Romeo Elton

Romeo Elton (1817–1889) was an American academic and author.

Biography

Early life

Romeo Elton was born on February 2, 1817 in Burlington, Connecticut, where he grew up.^[1][2]

Career

He was a Professor of Latin and Greek Languages at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.^[3] He also served on the Board of Trustees of Brown University.^[3]

He wrote two books and co-wrote a third one. Together with Roger Williams, he wrote about the civic and religious affairs in colonial Rhode Island. On his own, he wrote about Roger Williams (1603–1683), an early Rhode Island Protestant pastor, and Jonathan Maxcy (1768–1820), the second President of Brown University.

He served as Second Vice President of the Rhode Island Historical Society in 1837.^[4]

Personal life

He married Emeline Elton (1819–1906).^[1] They had two sons:

• William C. Elton (1843–1863).^[1]
• Samuel Elton (1849–1850).^[1]

He died on May 24, 1889, at the age of seventy-two.^[1] He was buried in the Burlington Center Cemetery in Burlington, Connecticut.^[1]

Legacy

The Elton Tavern in Burlington, Connecticut is named in his honor.^[5]

The Romeo Elton Professorship in Natural Theology is an endowed chair at Brown University also named in his honor.^[6] It is currently held by Professor Richard G. Heck in the Department of Philosophy.^[6]

Bibliography

• An Historical Discourse on the Civil and Religious Affairs of the Colony of Rhode-Island (with John Callender, Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1838).
• Life of Roger Williams: The Earliest Legislator and True Champion for a Full and Absolute Liberty of Conscience (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1842).
• The Literary Remains of the Rev. J. Maxcy: With a Memoir of His Life (1844).

References