Elliot was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts on August 18, 1775 the son of James Elliot, a sailor, and Martha Elliot. His father died at sea of smallpox after enlisting to serve during the American Revolution, and his mother moved the family to New Salem, where she worked as a seamstress to support them. His mother provided his early education, including teaching him to read, and providing him works including the Bible and popular histories of colonial America and the early United States. As a boy, he was indentured to a farmer in Petersham, who supplemented Elliot's early education while he worked on the farm. Elliot later worked to improve his education through self-study, and worked in a variety of occupations including store clerk.
Start of career
He moved to Guilford, Vermont in 1790, where he clerked in a store and the circle of friends he developed included Royall Tyler. In 1793, Elliot enlisted in the United States Army, joining Captain Cornelius Lyman's company of the 2nd United States Sub-Legion. He attained the rank of sergeant, and took part in the response to the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania and the Northwest Indian War in Ohio. He received his discharge in 1796, and returned to Vermont. In 1798, Elliot published a volume of essays and poems which included details of the observations he made during his military service. Elliot served as Clerk of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1801 to 1803. He studied law in the office of a local attorney during the early 1800s, and began a campaign for Congress in 1802. He was admitted to the bar in 1803, and began to practice in Brattleboro.
Congressman
He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1802 and was reelected in 1804 and 1806, and served in the 8th, 9th, and 10th Congresses. Though he had nominally been a Federalist, Elliot ran as a Democratic-Republican, identified with many Democratic-Republican principles, and was an admirer of several prominent members of the party, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Clinton, and Samuel Adams.
Later career
Upon retiring from Congress, Elliot published the Freeman's Journal, a Democratic-Republican newspaper in Philadelphia. He then briefly edited the Worcester Spy, a Federalist newspaper in Worcester, Massachusetts. By 1812 he was residing and practicing law in Putney, and during the War of 1812 he was commissioned as a captain of Artillery to raise troops in Vermont for the United States Army. He later returned to Brattleboro and he served as Clerk of the Windham County Court from 1817 to 1835. After the Federalist Party ceased to function, Elliot became a member of the Democratic-Republican Party and by the early 1830s he was identified with the National Republican Party. From 1818 to 1819 Elliot served in the Vermont House of Representatives. From 1822 to 1823 he served as State's Attorney for Windham County. He was Windham County's Register of Probate from 1822 to 1834, and served again in the Vermont House from 1837 to 1838. From 1837 until his death Elliot served again as Windham County State's Attorney.
Death
Elliot died in Newfane, Vermont on November 10, 1839. He was interred at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro.
Family
In 1803, Elliot married Lucy Dow of Haverhill, New Hampshire. They were the parents of three children, including son James Madison Elliot. Their daughter Mary Annette was the wife of Wright Pomroy of Binghamton, New York. Samuel Elliot, the brother of James Elliot, also settled in Vermont, where he became a prominent attorney and held offices including judge of the probate court.
