Andrew Elliot


Andrew Elliot was a British merchant and official who served as the Acting and last British Governor of New York in 1783.

Early life

Elliot was born November 1728 in Edinburgh, the son of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 2nd Baronet of Minto and the former Helen Steuart. He was a brother of Gilbert, John, and Jean Elliot.
His paternal grandparents were Sir Gilbert Elliot, 1st Baronet, of Minto and Dame Jane Carre. His maternal grandparents were Sir Robert Steuart, 1st Baronet, of Allanbank, and, his second wife, Helen Cockburn. His maternal uncle was Archibald Stewart, Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

Career

He arrived in Pennsylvania in 1746 as an apprentice and established himself as a trader. In 1762, he was elected a member of the board of trustees of the College of Philadelphia. In 1763, he was appointed collector of the port of New York and receiver general of New York. In 1764 he was appointed to the Province of New York executive council.
During the American Revolution he remained a Loyalist. A few days after the declaration of independence he left New York City for Perth Amboy for his safety. He returned to New York City after the British reoccupation. On 1 May 1777 he was appointed the head of the military court of police and on 17 July the superintendent of all imports and exports. In 1780 he was appointed lieutenant governor of the Province of New York. In 1783 he was part of the delegation that met with George Washington at Tappan. He was the acting governor from April 1783 to November.

Later life

Elliot sent his family back to Scotland on HMS Nonsuch on 9 July, and then he left for Scotland in December 1783. After returning to Scotland, he was asked to serve as British Minister to America in 1790, but declined and held no further public offices.

Personal life

Elliot was twice married. His first marriage was in 1754 to Eleanor McCall, a daughter of George McCall and Anne McCall of Philadelphia. Together, they were the parents of one child:
After the death of his first wife, he married Elisabeth Plumsted in 1760. She was a daughter of the Mayor of Philadelphia William Plumsted and, his first wife, Rebecca Plumsted. After Elisabeth's mother died, her father William married Mary McCall, the sister of Elliot's first wife, making Elisabeth a step-daughter of his sister-in-law. Together, they were the parents of:
Elliot died at home on 25 May 1797 at Mount Teviot, Jedburgh, aged 68.