Elra L. Spivy was born in Adair county, Missouri, on March 15, 1865. Especial mention is made of his father elsewhere in this volume. When five months old, the parents crossed the plains and settled in Oregon, where Elra was educated and where he worked until eighteen, when he stepped forth for himself and removed to Whitman county, where he took land near Palouse and for five years devoted himself to its culture. Later he spent six years in the Big Bend raising horses and cattle, whence he came to the reservation when it opened. He owned then nineteen head of horses and with this capital he started in. His land is located three miles east from Myrtle and is well improved and he also raises some stock.

On August 7, 1900, Mr. Spivy married Miss Elsie, daughter of William V. and Mary (Kenoyer) Marlatt. She was born in Columbia county, Washington, on November 6, 1879, and she has the following brothers and sisters: Thomas, a stockman in Oregon; Milton M., near Walla Walla; William, on the reservation; Edward D., also on the reservation; Nancy M., wife of William Catron, in the Grande Ronde, Oregon; Ella, wife of Jackson Hull, in Whitman county, Washington; Florence, wife of Frank Brown, manager of Jumbo mine, in the Buffalo Hump country.