Elias Benton Vickery was born in Hart County, Georgia in 1864. He worked at North Georgia Agricultural College for almost 40 years serving in many capacities. He was a Professor of Ancient Languages and Literature from 1890 to 1929. During his academic career, Vickery also served as department head, vice president, registrar, and dean, and for a time, he was mayor of Dahlonega, Georgia. His daughter, Katherine Vickery, went on to become a PhD holder in Psychology, and she taught at North Georgia for a number of years.