Born on October 7, 1859, in Mount Sterling, Illinois, Elliott read law in 1884.
He was the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota from 1897 to 1907.
[1] Elliott was nominated by President William Howard Taft on May 25, 1911, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota vacated by Judge John Emmett Carland.
He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 7, 1911, and received his commission the same day.
His service terminated on January 30, 1933, due to his death.