James Thomas Elliott (April 22, 1823 – July 28, 1875) was a

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

for the state of

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

. He held the position for forty-nine days in 1869.

Background

Born in 1823 A native of

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, Georgia, Elliott attended the

public schools Public school may refer to: *State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...

and studied law. In 1854, he was admitted to the bar and commenced his practice in

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

in Ouachita County,

. In 1858, he became the president of the Mississippi, Ouachita & Red River Railroad. On April 4, 1844, he married the former Gugielma Sells, and the couple had four children.

The Elliott House

in 1857, Elliott constructed his Elliott House on West Washington Street in Camden. The

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Frederick Salomon Frederick (''Friedrich'') Charles Salomon (April 7, 1826March 8, 1897) was a German immigrant to the United States who served as a Union Army officer and general during the American Civil War. He was an elder brother of the Civil War-era Wiscon ...

occupied the structure in 1864 during his stay in Camden. The family lived upstairs during the occupation. Their son, Milton Arteles Elliott, was a 13-year-old private in the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

Army.

Mathew Brady Mathew B. Brady ( – January 15, 1896) was one of the earliest photographers in American history. Best known for his scenes of the American Civil War, Civil War, he studied under inventor Samuel Morse, who pioneered the daguerreotype technique ...

photographed their younger son, William Sells Elliott, on the front porch of the house. Later, the Elliott House was an archaeological study of the relics of the time that the house was used as a Union hospital. This was during the time prior to the Battle of Poison Springs. Numerous shell casings were found as well as old pottery from hospital usage. The battle was the last significant fight won by the Confederacy. It occurred on April 18, 1864, during the Arkansas phase of the Red River Campaign.

Later life and politics

Elliott was briefly a circuit judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas from October 2, 1865, to September 15, 1866. He established and edited the ''South Arkansas Journal'' in 1867. In this time period, the family lost two daughters, Belle and Emmaline Elliott to

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

on the same day. Elliott daughters died of yellow fever same day

Reconstruction, KKK murder, call to Congress

During

Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Union ...

, the U.S. Representative

James M. Hinds James M. Hinds (December 5, 1833 – October 22, 1868) was the first U.S. Congressman assassinated in office. He served as member of the United States House of Representatives for Arkansas from June 24, 1868 until his assassination by the ...

was assassinated on October 22, 1868, by George A. Clark, a member of the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

and the secretary of the Democratic Committee of

Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe: * Monroe County, Alabama *Monroe County, Arkansas * Monroe County, Florida * Monroe County, Georgia *Monroe County, Illinois *Monroe County, Indian ...

, Arkansas. Elliott was elected as a Republican to the

Fortieth Congress The 40th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1867, ...

to fill the vacancy. He served only from January 13 to March 3, 1869. He died in Arkansas at age 52

Career summary

United States Representative James Thomas Elliott * Admitted to the bar in 1854 * President of the Mississippi, Ouachita & Red River Railroad in 1858. * Housed Union General Frederick Salomon and Mathew Brady during the Battle of Poison Springs, in 1864. * Circuit Judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas from October 2, 1865, serving until September 15, 1866. * Republican Party, United States Representative, from Arkansas to the 40th United States Congress, served from January 13, 1869, to March 4, 1869. * Elected to the Arkansas State Senate in 1870. * Judge of the Ninth Judicial District 1872–1874, when the State Constitution was adopted. * Died in Camden, Arkansas, on July 28, 1875; interred with his family at Oakland Cemetery there.

Historical references

His daughter-in-law, Sattie Buskin Elliott, the wife of Milton Elliott, edited, and with the assistance of the ladies in the Arkansas Historical Society of Ouachita County published a book, ''Garden of Memories,'' held in the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

References

Google Books

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, James Thomas 1823 births 1875 deaths People from Columbus, Georgia People from Camden, Arkansas Arkansas state court judges Republican Party Arkansas state senators 19th-century American legislators Burials in Arkansas 19th-century American judges Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas