Samuel Mackenzie Elliott facts for kids

Samuel Mackenzie Elliott (born 1811, died 1875) was a Scottish-American doctor. He was a leader in eye care in America. He also fought to end slavery and was a soldier in the American Civil War.

Early Life and Becoming an Eye Doctor

Samuel Mackenzie Elliott was born in Inverness, Scotland, on April 9, 1811. His father was an officer in the British Army. In 1828, Samuel finished his medical studies at the Glasgow Royal College of Surgeons. He became a doctor and worked in London. He also studied how light and sight work.

In 1833, Elliott came to the United States as a ship's surgeon. He decided to stay in America. He studied with other doctors and gave talks in cities like Cincinnati and Philadelphia. Later, he moved to New York City. He worked as an oculist, which is a doctor who treats eyes. At first, his medical degree from Scotland was not accepted in the U.S. He earned another degree from the New York Medical College in 1851. People knew him as one of the first and best eye doctors in America.

Elliotville: A Special Community

Dr. Elliott had great success treating eye problems at his clinic in Manhattan. He then moved to Staten Island, which was mostly farmland back then. Many rich New Yorkers had summer homes there. Elliott settled in an area now called West New Brighton. He started building many unique houses in a style called Gothic Revival. This area became known as Elliotville.

People came from all over the country and even other countries to get treatment from Dr. Elliott. Famous patients included writers like Francis Parkman and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Other well-known people like John James Audubon also visited. One of the houses, built in 1840, is still standing today. It is called the Dr. Samuel MacKenzie Elliott House and is a historic landmark. Dr. Elliott provided places for his important patients to stay while they got better. He also gathered a group of smart people, writers, and people who wanted to end slavery.

Fighting for Freedom

Dr. Elliott strongly believed that slavery should be abolished. He was a leader in the movement to end slavery in New York. Elliotville became a meeting place for people who shared these ideas. Writers and abolitionists like Lydia Maria Child and Ralph Waldo Emerson were part of his social circle. Francis G. Shaw, who was also an abolitionist, became a close friend.

It is believed that Dr. Elliott's own home and some of his cottages were used to help runaway slaves. These homes were part of the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network of safe houses and routes that helped slaves escape to freedom. Stories say that his home's basement fireplace and a special apartment were used for this purpose.

A Civil War Commander

Samuel Elliott was also known for his role in the American Civil War. He helped organize and lead a volunteer army unit called the 79th New York Volunteer Infantry. This unit was known as the Highland Brigade. Many Scottish New Yorkers helped pay for it. The soldiers wore kilts, and many were immigrants who had fought in the British Army.

Elliott wanted his unit to be like the famous British 79th Highlanders. He even said some of his New York soldiers had fought with them in the Crimean War. Elliott started as the Lieutenant Colonel, but he soon gave command to Colonel James W. Cameron because he was ill.

Elliott recovered enough to fight in the First Battle of Bull Run. During the battle, his horse was killed and fell on him. This caused serious injuries to his legs, and he never fully recovered. He had to leave the army in August 1861 because of these injuries. For his service, President Abraham Lincoln gave him the honorary rank of Brigadier-General in 1865.

Later Life and Interests

After the Civil War, Dr. Elliott continued to support many new ideas. He helped start the "Popular Science Monthly" magazine. He also supported the writings of Herbert Spencer, a famous thinker. Dr. Elliott even built a large observatory with a dome at his home to study stars. He passed away in 1875.