The Grave Marker: Cathedral Church's Hidden Genius

I had always assumed that mainly big grave monuments held the most prominent people, but I was proved wrong when I chose to research an individual with a modest marker. Stephen Elliot was born in Beaufort, South Carolina on November 11, 1771. Although he suffered the tragedy of loosing his parents at a young age, Elliot was very intelligent and determined to succeed. He graduation from Yale University and was also awarded honorary law degrees from Yale, Harvard, and Columbia as well as an honorary M.D. from MUSC.

After returning from Yale University, he started conducting experiments and collecting data using his personal plantations he inherited. During this time, he met Ester Habersham whom he would later marry and have thirteen children with. Elliot would go on to be a South Carolina legislator, during his time serving in the State Senate, he helped pass the Free School Act and wrote an act which created the Bank of the State of South Carolina. Elliot left his position to become president of the bank, and he held the position until his death. While he is well known for his work as a legislator and banker, he is best known for his contributions in the field of Botany that can be seen in his many published books on the subject. While his contributions in this field was his life's work, he was also very knowledgable on ichthyology, conchology, and entomology.

Elliot's passion for education stuck with him, he was a founder of the Medical University of South Carolina and was the first professor of natural history and botany at the University. Elliot was not only dedicated to improving the education system, but also the Charleston community as a whole; he was president of the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina, helped oversee the Orphan House and launched the Southern Review with Hugh Swinton Legare.

Elliot died on March 30, 1830; As I found in a memorial article written by Clara Childs Puckett, he was an "enlightened leader, enthusiastic promoter and supporter of every movement aiming at intellectual or spiritual enrichment or advancement."

He is buried in Cathedral Church of Saint Luke and Saint Paul, the graveyard is well kept and holds many intricate and diverse grave markers. His memorial is a headstone that includes his parents’ names, William Elliot and Mary Barnwell Elliot, as well his occupations “Botanist, Banker, Planter, Legislator, Teacher.”

I began my search for a historic Charlestonian by looking for the biggest and most extravagant gravestones, while still writing down the names of those with more humble markers to have options. In my research, I found that the individuals with extravagant markers had less information out and made less of an impact than I expected.
Although I had no prior knowledge of Elliot and he had a rather plain marker, I expected to find information about his life due to his many occupations. However, I had no idea how big of an impact he had on the scientific field of botany and on Charleston’s education. Although his marker does not make as big of an impression as Elliot himself, it creates a mystery for what other inspiring individuals are hidden in Charleston’s many grave-sites.