Biography of 	Elliott, Col. Benjamin C. Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller September 2000

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Col. Benjamin C. Elliott, attorney, New Orleans, La., is a most capable member of his
profession in the city and enjoy. general esteem as a scholarly gentleman, a valuable
counselor, and a useful and influential citizen.  He was born in New Orleans in 1889, and comes
of English descent.  His father, Judge B. C. Elliott, was born in the Palmetto state and died
in 1858.  The paternal grandfather, Christopher R. Elliott, was also a native of South
Carolina.  Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was Malinda J. Shaw, was a native of
Louisiana and the daughter of Dr. Zachariah Shaw, who was an officer in the War of 1812, and
who died shortly afterward.  The mother died in 1865.  Col. Benjamin C. Elliott, after
graduating from the public schools of New Orleans in 1856, entered the law department of the
University of Louisiana, from which institution he graduated in 1861.  He immediately entered
the confederate service in the Crescent rifles as a private, and he served with it until April,
1862, when it was mustered out.  He then served with Dreux's cavalry until the close of
hostilities, and was paroled May 10, 1865.  He served throughout the whole war.  Subsequently
he began practicing his profession at Carrollton, La., and in the spring of 1866 he was elected
district attorney of the Second Judicial district of Louisiana, composed of Jefferson,
Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes, serving in that capacity between one and two years.
Carrollton has since been annexed to New Orleans, so that it may be said that New Orleans has
been practically his home all his life.  He is a stanch democrat in his political views and was
elected to the legislature in 1875, serving one term.  In 1888 he was the candidate of his
party for congress from the Second Louisiana district., but was defeated.  He is a member of
the Southern Athletic club and the Chess, Checker and Whist club, of which he was president for
five years and then declined to be a candidate for re-election in 1891.  During the time he
held that position the club had a most prosperous career.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), p. 400.  Published by the
Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.