M. M. Elliott, a prominent farmer of Glencoe township, is a native of Indiana, born in 1864. He is a son of James and Florida (Hills) Elliott, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of Scotch Irish descent and the latter of English lineage. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Sarah A. Crissep, La Mont, Okla.; W. A., Augusta, Kans.; J. R., Wichita, Kans., and M. M., the subject of this sketch.

M. M. Elliott, is practically a pioneer of three States. He went to Iowa when very young, settling in a wild section of that State, and then came to Kansas, settling in Butler county, and about the time Oklahoma was opened up for settlement, he carried his pioneering to that State, where he took up Government land in that section of Oklahoma which later became Payne county, upon the organization of the State. He was an active factor in the organization of Payne county, and it was largely through his efforts that the name Payne was adopted for that county. There was a great fight on, to name it Stillwater county, and Mr. Elliott was one of the leaders in favor of calling it Payne, and after a hard fight Payne won. While holding down his claim in Oklahoma, Mr. Elliott frequently returned to Arkansas City, Kans., for a time, where he

worked to obtain supplies and then returned to his cabin. He endured many hardships and privations incident to life in a new country, but he was accustomed to it, having been a pioneer all his life and was not a pampered youth in his early childhood days. He says, he remembers of being put to bed on many occasions in order that his clothes might be washed. He received his training in the hard school of experience, the kind of training that develops strong character. It's the school which has graduated the men who have been the bone and sinew of this nation since its beginning. Mr. Elliott belongs to that type of men who by their thrift and industry have built up the great West and who have accustomed themselves to overcome obstacles. He is now engaged in farming and stock raising in Glencoe township, and is one of the successful men of his community.

Mr. Elliott was married in 1888, to Miss Sarah G. Blance, a native of France who came to this country with her parents, Lorrence and Clementine (Coutin) Blance, in 1876. They came to this country by way of Liverpool, England, and encountered very severe weather on the voyage, the trip requiring fourteen days from Liverpool to New York. Mrs. Elliott tells what a narrow escape her father had from losing all his money while en route to this country. He carried all his money in a belt, and while sleeping in his berth, his wife detected a thief endeavoring to take the money from the belt. She gave the alarm in time to prevent the robbery. The Blance family upon coming to this country located at Emporia, Kans., and the father suffered a sun stroke and died shortly after locating there. When he died there was no hearse in the locality of the Blance home and his remains were brought to the cemetery in a wagon for burial.

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott's only child is an accomplished musician and resides with her parents and is engaged in teaching music. Mr. Elliott is well known and prominent in the community.

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