A native of Macoupin county, Elmo Etter who is now serving as sheriff
of the county, is well known throughout this section of the state and is
recognized as one of its most reliable and progressive citizens. He was
born on a farm in Western Mound township, August 21, 1875, a son of
George and Mary C. (McCoy) Etter. The father was a native of Illinois
and the mother of Missouri. In their family were four children: Elmo;
Horace, who is now living on the old home place near Hettick; Myrtle,
who is the wife of Otto Cummings, of Blytheville, Arkansas; and Herbert,
who is now engaged in the hardware business at Hettick.
The
father of our subject has from his boyhood engaged in farming. He was
born and reared near Palmyra, Illinois, and after reaching maturity
purchased a farm in Western Mound township. He is now the owner of two
hundred and forty acres of well improved land, making one of the
valuable farms of the township. He has taken an active interest in local
affairs and served as supervisor, assessor and in other township
offices. Mrs. Etter died June 26, 1908, at the age of fifty-six years.
She was a member of the Christian church and a woman of many estimable
traits of character.
Henry Etter, the paternal grandfather of
our subject, was born in Anderson county, Tennessee, May 14, 1820. His
father was also named Henry and was born in Wythe county, Virginia, in
1783. He was a hatter by trade and moved to Tennessee, where he engaged
in the manufacture and sale of hats. In that state he was married to
Elizabeth Parks, a native of Anderson county, and he followed his trade
for several years in the county where his wife was born. In 1826 he came
to Illinois with his wife and nine children, making the trip with a team
of four horses and a wagon. He located in Greene county, eight miles
east of Carrollton, where he entered eighty acres of government land at
one dollar and a quarter per acre and erected a cabin of hickory logs.
In 1836 he sold his place and settled in Macoupin county on a tract of
land which he purchased in Western Mound township. Here he died in 1853.
He was twice married and by his first marriage was the father of twelve
children. The maiden name of his second wife was Betsy Griswold. His son
Henry Etter, grandfather of our subject, was five years old when he came
to Illinois. He made his home with his parents until his marriage,
November 14, 1844, to Miss Asbereen Elizabeth Davidson, after which he
purchased a tract of land in Western Mound township upon which there was
a log cabin. They began housekeeping with very little furniture and, as
they had no stove, his wife cooked for the family according to primitive
methods before the fireplace. Subsequently he sold the farm and
purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in South Palmyra
township. He prospered as a farmer and acquired other property, thus
being able to assist his children in securing homes. He died after
reaching the age of eighty-five years, his wife passing away at the age
of eighty-two. In their family were four sons: George, who married Mary
C. McCoy; James, who married Julia F. Richie; Smith, who selected as his
wife Julia F. Range; and Elijah, who wedded Kate Hulse. Mrs. Etter was
born in Barren county, Kentucky, May 12, 1824, and was a granddaughter
of Rev. John Davidson, a pioneer Baptist minister of Greene county,
Illinois. Her father learned the gunsmith’s trade which he followed
until 1828 when he came to Illinois with his wife, Margaret (Wright)
Davidson, and two children, locating in Greene county. The grandfather
of our subject on the maternal side was James McCoy. He lived in
Christian county, Missouri, and engaged in farming.
Elmo Etter
was reared in Western Mound township and attended the district schools,
later becoming a student of Blackburn University. He worked on the farm
and taught school in the winter for seven years, at the same time
continuing actively interested in local affairs. He served as township
assessor for one year and for six years as member of the board of
supervisors, filling the office of chairman of the board for one year.
He showed an ability in the discharge of important duties that gained
for him an enviable reputation and in the fall of 1906 he was elected
county treasurer, an office which he occupied to the general
satisfaction of the people for four years. In November, 1910, he was
elected by a handsome majority as sheriff of the county, a position
which he now fills.
Politically Mr. Etter- is an earnest
supporter of the principles and candidates of the democratic party. He
is well known in fraternal circles and is a valued member of Mount Nebo
Lodge No. 76, A. F. & A. M., the Knights of Pythias, and the Modern
Woodmen of America. His excellent record as a county officer is proof of
his efficiency and of his ability to discharge important trusts. He is a
man of strong force of character, good business discrimination, and one
who is able to take advantage of opportunities which most men overlook.
Mr. Etter is a valued citizen of a county noted for the intelligence and
progressiveness of its people.
Extracted 20 Oct 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 195-197.
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