Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Samuel N. Elliott

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Hon. Samuel N. Elliott, ex-county judge of Benton County, is a 
resident of Bentonville, and a native of Rutherford County, Tenn., 
born where the battle of Stone River was fought, December 22, 1823. He 
is the son of James and Adaline (Bow man) Elliott, the former a native 
of Orange County, N. C., born in 1796, of Quaker descent, and a mill-
wright, farmer, general mechanic, etc., by trade. He was a genius, and 
a successful business man. At the age of fourteen he left his native 
State and went to Rutherford County, Tenn., where he married and where 
passed the remainder of his life. He died in 1841. He was a soldier in 
the War of 1812, and was at the battle of New Orleans. His wife, 
Adaline Bowman, was born in North Carolina. in 1802, and died in 
Murfreeshoro, Tenn., in 1885. Her father, Samuel Bowman, was a soldier 
in the Revolutionary War, as was also several of her uncles. She was 
the mother of nine children, Hon. Samuel N. Elliott being the second 
child. He was educated in the country schools, at Clinton College in 
Smith County, Tenn., one year, and was three years at the Transylvania 
University at Lexington, Ky., graduating from the law department of 
the last named institution in the spring of 1845. In 1848 he married 
Miss Jane K. Brack, a native of Trumbull County, Ohio. born in 1825. 
Six children were born to this marriage; Charles D., superintendent of 
three silver mines in New Mexico; Harry W., in New Mexico, and the 
owner of silver mines. attorney at law and a very successful business 
man; David J., in California; Clarissa H., deceased; Adaline B., wife 
of J. B. Woods, of Benton County, Ark., and Pearl, a graduate of Dr. 
Price's school, at Nashville, Tenn. After his marriage Judge Elliott 
went to Seguin, Gaudalupe Co., Tex., where he resided until the war 
broke out, and practiced law with success, Gov. Ireland being his 
opponent in many a law case. In February, 1862, Judge Elliott enlisted 
in Company K, Eighth Regiment Texas Infantry, and was elected third 
lieutenant. He was in the bombardment of Corpus Christi, Fort 
Esperanza and other skirmishes, remaining in service until the close 
of hostilities. He was judge advocate of court martial at Sabine Pass 
for three months, and surrendered at Pelican Spit in May, 1865. In 
1866 he was in the North. and for and during the years 1867 and 1868 
he was in Bryan, Tex. In May, 1869, he became a resident of 
Bentonville, Ark., and resumed the practice of law. He was justice of 
the peace for several years, and in 1876 he was elected county judge, 
which position he held for eight years. When he first entered the 
office the county was $18,000 in debt, and at the end of six years 
Judge Elliott had paid the entire principal and interest, leaving 
the county out of debt, for which act the people of Benton County will 
hold him in grateful remembrance. In 1882 Judge Elliott went to 
California, purchased an orange grove, and at the end of nine months 
traded it for a farm near Fayetteville, Washington Co., Ark. Before 
the war he was an old line Whig, and in 1861 was a candidate for a 
seat in secession of Texas convention, but was defeated by Gov. 
Ireland. He is a Democrat politically, and in religion is an 
independent free thinker. Mrs. Elliott is a member of the old school 
Presbyterian Church.