A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--page 996
Joseph W. Elrod, of Coatesville, Hendricks County, Ind., was one of the old soldiers of the Civil War and is an honored and substantial citizen. His grandfather, Jeremiah Elrod, came from Germany and settled in Stokes County, N.C., where he married and reared a family of children. Joseph Elrod, son of the above, was a North Carolinian, and married Catherine Swain, and to them were born seven children: Jesse F., Jeremiah H., Barbara A., Mary M., Lucy C., Charles W., and Joseph W. Mr. Elrod was killed instantly by the falling of a tree, in 1836. Two sons, Charles W. and Joseph W., were in the Civil War.
Joseph W. Elrod, our subject, was born in Wayne County, Ind., where his father had moved, in 1834. He enlisted July 21, 1862, at Fillmore, Putnam County, Ind., in Company I, Fifty-fifth Indiana Infantry, for three y ears and while on a transport on the Ohio River was attacked by the enemy, the only engagement he was in, which was below Caseyville, Ky., he served out his time and was honorably discharged. He was seriously sick with the measles and chronic diarrhea, and disabled, and this for one year almost prevented him from re-enlisting. He re-enlisted, however, February 21, 1865, at Indianapolis, in Company H, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, for one year or during the war, and was honorably discharged August 7, 1865, on account of the closing the war. He married in Putnam County, Ind., Elvira A., daughter of Henry and Jane K. (Dick) Shields, May 29, 1864, and to Mr. and Mrs. Elrod were born three children: Walter B., Oscar C. and Ella. After marriage, Mr. Elrod engaged in the saw-mill business at Coatesville, and carried on this business until 1866, and has farmed since. He bought land in Putnam County, lived with his father-in-law from 1884 until 1889, and then settled on his present farm. He is a Republican and a member of John A. Layton post, G.A.R., at Coatesville. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Elrod is in good circumstances, owning 100 acres of land. All his children have good educations. One son, Walter, attended the DePauw University for two years, also the state university, and is now a teacher; Ella is a teacher at Amo, and was educated at the State Normal School. The remainder of the children are at home. Mr. Elrod is an honored and respected citizen and has one of the most amiable families in Hendricks County.