 21, his residence being in section 21. But 40 acres of the farm showed any attempt at improvement, when Mr. Elliott took charge; he has done the rest, including the erection of the excellent buildings. He reached Detroit with a watch and $5 in money, and has earned all that he now possesses by industry, frugality and good habits, the latter being considered by him to be a very necessary factor. At one time he lost his home and a large amount of completed brooms by fire. He has lived in Holly township long enough to note the great improvements and contributed materially to the success of the Holly and Detroit railroad line and also of the Pere Marquette, by furnishing timber and providing temporary homes for the workmen.

On January 21, 1850, Mr. Elliott was married to Wilhelmina Broas, who was then a visitor in Holly township. She was born at Union, Broome County, New York, and was a daughter of William and Sally (Howard) Broas, the former of whom died when Mrs. Elliott was 15 months old, the latter dying in 1884, aged 87 years. Mrs. Elliott has two surviving sisters: Mrs. Phebe Dunham, of Mecklenburg, New York, and Mrs. Josephine Ford, also of New York. Two sons and two daughters have been born to this marriage: Charles B., of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a traveling salesman in the line of oil, glass and paint, who has three children, Myrtle, Virgil and Howard; D. Carter, a dentist of California, a graduate of the San Jose and San Francisco dental colleges, who has three children, Lucile, Harold and Lloyd; Ella Grace, who married Rev. Herbert Gould, pastor of the Baptist Church at Eastport, Michigan; and Bertha J., who resides at home. For many years Mr. Elliott was identified with the old Democratic party, but the agitation concerning slavery caused him to change his views, and he voted with the Republicans until 1900, when he joined the Prohibition party, believing its principles should be established in the government of the country. For several years he has served as a school examiner, his early academic education making his selection for this position especially suitable. Formerly he belonged to the Grange, but now retains membership in no fraternal body.

He is a leading member of the Methodist Church at Holly, and he is one of the best citizens of the township.