"Harrisonburg Daily News", Harrisonburg, Virginia, Saturday, January 2, 1909.

LAFAYETTE ELZA HAS PARDON FROM PRISON -- Was Serving Life Sentence for Murder. -- HAD BEEN THERE 17 YEARS -- After Serving 13 on Former ConvictionFranklin, W. Va.,

Dec. 31. --- News reached here yesterday that Lafayette Elza, who was serving a life sentence in the penitentiary of this State for the murder of Jefferson Mullenax, has been pardoned. Mr. Elza is well known in this county, having served in Co. C, 62d Va. Regt. in the Civil War, entering the service when only 13 years of age. He is now about 60 years of age, and has spent nearly half his life in the penitentiary. He first served a ten years' term for the murder of a man named Pirkey. When pardoned he had served 17 years of his life sentence. He is a citizen of Randolph county and was sent from that county both times.
When taken back to serve his second term, Elza was put in the bakery and improvised a small distillery, concealing it in the large baking furnace. He was able to manufacture spirits, in limited quantities, from the flour, meal and yeast until a companion imbibed too much of it and let the secret out.
He is now at his former home on Dry Fork, Randolph county.

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Grateful Guard
Added by erbin82 on 22 Oct 2007

Many feuds took place between the Elzas and other clans.  One of them involves Lafe helping a young couple elope. The girls father took offense and marched to the church, his gun in tow. Lafe and the other man shot it out in the church yard and the other man was killed. Lafe was sent to prison where he became involved with several inmates who were plotting an escape. The plan was to beat the guard over the head and kill him, but at the last minute Lafe coudn't go through with it and instead bashed in the skull of one of his coverts, who happened to be African American. They were so grateful that they pardoned him and he lived the rest of his life as a free man.

503Children:
Nan Elza
Sarah Caroline Elza –1956
Edith J. Elza 1863–
Earsley " B Elza 1866–1928
Sampson Nicholas Elza 1870–

Children by Elijah Stewart Nelson
1. Jacob Lee NELSON b: 31 MAY 1867 in Circleville, Pendleton Co., WV
2. Catherine Jane NELSON b: 14 SEP 1870 in Pendleton Co, WV