Perhaps, if you have exhausted vital records and orphanages in the City of St. Louis, you can try the same for the County of St. Louis, then widen your circles to include St. Charles, St. Peters, Eureka, go across the river into Belleville and Edwardsville. The Elm may be an abbreviation for Elmer, Elmos, Elmore, Elmo. Hope this gives you some more ideas. Maureen