I was wondering if when and esteemed elder dies does another replace it? I havent even got to the point where I have one but read all these posts has made me curious.

Once you get an elder, you will recieve a totem. When the Esteemed elder dies you keep the totem but the Elder does not get replaced. You can also make another elder if you haven;t already reached the maximum.

What exactly is the maximum? I've had several villagers who haven't been proclaimed as esteemed elders but they've each mastered 3 skills.

Fifty seems to be the maximum for EE's, and totems as well.

When you already have 50 Esteemed Elders, you can't have more (unless an event) so your villagers are just Masters!
You may try to continue making them masters in several skills (why not in 5 skills ) or let them being "specialists" in the skill they prefer (or that you need)

I have gotten all fifty Esteemed Elders and fifty Totems, but when I update my stats it has me listed as 88th. If you can't get more than fifty why the rating of 88?

there are ways to get more than 50, but it is not through the conventional method. I have never achieved one through unconventional methods, except once, and I think it was a glitch. I never got the totem for one of my elders, but the stats still said I had him, so when I got my 50th totem, my stats showed 51 elders.

I've had that 'glitch' too, Lemon Curry.

I would really like to know exactly what event gives you the 51st elder. I'm pretty frustrated at this point! Thank God I've started PT. Now I have something else to be frustrated with!

I got 51 Esteemed Elders it was when the gong grated wisdom he became an Elder, but I could not find his totem any where.