American naturalist and legislator famous for his flora of South Carolina and Georgia. Stephen Elliott was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, where he began his education under the watchful eye of his elder brother, their father having died when he was a child. In 1787 he was sent to Newhaven where he was taught by S.S. Baldwin before entering Yale College to study classics in early 1788. Returning home he undertook the management of a plantation and in 1796 married Esther Habersham. Around this time Elliott's career in legislature began when he was named representative for the Parish of Helena, and later went on to serve in the senate. In this role he was involved in the passing of two important bills, that of the 'Free School' System of South Carolina and creating the Bank of the State, over which he presided for the rest of his life. Elliott also served as president of the Charleston Library Society, the South Carolina College and the Philosophical Society of Charleston, as well as editing of the Southern Review.

The majority of Elliott's botanical work took place in a break from his senatorial work between 1800 and 1808. During this time he conducted most of the research needed for his flora of the southern states, entitled Sketch of the Botany of South Carolina and Georgia which was published between 1821 and 1824. The title of this work reveals his modest character, for it was by far the most complete flora of the region to date and added some 180 genera and 1,000 species to Thomas Walter's Flora Caroliniana of 1788. He was so timid in bringing out this work that he had it recalled after the initial publication in 1816, because new material had become available (in the form of Pursh' Flora of 1814) and he did not wish to produce an outdated publication. He needn't have feared though, for his Sketch has received continuous attention, first as the most up-to-date guide available, and later as an important historic text. Elliott's attention was not confined to botany either, and he was very knowledgeable in the fields of ichthyology, conchology and entomology as well. The "Elliott Society" in Charleston was created in his honour in 1835.

Sources:
J. Ewan, 1969, A Short History of Botany in the United States
W.H. Ravenel, 1883, "Some North American Botanists: VII. Stephen Elliott", Botanical Gazette, 8(7): 249-253
F.A.Stafleu, 1972, "U.S. Southern Floras", Taxon, 21:689-691.