Collection 115 Oral History Interview with Raymond Elliott

Collection

Identifier: CN 115

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Oral history interviews with Raymond Leroy Elliott (1924-2008), Wycliffe Bible translator working among the Ixil Indian tribe in Guatemala. Interview topics include educational work and life in Wheaton, translation activities, missionary training, mission responsibilities, and political, social, and cultural events in Central America. The time period covered by the interviews is roughly 1924-1980.

Raymond Elliott was interviewed by Chris Matthews, a Wheaton College graduate student, on April 28 and May 5, 1980 at Elliot's home.

Dates

Created: 1980

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical or Historical Information

Raymond Leroy Elliott was born on October 20, 1924, to Verle and Mary Alta Elliott. He grew up in Independence, Kansas, where he attended the public schools, graduating from high school in 1942.

After attending a local junior college, he entered Phillips University in 1943 following a decision to enter the ministry. In the summer of 1945 he married Helen Belcher. During his ministry in a small Oklahoma town he was led to a deeper commitment to the Lord by another local pastor. The couple did not return to Phillips but later entered Wheaton College in 1947. Elliott received his B.A. in Bible (1949) and an M.A. in Theology (1952) from Wheaton. He received another M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Chicago in 1978.

During the summer of 1950 the Elliotts attended the summer Institute of Linguistics at Norman, Oklahoma, where they felt led work among to the Ixil Indian tribe in Guatemala. Beginning in 1952 the Elliotts served with the Ixil doing translation work. Other Wycliff duties were added to the Elliotts' tribal work, but they continued to work with the tribe when they returned in 1980 to Guatemala following a furlough. Raymond and Helen retired to Go Ye Village in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The couple had eight children Linda, Marsha, Stephen, Debra, Janice, Sharon, David, and Karen. Raymond died November 12, 2008.

Extent

2.00 Audio Tapes

215 Minutes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Accruals and Additions

The materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives in April and May, 1980.

Accession 80-55, 80-67

August 21, 1980

Mary Ann Buffington

S. Kouns