Mr James Elliot "the last of his race"

The Late Mr. James Elliot.— 

This week the grave has closed over the mortal remains of one of those men who pass their lives in seclusion and yet leave their mark on the generation rising around them. Mr James Elliot came to this settlement early in January, 1852. For some years he lived at Omata, and kept a school till the war broke out, when he took refuge in tho Omata Stockade, and, subsequently, came into town, where in conjunction with another gentleman, he continued his practice of teaching until about two years and half ago, when he had a paralytic seizure, under which he finally sank on the 4th instant. Mr. Elliot was a member of Queen's College, Cambridge, whore he took a first-class degree, and was destined for the Church, but for some reason he never took orders, and devoted himself to teaching, and there are some amongst us who were his pupils in England. He was a classic of a very high order, and the few friends with whom he was intimate will long remember his high toned gentlemanly manners and conversation, which latter he would illustrate with Latin expressions or quotations from classic authors. There are few of the young men of this place now launched into life who have not been his pupils and profited by his efforts in their behalf. The great sorrow of his latter days was the destruction of his valuable classical library by the rebel Maoris and others who ought to have known better. There is one singular and yet powerful circumstance connected with Mr. Elliot which rarely occurs. He was the last of his race, having long outlived every member of his family with whom he could claim kindred. He was borne to his grave by a few of his old pupils, and followed by some friends who had known him longest. It is, we hear, proposed to erect some "frail memorial" of him by means of a subscription, which we hope will be carried out.  -Taranaki Herald, 10/7/1875.

New Plymouth Cemetery.