CECIL N. ELLIOTT
Cecil N. Elliott is 87 years old and has seen some good times and some bad times in Scott County since October 29th, 1893, the year he was born. He was born at Parks, AR to William D. & Alice LaMaster Elliott and was raised there. He is still making Parks his home. He was taught to work and liked it and still does. He taught school at Mt. Moriah when he was 17 years old, taught a Young Men's Bible Class in Sunday School at Parks Baptist Church eleven years and five of those eleven years he did not miss a Sunday. He was also Choir Director most of that time and also Superintendent of Sunday School part of that time. He recalls hauling cotton to market in a wagon drawn by a team of horses or mules and it was fully a two day trip. At times roads were impassable. Mr. Charlie Forrester had a big store and sold everything from fishhooks to men and women's ready-to-wear. When Mr. Elliott would get to Waldron and unload his cotton, he'd put his team and wagon in the wagon yard and Charlie Forrester would insist that he sleep in his store. Mr. Forrester would give him a key so he could come and go when he needed to. There would be no one in there but him. Mr. Elliott recalls that he would buy what he had to have and maybe he would have enough money to pay his bills and maybe he wouldn't have. When he did not have enough money he would borrow enough money to take care of his needs for that year. He also recalls one instance when crops failed - a drought hit and this made it very difficult for the farmers.