George Warren Elliott, Jr.

Philadelphia’s Chief Fire Marshal, George Warren Elliott, married Laura Thiess in 1916 and George Jr. arrived a year later. They lived in the Cedar Park section of West Philly and added two more children to their family, Douglas in 1921 and Marie in 1929.

Their father’s career continued to climb so the family moved to a larger home near Morris Park in the Overbrook Farms neighborhood, and a live-in servant joined the household. In the midst of the Great Depression, George was privileged to attend Valley Forge Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1936. 

He went on to Pennsylvania State College, as it was then known, and graduated in 1940, garnering this nice write-up in the newspaper. The article alludes to his memberships in Tau Kappa Alpha fraternity and two honor groups, the Lion’s Paw and Skull and Bones. Having had military training before college, it was natural that he would also be in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Penn State.

His next big event was marrying Doris Perrett Bailey three months later. They had a daughter, Doris Joan Elliott, born on December 4, 1941. 

Three days later, Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor. The Elliotts came home from the hospital and tried to keep that recent tragic event from spoiling their recent joyous event. They were proud to show off their new baby girl with family and friends, relishing the happiness of the Christmas season.

But George had to do his duty, so he entered the Army as a reserve officer on January 2, 1942. He trained for the infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia where he was commissioned. While stationed at Camp Walters in Texas, he became ill, but the specific type of illness is unknown. He was sent to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. and he died there on New Year’s Day, 1943. 

His parents chose a large stone inscribed simply with their surname, located in Section 141 beside Mausoleum Hill. Their son’s name was added on the side, followed by theirs: George Sr. in 1971 and Laura in 1976. Learn more about the Elliott family and read the Notable life story of George Sr. here.

The other Elliott son, Douglas, was in the Navy during the war, became vice president of Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, then was elected a state senator and U.S. Congressman. He was buried in Chambersburg.