University of Virginia Library

THOMAS E. ELLIOTT

Was born in Northampton county, Virginia, August 20, 1834. He
is a son of J. T. and Margaret (Downs) Elliott, both now deceased, and
a grandson of Rev. J. T. Elliott. In Norfolk, December, 1858, he married
Mary Eliza Davis, who was born in Norfolk, the daughter of Miles
Davis, who still lives in Norfolk, now eighty-eight years of age. The
children of the union are six: Alice Louisa, Thomas E., jr., Maggie
Virginia, William, Edna and Rebecca.

Mr. Elliott attended school in his native county until he came to Norfolk
at the age of fourteen years. He was two years in the lumber
business, one year in the commission business, then on January 1,
1850, engaged in his present business, hardware, railroad, steamboat

and mill supplies. For three years he was clerk for Allen, Rose & Capp,
then was made their head clerk, purchasing supplies and acting as general
manager of their business. He left this position in 1861 to enter
the Confederate States Army, in the Norfolk Artillery Blues, in which he
saw constant and honorable service until made prisoner at the fall of
Petersburg, April, 1865. In that last struggle at Petersburg, he had
the honor of firing the last five rounds the Blues ever fired, after all the
infantry had left. He was sent as prisoner of war to Point Lookout,
and held there until released after the surrender of Generals Lee and
Johnston. Returning to Norfolk, he engaged again in the business he
still follows, establishing the firm of Taylor, Martin & Co. On the retirement
of Mr. Martin the firm name and style became Taylor, Elliott
& Watters. For about twenty years these two firms in succession
carried on one of the largest hardware businesses in the State of Virginia.
Mr. Elliott is now conducting the business in his own name.