# Charles B. Elliott *American jurist (1861–1935); Minnesota judge and Supreme Court justice, and later a judge of the Supreme Court of the Philippines* Charles Burke Elliott (January 6, 1861 – September 18, 1935) was an American judge. He sat on the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]] from 1905 to 1909, and in 1909 President William H. Taft named him to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.[^1] Before he joined the state's high court, Elliott held a [[Minneapolis]] municipal judgeship from 1890 and a [[Minnesota]] district judgeship from 1894. He also taught at the [[University of Minnesota]] from 1890 to 1899 and was the State's adjutant general during the Spanish–American War. He was a Republican.[^1] ## Biography ### Early life Elliott's birthplace was Morgan County, Ohio, and his family later relocated to Iowa.[^1] He completed law studies at the University of Iowa College of Law in 1881 and then joined the Iowa bar. He later acted as counsel to a land company in Aberdeen, Dakota Territory.[^1] ### Minnesota Elliott settled in Minnesota in 1884.[^1] The University of Minnesota awarded him a doctorate in 1887 for a thesis titled *The Northeastern Fisheries*, and he held a teaching post there between 1890 and 1899.[^1] His judicial career began in 1890, when he was appointed to the municipal court of Minneapolis. In 1894 he was appointed to a Minnesota district court.[^1] During the Spanish–American War, he held the office of adjutant general of the State of Minnesota.[^1] He was a Republican and served as a justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1905 to 1909.[^1] ### Philippines and later life Taft's 1909 appointment placed Elliott on the Supreme Court of the Philippines, where he served for two years.[^1] He next held the post of Philippine Secretary of Commerce and Police until 1912.[^1] He then returned to Minneapolis and took up private law practice again. He also wrote several books on the law and government of the Philippine Islands.[^1] He died in Minneapolis on September 18, 1935, following a period of ill health.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Charles B. Elliott* (retrieved 2026-10-26; revision 1341190765) — Elliott's birth and death dates, education, Minnesota judicial, university and military posts, party affiliation, Philippine appointments, later practice and death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._Elliott