North LaSalle Parish History Tidbit
In a recent conversation, I was told that a house on Loop Road is the oldest house in Olla. The house in question was the residence of Charles Carroll Elliott and his wife, Mary Elnor Cox. I started trying to see what else I could find out about this, and came across some interesting facts about the Elliotts of LaSalle Parish.
The forebear of many of the local Elliotts was Richard Elliott, said to have been born in 1736 on a ship coming to Virginia. His parents, John and Mary Nichols Elliott were Scotch Presbyterians from Donegal County, North Ireland. According to the book Historical Southern Families, Vol. VIII, Richard was a colonel of Virginia troops in the American Revolution, and was with Washington at Yorktown. He married Mary Catherine Stewart of Virginia. They moved to Kentucky about 1793.
Richard and Mary Elliott had a son, Richard, who was born in 1777 and later married Mary Mahoney (or Ragland). Richard Jr. and wife had a third Richard born in 1825 in Georgia. His full name was Richard Lenard Elliott, and he was also called “Squire.” He married Julia Ann Robertson in Warren County, Georgia, in 1845. Family researcher J.R. Elliott states that R.L. came to Louisiana from Talbot County, Georgia in 1851 and settled in Catahoula Parish around Olla. It seems that the family lived in Claiborne Parish also, as they appeared there on the 1860 census. By the time the 1870 census was taken, the Elliotts had moved to Ward 1 of Catahoula (now LaSalle) Parish.
Squire Elliott’s occupation was listed as Printer on this census. This agrees with an article found in the book, “A History of the Town of Olla”. It says that the first newspaper (or more like a newsletter) published in Western Catahoula Parish was “published by R.L. Elliott, a Georgia native, who came to Castor Springs in 1869. Mr. Elliott brought with him the first printing press to reach the western half of the parish.” No one knows how long this newsletter was published, but when it ceased, no other paper was printed locally until 1894-95. The Olla history book goes on to say, “R.L. Elliott lived in Natchez, Mississippi during the Civil War where he engaged in printing for the Confederacy.” I have not been able to confirm or disprove that statement.
Mr. Elliott died in 1897 and Julia Elliott died in 1892. Older family members claim that they are buried in the Urania Cemetery, but there are no markers.
The Elliotts had a large family, with many descendants still living in LaSalle Parish today. Their children were: Mary Teresa Elliott b. 1845, m. William Kennon, d. 1903, b. Eden Cem.
William Henry “Cap” Elliott b. 1847, m. Margaret Wilson, d. 1926, b. Olla Cem.
Robert David Elliott, b. 1848, m. 1 Mary Reams, 2 Mary E. Cockerham, d.1904, b. Olla Cem.
Richard Lenard Elliott, Jr. b. 1850, m. Rebecca Bedford, d. 1930, b. Welcome Home Cem.
George Washington Elliott, b. 1853, m. Cartha Emmons, d. 1906, b. New Hope Cem.
Elizabeth E. “Lizzie” Elliott, b. 1857, m. Floyd Holly d. 1937, b. Greenwood Mem. Cem., Rapides Par.
John R. Elliott, b. 1860, m. Lucy Ann Gaar, d. 1938, b. New Hope Cem.
James McPherson Elliott, b.1861, m. Hettie Humphries, d. 1924, b. Port Lavaca Cem., Port Lavaca, TX Emmett Nelson “Mun” Elliott, b.1866, m. Corrine Bailey, d. 1941, b. Greenwood Cem., Shreveport Edward Evertt “Dink” Elliott, b. 1867, m. Laura Jane Flowers, d. 1955, b. Olla Cem.
Maria Rosina “Rosa” Elliott, b.1871, m. Prior Monroe Flowers, d. 1909 In the years 18931906, three of Squire Elliott’s sons and one grandson received patents for sections of land in T 11N R 2E. The road going through that area is now called Loop Rd., but in the Police Jury proceeding in the July 12, 1928, Jena Times it was called “the old settlement road that runs by EE Elliott, CC Elliott, JE Harris, WD Blake, AJ Davis, and George Green.” This is where the old home place of Charlie C. Elliot (son of Robert D. Elliott) still stands, the house said to be the oldest in Olla. It was built about 1899. If someone knows of one older, please let me know. pctaylor@uraniaconnections. com.
