James Willis Elliott was born on December 15, 1844 in Missouri to William Elliott and Jane Carnes Guthrie (Widow of a Howard, from a previous marriage). They lived in Buchanan and Nodaway Counties until 1867. He had 6 sisters, 1 brother, 1 half brother, and 1 half sister. His father William Elliott joined the Civil War as a member of the Confederate Calvary with his father Willis Elliott and brothers-Jeremiah, David, and James Elliott, and unfortunately William Elliott was killed at the Battle of Lone Jack where he fought alongside Cole Younger. It is thought that James may have fought in the Civil War also. His half brother, John Finley Howard did fight in the Civil War as a Confederate. James Willis Elliott married Sarah Frazier on June 9, 1867 in Nodaway County, Missouri just before leaving on the Oregon Trail along with his mother, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and Elliott grandparents (Willis Willard Elliott and Mary Polly Vanderpool). His Uncle David Morrow Guthrie (Bridgeport) and Granduncle Medders Vanderpool (Monmouth/Independence) both of Polk County, along with his cousin William Elliott (Elliott Prairie) were already in Oregon since circa 1846. His wife Sarah's sister Charlotte Frazier came with them and promptly married his Uncle James Willis Elliott in 1868 at his Uncle David Guthrie's house. James and Sarah Elliott had five daughters, however only three made it past infancy. They first settled in the Monmouth area of Polk County where their daughters were born: Sarah Jane "Jenny" in 1870; Harriett Elizabeth "Hattie" in 1871; Mary circa 1875; Charlotte "Lottie" in 1876; and Laura circa 1876-1886. He lost his mother Jane on April 17, 1877. The family moved to the hills above McMinnville for awhile then returned to Polk County. Sarah passed away on March 8, 1896 from pneumonia near Fairview. James managed to remarry. He passed away on February 2, 1931 in Dallas, Polk County, Oregon, buried in the Dallas Cemetery alongside his wife Sarah in the Guthrie Family plot in the historical section of the cemetery.