John C. Elliott | |
Smallimage: | John Elliott.jpg |
Office: | Governor of American Samoa |
Term Start: | July 16, 1952 |
Term End: | November 23, 1952 |
Predecessor: | Phelps Phelps |
Successor: | James Arthur Ewing |
Office2: | Secretary of American Samoa |
Term Start2: | February 23, 1951 |
Term End2: | June 20, 1952 |
Governor2: | Phelps Phelps |
Birth Date: | January 30, 1919 |
Birth Place: | Los Angeles, California |
Death Place: | San Marino, California |
Restingplace: | San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, California |
Party: | Democratic |
John C. Elliott (January 30, 1919 - April 13, 2001) was an American politician appointed as the governor of American Samoa.[1] Elliott was born on January 30, 1919, in Los Angeles, California.[2] He died on April 13, 2001, in San Marino, California. He is buried at the San Gabriel Cemetery in San Gabriel, California.[2] He took office on July 16, 1952, and left on November 23, 1952,[1] leaving for personal reasons, and is the youngest man to ever hold the office at 33 years of age.[2] Prior to his appointment, Elliott had served as the assistant to Governor Phelps Phelps and Secretary of American Samoa.[3]
Elliott was the second DOI-appointed Governor of American Samoa, having previously served as the Secretary of Samoan Affairs under Governor Phelps Phelps. He was popular among local leaders, with many, including Tuiasosopo and A. P. Lutali, sending petitions to Washington in his support. Elliott collaborated closely with Tuiasosopo to reorganize the three-year-old American Samoa Legislature. He replaced the upper house, Atoa o Ali'i, with the American Samoa Senate and reduced the membership of the American Samoa House of Representatives from 54 to 21. His sudden departure after just three months as Governor was attributed to personal reasons that were never revealed.[4]