Physician. Samuel A. Elbert in 1871 became the first African-American in Indiana to be licensed as a physician. His father died when he was 9 and Samuel worked as a farm hand, moving to Cincinnati in 1857. During the Civil War, he was the personal servant for Lt. Col. Stanley Matthews and Maj. Rutherford B. Hayes of the 23rd Ohio Infantry, and went with Matthews when he was promoted to Colonel of the 51st Ohio Regiment. Elbert entered Ohio's Oberlin College in 1963. He came to Indianapolis in 1866 taught for two years at a "colored" public school. He wanted to study medicine but found most medical schools would not accept him because of his race. While he was even unwelcome in the offices of most white doctors, two doctors, Dr. W.C. Thompson and Dr. J.A. Woodburn, did let Elbert study with them. At Dr. Woodburn's insistence, Elbert was admitted to the Medical College of Indiana "under sufferance" when it opened in 1869. That meant he could attend lectures in return for performing work around the college. Later when he had to pay tuition, the college declined to recognize him as a regular medical student or award him a degree. He challenged the decision in court. Elbert won the decision and was admitted as a regular student. He received his license to practice in 1871 and was appointed to the Indianapolis Board of Health in 1872, serving one term as its president. He was prominent in the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianapolis and became active in Republican politics, later being nominated for state representative in 1884 but the Republican ticket was defeated. He was survived by his wife, Caroline, and six children: Mrs. Herman Frazier, Martha, William, Samuel, Stewart and Harlan Elbert, all of Indianapolis. Funeral services were held at Bethel A.M.E. Church on July 11, 1902, followed by burial at crown Hill Cemetery. [bio by: Rick France]

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The grave of Dr. Elbert was originally unmarked: Lot 7 is the center foreground portion of the photo. Lot 8 is on the left, and Lot 6 on the right. Dr. Elbert's grave is located in the center of Lot 7 per cemetery plot map.

A marker was installed on October 2, 2012 thanks to the Indianapolis Medical Society and the Aescupalian Medical Society in collaboration with the Genealogical Society of Marion County (Indiana). The marker was dedicated on January 29, 2013 with members present from both medical societies, the Genealogical Society of Marion County, Bethel AME Church and Crown Hill Cemetery Staff.