commission for revising the U. S. revenue laws in 1865, and in 1871 entered the civil-service reform commission. At his death he held the office of government actuary in the U. S. treasury depart- ment. In 1863 he was a member of the Inter- national statistical congress, held in Berlin, and in 1882 was vice-president of the American associa- tion for the advancement of science, presiding over the section of economic science and statistics. Mr. Elliott was also a member of numerous scientific societies at home and abroad. He published vari- ous papers on mathematical physics, but achieved his greatest reputation in connection with the many valuable statistical reports on coinage, weights and measures, and similar topics, that he prepared for the government. Several of these appeared in the volumes of the U. S. census, especially in that on " Vital Statistics."
ELLIOTT, Franklin Reuben, horticulturist,
b. in Guilford, Conn., 37 April, 1817 ; d. in Cleve-
land, Ohio, 10 Jan., 1878. He settled in Cleveland
in 1844. He was the author of " The Western
Fruit Book, or American Fruit-Grower's Guide "
(New York, 1854 ; enlarged ed., 1867) ; " Popular
Deciduous and Evergreen Trees" (1868) ; "Hand-
book for Fruit-Growers" (Rochester, N. Y., 1876) ;
and " Handbook of Practical Landscape Garden-
ing " (1877). He also contributed frequent articles
on fruit-culture to periodicals. — His son, Henry
Wood, author, b. in Cleveland, Ohio. 13 Nov., 1841,
was educated in the public schools of his native
city, and has been employed for many years by the
Smithsonian institution, Washington, as an artist.
He edited the Cleveland " Daily Herald " in 1879,
and then went to Alaska as a special agent of the
treasury department. He has published, besides
magazine articles, '• Monograph of the Seal Islands "
(Washington, 1881); and "Our Arctic Province,
Alaska, and the Seal Islands " (New York, 1886).
ELLIOTT, Gilbert Molleson, soldier, b. in
Thompson, Windham co.. Conn., 7 Oct., 1840 ; d. on
Lookout Mountain, Tenn., 24 Nov., 1863. lie re-
moved to New York in early childhood and studied
at the Free academy (now the College of the city of
New York), received the gold medal for excellence
as the leader of his class at four successive com-
mencements, and delivered the valedictory ora-
tion at his graduation in 1861. He also took the
Burr gold medal for mathematics, the Cromwell
gold medal for history and belles-lettres, and the
Ward bronze medals for excellence in logic, phi-
losophy, law, Greek, Latin, and Spanish, oratory,
composition, and engineering. In April, 1861,
when Fort Sumter was fired upon, he unfurled
the stars and stripes from the college building,
and in his address declared he would defend his*
country's honor with his life's blood. Full of loy-
alty and patriotism, he gave up his purpose of
studying law and entered the United States ser-
vice in October, 1861, as 1st lieutenant in the 102d
New York volunteers. He took part in Banks's
campaign in the Shenandoah valley, distinguished
himself at Antietam, was soon afterward promoted
to captain, and a little later was attached to the
staff of Gen. John W. Geary. He acted as ord-
nance officer in the 2d division of the 12th army
corps, and rendered effective service during the
battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. When
his commission as major was received, he returned
to his regiment and shared its fortunes. The 12th
corps was transferred to Chattanooga in 1863.
His regiment was directed to lead the assault at
Lookout Mountain, and he was placed in actual
command of it. While leading the skirmishers, he
was mortally wounded by a sharp-shooter. The
government gave him the posthumous brevets of
lieutenant-colonel and colonel.
ELLIOTT, James, lawyer, b. in Guilford, Vt.,
9 Aug., 1770; d. in Newfane, Vt., 10 Nov., 1839.
He received a public-school education, served un-
der Gen. Anthony Wayne in the Indian cam-
paigns of 1793-'6 as a non-commissioned officer,
and afterward studied law, and was a contributor
of prose and verse to several newspapers in Ver-
mont and Philadelphia. He resided for a short
time in the latter place, and edited the " Freeman's
Journal." Returning to Brattieboro', Vt., he was
admitted to the bar, began practice, and held vari-
ous local and state offices. In 1802 he was elected
to congress as a Federalist, and served from 1803
till 1809. He published a volume of poetry and
prose (Greenfield, Mass., 1796).
ELLIOTT, Jesse Duncan, naval officer, b. in
Maryland, 14 July, 1782; d. in Philadelphia, Pa.,
18 Dec, 1845. He was educated at Carlisle, Pa.,
and studied law, but entered the navy as a mid-
shipman in April, 1804, and was promoted to a
lieutenancy. 23 April, 1810. In 1812 he was at-
tached to Chauncey's command at Sackett's har-
bor, and in the war with Great Britain was sent by
him to the upper lakes to purchase vessels and
make other naval preparation. While on this ser-
vice, on 8 Oct., 1812, he captured two armed Brit-
ish brigs, the " Detroit " and " Caledonia," anchored
under the guns of Fort Erie. The " Caledonia,"
with a cargo valued at $200,000, was brought over
safely to the American side with but slight loss of
life, while the " Detroit " was afterward burned by
her captors after the removal of most of her stores.
For this exploit, the first naval success on the lakes,
Elliott was voted a sword by congress. He next
commanded the " Madison " with distinction in the
capture of York, 19 April, 1813, was promoted in July
to the rank of master, and commanded the "Niag-
ara " in the battle of Lake Erie, being also second in
command of the fleet in that engagement. Elli-
ott's conduct in this action was eulogized in Per-
ry's official report, and he received a gold medal
from congress. A court-martial, appointed at Elli-
ott's request in consequence of insinuations to his
disparagement, pronounced him " a brave and skil-
ful officer." He succeeded Perry in command on
Lake Erie in October, 1813, and in 1815 command-
ed the " Ontario " sloop-of-war, in Decatur's squad-
ron, employed against Algiers. He was promoted to
captain in 1818, and till 1824 was engaged in select-
ing sites for dock-yards, light-houses, and fortifica-
tions on the coast of North Carolina. In 1829-'33
he commanded the West India squadron and
the Charleston navy-yard. He then commanded
for several years the "Constitution," of the JMedi-
terranean squadron, but his conduct did not meet
the approval of his superiors, and resulted in his
trial by court-martial in June, 1840, and his sus-
pension from duty for four years. In October,
1843, the remaining period of his suspension
was remitted by the president, and he was ap-
pointed to the command of the Philadelphia navy-
yard. He was a man of kind feelings, but a rigid
disciplinarian. A biographical notice of him was
published by "A Citizen of New York" (Philadel-
phia, 1835). — Hisson, Wasliin^ton Lafayette, sol-
dier, b. in Carlisle, Cumberland co.. Pa., 31 March,
1821 ; d. in San Francisco, Cal.. 29 June, 1888. ac-
companied his father in cruises in the West Indies
in 1831-'2, and in the Mediterranean. He studied
at Dickinson college, and in 1841 entered the LT. S.
military academy. In May, 1846, he was commis-
sioned as 2d lieutenant of mounted rifles. He
served with his regiment in Mexico till the sur-
