JOHN WESLEY ELLIOTT is the oldest citizen of Springfield, in point of residence, since the death of Judge J. Matheny, his birth having occurred in this city, May 17, 1822, near where the coal shaft is now found on Eighth Street. He is a son of Andrew Elliott, who came to this place in 1819, and whose birth occurred in Rutherford County, N.C., sixteen miles from Rutherfordton, about 1792.

Our subject's father married Miss Zilpha Kelly in Rutherford County and after their marriage they removed to Springfield by means of a wagon, brining with them their two children and experiencing many hardships on the journey through the wild country. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and the gun he carried in that war is now in the possession of our subject. While in North Carolina he followed farming as an occupation and after coming to Illinois, to what is now Springfield, camped upon the ground that now forms the part of this beautiful city bounded by North Grand Avenue on the north and on the west by Walnut, on the south near Calhoun, and on the east by the section line east of First Street. On that land he tented for awhile after reaching this township, for at the time there was but one cabin, and that was built by Elisha Kelly in 1818. After raising one crop he brought his family in 1819, his cabin being just south of what is now Miller Street and on Fourth Street. At the first land sale in what is now Springfield, Andrew Elliott entered the eighty acres that he had first camped on, and his father-in-law, William Kelly, John Kelly, Elisha Kelly, and John Kelly, his brothers-in-law, also entered land, settling on Jefferson, about one-quarter mile west of First Street and there the first court was held in John Kelly's house and continued to be held there until the log court-house was built on Jefferson, between First and Second Streets. Previous to the land sale Mr. Elliott lived on Eighth Street, where the subject of our sketch was born, and at a later date owned the one hundred and sixty acres of land where the Coal Shaft and Rolling Mills now stand, and at the time of his death also owned one hundred and sixty acres north of the city on Spring Creek in one body and two eighty-acre tracts at other places, owning in all four hundred acres in or near Springfield. When he reached this place he had only $1, and he went to Alton to mill the first year, hauling corn from Edwardsville until he was able to raise crops of his own. He continued to devote his time and attention to farming and stock-raising, and for a few years kept an hotel on the south side of First Street, west of Jefferson. He fought in the Black Hawk War and was also in the Winnebago War, carrying the same gun he had used in the War of 1812. He was not an office-seeker, but took great interest in public affairs, and was very fond of hunting and other active sports. He was much respected and widely known at the time of his death, which occurred in 1864. His wife died in 1842, and of their four children, only two are now living, viz: Sarah, widow of Isaac Taylor who lives near Dawson, and the subject of our sketch.

Our subject received a good education and made his home with his parents up to the time of his marriage, which took place just one month before he reached his twenty-first year. He was united in matrimonial bonds with Miss Alissa Baldwin of Gardner Township, in April, 1843, and they first resided where the Rolling Mills now stand, and afterward in Irish Grove, Menard County, for several years, returning in 1859. He crossed the plains to Denver when the gold excitement broke out, going to Pike's Peak via Leavenworth and Smoky Hill, and remained in Pike's Peak until 1862, then went to Idaho, by water to Portland, up the Columbia River to Wallula, and then by land to Florence, where he remained for some time and met with excellent luck. In the same fall he went to Baker County, Oregon, then to Idaho Basin, where Idaho City now stands, having first gone there with goods for his Oregon employers, and after settling that satisfactorily, he carried mail from Salt Lake City to idaho City when there was not a white settler on the road, except two ferry men on Snake River. He made the four hundred and fifty miles in six days with six hundred letters on his horse, worth $1 apiece. Later, he with a companion went to the mines at the head of the Columbia River, going on horseback through the wild and unbroken country, and passing what is now Spokane Falls.

Mr. Elliott in returning from the Columbia River to Springfield started on horseback and through seven hundred miles was entirely alone, the whole trip averaging three thousand or four thousand miles. He returned by the way of Idaho, and though the Indians were very hostile at that time, he had no trouble with them. After reaching Springfield in 1865, a week before Christmas, our subject settled down until 1870, at which time he made a trip through Kansas with a party, prospecting for land. He also made a trip to Texas, expecting to enter the cattle business with A. Saunders, and bought some cattle. At various times Mr. Elliott went through Colorado, and was at the Black Hills during the contest with Sitting Bull, beholding some of the most noted fights. The same summer of the Custer Massacre, out subject accompanied by but two men, went to the Big Horn Mountains, Wyo., meeting Sheridan and his party. From Wind River he came home by way of Denver in a wagon part of the way and down the Arkansas River and by Topeka, Kan. That was about 1875 and in 1884 he took the train to Spokane Falls, where he bought horses and went over much of the old ground, making the trip back from idaho in a wagon with two horses to Springfield and he still owns one of the horses so used. This trip took two and half years, our subject camping out wherever night happened to overtake him, occupying his time with fishing, hunting and enjoying the charms of Nature.

Mr. Elliott returned home in 1887, buying and building at his present place on the corner of Maple and Bond Streets, and is at present retired from active business. He is a member of the Masonic order and Royal Arch Masons. Few men have seen more of the pioneer life than has the subject of our sketch, or possess a better knowledge of human nature and the natural resources of our country.

Our subject has three children dead and seven living, viz: Robert, who served three years in the Civil War; James h., Sarah E., wife of James Dunlap (both being doctors); Harriet, wife of A. Langford, of Springfield; Andrew J., Calvin L., John L., who recently started for California.