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 ELIPHALET WHITTLESEY HITTLESEY, ELIPHALET, son of a farmer and school teacher, grandson of a Revolutionary soldier, graduate of Yale, student in theology, teacher in Alabama, clergyman, college professor, assistant adjutant general and judge advocate general United States volunteers, and secretary of the United States Board of Indian Commissioners; was born in New Britain, Hartford county, Connecticut, May 14, 1821. His father, David Whittlesey, was a farmer, school teacher, representative in the state legislature, school superintendent, a man of public spirit and of stern integrity. His mother, Rebecca (Smalley) Whittlesey, was the daughter of Reverend John Smalley, one of the ablest divines in New England. His grandfather, Eliphalet Whittlesey, born July 2, 1748, a soldier in the American Revolution, was the son of Eliphalet Whittlesey, born May 10, 1714, a captain in the Colonial army in the French and Indian wars, and grandson of John Whittlesey, a member of the general assembly and a brave soldier in the early Indian wars.

Eliphalet, of the fourth generation from John the immigrant, was brought up on his father's farm, the manual labor incident to which made him a strong healthy boy and a vigorous man. As a youth he was fond of mathematics and ambitious to acquire a college education. To this end, he partially supported himself by work on the farm and by teaching music in which he was proficient. He was prepared for college at the academy in New Britain and was graduated at Yale A.B., 1842, receiving his master's degree in 1847. He was a teacher in Greensboro and Mobile, Alabama, 1842-46; a student in divinity at Yale 1847-50, and at Andover, 1850-51. He was pastor of Central Congregational church, Bath, Maine, 1851-61; professor of rhetoric and oratory Bowdoin college, 1861-64; assistant adjutant general and judge advocate on staff of General Oliver O. Howard and assistant commissioner and adjutant, Bureau of Freedmen; professor of rhetoric and English literature, Howard university, Washington, District of Columbia, 1867-74, assistant secretary of the board of Indian Commissioners of the United States from January 1, 1875,