Charles Wyllys Elliott

Born in Guilford, Connecticut, on May 27, 1817, Charles Wyllys Elliott was an American author whose career ranged across history, design, and cultural subjects. Reference sources describe him as a novelist and historian, and record that he died on August 23, 1883.

Early in life he spent time in mercantile work in New York City, then studied horticulture and landscape gardening with A. J. Downing. That background helped shape some of his best-known books, including Cottages and Cottage Life and The Book of American Interiors, works that connect practical design with a broader interest in how people lived.

Elliott also wrote on subjects far beyond architecture and gardens. His published works include The New England History, Mysteries; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural, and Pottery and Porcelain, showing a writer drawn to American history, decorative arts, and unusual corners of popular belief. Taken together, his books make him an appealing guide to the culture and imagination of the nineteenth century.