His first attempt at business was made in his native town; but he removed at an early age to New Haven, where there was a wider scope for his energies. By application to his business, and a courteous attention to his patrons, he soon acquired the confidence and esteem of the community of his adoption. By prudent economy, business tact, and a never-failing fulfillment of his engagements, he at an early period in life obtained almost unlimited credit, and which, through a long life, he has never forfeited. He was thus enabled, even before he had become independent himself, to render to others of a deserving character, that pecuniary assistance which was necessary to insure them success. Many tradesmen and mechanics are now living and engaged in business, several of them opulent, who acknowledge their indebtedness to Mr. Eliot for their success.

Nor has the life of Mr. Eliot been devoted to the accumulation of property alone. While averse, both from inclination and education, to official distinction of any kind, and declining all offers of public notice, he has been active in promoting concerns of general interest. He was the first President of the New Haven County Bank, over which he presided through the public depression of 1836 and 1837, until the institution rested upon a secure basis. He was one of three gentlemen, by whose personal credit and responsibility, during the same depressed period in the business world, the construction of the New Haven and Hartford Railroad was accomplished.

About the year 1840, Mr. Eliot retired from his regular business, and has since been more or less engaged in manufacturing pursuits.

"Mrs. Wм. H. ELIOT.-The sudden death of Mrs. Eliot, wife of Wm. H. Eliot, Esq., is the occasion of a strong and deep expression of surprise and sorrow in the community. Her loss is a great one, beyond the family circle, where it is irreparable; for she was active, enterprising, faithful, and benevolent in the entire sphere of a woman's duties; so that she will be much missed and mourned by the Church to which she was attached, the neighborhood in which she was located, the poor whose necessities she relieved, the sick whom she visited, and the society in which she was a welcome and cheerful guest. She was a conscientiously religious woman, and has, no doubt, gone to an eternal reward. The sympathies of many are with the afflicted husband and other members of the family."--New Haven Palladium, December 24,

1851.

GEORGE A. ELIOT, Esq.,* of Erie, Pa., was a native of Guilford. His inclinations leading him to a professional life, he entered Yale College in 1809, and graduated at that Institution in 1813. After completing his professional studies, he was induced to emigrate to the West, and located himself at Erie, in Pa., then quite a remote settlement. Here, by strict application to business, he soon acquired a remunerative practice, and maintained a prominent standing in his profession. Studiously avoiding all political preferment, he has passed a life of activity and usefulness. In consequence of enfeebled health, he retired a few years ago from professional practice, and has since devoted himself to agricultural pursuits.

V. Page 114.

Hon. ELY A. ELIOT, of Clinton, was educated a merchant. Having amassed a competent fortune, he retired from more active business, and has since devoted his time to agricultural pursuits. His reputation for industry, ability, and honesty, has throughout life commanded the esteem and confidence of the community in which he has resided; and the public stations which he has honorably filled have made him known to the inhabitants of his native State. He filled with much credit the office of Brigadier General of Artillery, being a popular and efficient officer. He was elected by the Legislature Judge of the County Court of Middlesex County-a trust which he discharged with ability and impartiality. In 1839 his fellow-citizens signified their regard by electing him a member of the State Senate; and from 1844 to 1848 he performed, with universal satisfaction, the duties of Judge of Probate.

Since his retirement from active business, Mr. Eliot has devoted much time and attention to the cause of agriculture; and, at the request of the Agricultural Society of Middlesex County, he delivered, at a recent annual meeting of that Society, a pertinent and instructive address, which has since been published by the Society. He was active in originating and prosecuting the construction of the New Haven and New London Railroad, which passes through his native town. And as a Director and President of the road, he has contributed much

* See Page 117.

its successful completion and operation. Courteous and bland in his address, frank and unostentatious in his manners, with strong common sense and much native ability, he has universally won and retained the esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact.

POSTERITY OF ANDREW ELIOT.

The following genealogical history is chiefly taken from Mass. Hist. Col., 2d series, Vol I, p. 229; and from Allen's Biograph. Dict.

ANDREW' Eliot was an emigrant from Wales, about the time Mr. Higginson came to Salem, [1663,] and one of the first settlers of Beverly, Mass. Allen says Andrew Elliott, from Somersetshire, England, settled at Beverly about 1683. His son,

ANDREW Eliot came over, with his family, in the same vessel with his father; but was drowned on the passage, near Cape Sable.

His son,

He was one of the jury

ANDREW Eliot lived at Beverly. who convicted those at Salem of witchcraft. This afterwards greatly exercised his mind. He lamented it as a heinous sin; and set apart many days of fasting and prayer to express his penitence and seek for giveness. His son,

ANDREW Eliot was a merchant in Boston, and one of the sufferers by the great fire at Cornhill, in 1711. He married Ruth Symonds of Beverly, and had two sons and one daughter, viz:

SAMUEL Eliot, son of Andrew, was a bookseller in Boston; a man of great intelligence and worth. He had three daughters; one of whom was the wife of Jeremy Belknap, D. D., and two died single. His son, SAMUEL Eliot, Esq., was a distinguished merchant of Boston; and for several years President of the Massachusetts Bank. He died Jan. 18th, 1820, aged 81. Three of his daughters married E. Dwight, and Professors A. Norton and G. Ticknor. He presented $20,000 to Harvard University to found a professorship of Greek Literature; and left an estate worth nearly $1,000,000.

RUTH' Eliot, daughter of Andrew*, married Nathaniel Thayer, and had three daughters and one son, Rev. Ebenezer Thayer, of Hampton, N. H., father of Rev. Ebenezer Thayer, of Lancaster.

ANDREW Eliot, D. D., youngest son of Andrew, was born Dec. 25, 1718; graduated at Harvard in 1737; was ordained pastor of the

New North Congregational Church, Boston, April 14th, 1742; and died Sept. 13, 1778. He married in Oct., 1742, Elizabeth Langdon, and had by her eleven children, viz:

1. ANDREW, born Jan. 11, 1743; graduated at Harvard in 1762; was one of the Fellows of that College in 1773; was ordained pastor of the church of Fairfield, Conn., in 1774; and died Oct. 26, 1805, aged 66. He married Mary, daughter of Hon. Joseph Pynchon. His wife died in 1810. They left seven children. Their only son, Andrew, was pastor of the church in New Milford.

2. JOSIAH, born Jan. 11, 1745, was a merchant in Boston; and died in Georgia. He is probably ancestor of the Eliots in Georgia, &c., on p. 174.

3. ELIZABETH".

4. SAMUEL, born June 17, 1748, was a merchant in Boston; and died in March, 1784, leaving five children. He married Elizabeth, daughter of William Greenleaf, Esq. After his death, his widow married Edward Pope, Esq., of New Bedford.

5. RUTH, born Oct. 2, 1749, married Capt. Thomas Knox. She died Sept. 29th, 1802, leaving one daughter.

6. MARY, married Capt. Nathaniel Goodwin. She died April 11, 1810, leaving one son.

7. JOHN, D. D., born May 31, 1754, succeeded his father Nov. 3, 1779, minister of Boston. He graduated at Harvard in 1772; and died Feb. 14, 1813, of an affection of the heart. He married Ann, daughter of Jacob Treadwell, of Portsmouth, whose mother was a descendant of Rev. John Rogers, the martyr of Smithfield, England, a fine portrait of whom is in the family of this gentleman. In 1775, Rev. Dr. Eliot was opposed to the American Revolution. In 1782, he published a sermon to Freemasons; and a charge to the same in 1783. He published many other works; among which was the New England Biographical Dictionary, in 1809. He was very mild, courteous, and benevolent; and as a preacher was plain, practical, and familiar; always avoiding disputed topics, and inculcating peace and charity.

8. SARAH, married Joseph Squire, of Fairfield, Conn., who died May 8, 1799, leaving five sons and four daughters.

9. SUSANNA, born Feb. 5, 1759, married Dr. David Hull, of Fairfield, Conn. She died in 1832, the last surviving child.

10. EPHRAIM ̊, born Dec. 29, 1761; graduated at Harvard in 1780; studied medicine, and was an apothecary in Boston.

11. ANNA, born April 27th, 1765, married Capt. Melzar Joy. She died March 28, 1799, leaving two daughters.

Mr.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES OF ELIOTS.

Eliot of Ipswich, Mass., was lost on his way home in 1634. He had been wandering for six days; and when found by an Indian, was almost dead.

FRANCIS Eliot, of Braintree, was admitted a freeman in 1641; and was chosen deacon Oct. 12, 1753.

JOHN, was born April 17, 1650.

His son,

MARY Eliot, of Braintree, married Caleb Hobart, of Hingham, April, 1662.

THOMAS Elliot was a citizen of Swansey, Mass., in 1669.

ROBERT Eliot, of Portsmouth, was a counselor of New Hampshire in 1683.

JOHN Elliot and ABRAHAM Elliot were members of the Third Congregational Society in Portsmouth, N. H., in 1761. John afterwards became a ruling elder, and Abraham a deacon.

ROBERT Elliott in New York, and WILLIAM Elliot in Philadelphia, are subscribers to a life of Washington in 1807.

JESSE DUNCAN Elliott, son of Robert Elliott of Franklin Co., Penn., (who was a commissary in the service of the United States, and slain by the Indians, in 1794, while conducting supplies to the army under Gen. Wayne,) was born in Maryland in 1785; entered the navy in 1804, as a midshipman, under Capt. James Barrow; was in the engagement on Lake Erie, under Com. Perry; passed an eventful life, with warm friends and bitter enemies; and died in command of the Navy Yard, Philadelphia, in 1846.

CHARLES Elliott, late Attorney General of South Carolina, died in 1756.

The following are taken chiefly from the work of Gen. Moultrie. WILLIAM Elliott was one of the Committee for Beaufort to [1774 exchange rice for other commodities.

BERNARD Elliott, from Saxa Gotha district, and CHARLES El- [1775