Barzalia Elliott, born March 15, 1828, in South Carolina, is a farmer and stockman in Fork Township, Faulkner County, Arkansas. He moved to Alabama in 1856, where he married Eliza Coffman, having six children, four surviving. Eliza died in 1867, and Barzalia later married Louisa Wilcox, with whom he had nine children, six surviving. He moved to Arkansas in 1859, working as a blacksmith before serving in the Confederate army during the Civil War. After the war, he resumed blacksmithing and eventually bought a 300-acre farm, developing it significantly. Elliott, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and the Masonic lodge, is a respected community member and a supporter of education.
Barzalia Elliott, a farmer and stockman residing in Section 5, Township 6, Range 13 East, Fork Township, Faulkner County, was born in South Carolina, March 15, 1828. Jesse and Jane Elliott, his parents, lived in South Carolina some years and were of English descent. Grandfather Elliott emigrated to South Carolina a short time after the close of the Revolutionary War, having served seven years. Barzalia Elliott received his education in his native state, and in 1856 emigrated to Alabama, where he became acquainted with, and afterward married Miss Eliza Coffman, a native of Alabama. Her parents were from East Tennessee and of Holland origin. By this marriage six children were born, four of whom are yet living: Luzilla (born February 13, 1859, living at home), George King (born June 4, 1862, a teacher of penmanship in Johnson, Tex.), Ruthey (born in 1867, lives with her parents), and William (born in 1866, married Miss Alabama Tilley, a native of Arkansas, her parents being natives of Alabama).
In the spring of 1867 Mrs. Elliott died and was interred in the King cemetery, in Fork Township. In December Mr. Elliott was married to Miss Louisa Wilcox, of Alabama, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride’s brother-in-law. Nine children were born of this marriage, six of whom are still living: J. T. Elliott, Charles, Jane, Hattie, James, and Blueford.
In 1859 Mr. Elliott came to Arkansas, locating on B. V. King’s place, called East Fork, where he established himself at the trade of blacksmithing, making and repairing everything needed by a farmer, and, in fact, doing all kinds of work in his line for the whole county hereabouts. He worked at this calling until June 1862, when he was enlisted in Company F, Second Regiment Trans-Mississippi Department, and served about two months, then being transferred to an engineer corps of the same army and serving until captured at Atlanta in 1864. He remained in the prison at Atlanta two months, then went from there to Chattanooga, where he took the oath of allegiance and later was transferred to Nashville, where he was engaged as teamster for the United States Government for a period of three months. Going to Little Rock, he was employed as blacksmith for the Government, at the rate of $75 per month and rations. In May 1860, he returned to Conway (now Faulkner) County, at his old stand, and again opened his shop, resuming his trade of general blacksmithing. This he continued until 1870, when he bought the farm where he now resides, making a purchase of 300 acres of land. Only twelve acres of this were under fence, and one little log cabin was the only improvement. Mr. Elliott has now seventy-five acres under a high state of cultivation and has also erected good houses, barns, etc., and such buildings as are seen upon well-ordered Arkansas plantations; he has also given considerable attention to horticulture.
Mr. Elliott, Luzilla, and Ruthey are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is also a member of East Fork Lodge No. 327, A. F. & A. M., having served one term as Junior Warden. He was made a Mason in Green Grove Lodge No. 107, at Conway. Though taking no active part in politics, he votes the Democratic ticket. He is a warm friend of school matters and has served as a member of the school board. Mr. Elliott has lived to see the rapid and complete growth of the county and is respected and esteemed by all who know him.