An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, 1902
published by Western Historical Publishing Company

Andrew Elliott

He was born in Orleans county, New York, to John and Nancy White Elliott, on October 15, 1842, where he spent the earlier years of his life on a farm with his father and some time in the pursuit of knowledge in the public schools of his day. At the age of fourteen he started with his older brother to the country where Minneapolis now stands, and later took a trip down the Mississippi river, but when he hostilities of the Civil war broke out he returned to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1862, where he found the train which he joined and with which he crossed the plains, using horse teams. The journey was made without special adventure, save that at one ferry on the Snake river, instead of paying the exorbitant price asked, they went farther round and came through the section where Baker City now stands. The only white men in that region were John Bowen, Hiram and Joseph Kinnisson. Our subject, with some others, turned aside into the Powder river valley and there put up hay for the stock. The following spring, 1863, he started with a pack train from Auburn to Boise City, and thence to Boise basin, and engaged in mining, also worked at the Rock Bar, and in 1865, in company with two others, came to Walla Walla. This journey was attended with much danger on account of some desperate fellows that were bent on robbing them. Thence they wen on the old Mullen road to Bear Gulch, where they wintered. From Walla Walla they took a pack train of tea and tobacco to the mines, which was sold at good figures, the tea brining four dollars and the tobacco ten dollars per pound. From this time until 1868 he was in the various mining camps of the region adjacent to Missoula and Helena and then came over the famous Lo-Lo trail to Lewiston, where they outfitted and went into the Wallowa valley, the Grande Ronde valley, and the Edmunds mining camp, and later in the fall arrived in Sumpter. This he made headquarters and has been following mining, both quartz and placer, since in the various camps adjacent. His life has been one of hardship and arduous undertakings that are incident to pioneering and mining on the frontier. He has owned some very valuable claims, among which was the Wide West, on the Mother Lode, and sold to Mr. English for a good sum. In addition to this he has sold other properties and still owns some that are considered very fine. He also has a comfortable home in Sumpter.

Mr. Elliott is a member of the A. F. & A. M., having taken the master's degree, and is also affiliated with the Royal Arch Chapter. He was one of the committee of three appointed by Judge Schofield in 1871 to view the route for the road from Auburn to Sumpter. It is with pleasure that we are able to state that none are held in higher esteem by the people are more deserving of the confidence of his fellows, and also their encomiums, than this worthy pioneer who has wrought with such energy and wisdom since the early days when he blazed the way into this favored. Region.

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