Romeo Elton (1817–1889) was an American academic, minister, and author. A trained Baptist minister, he taught at Brown University as a professor of Latin and Greek Languages from 1825 to 1845.
| Romeo Elton | |
| Occupation: | Academic · minister |
| Alma Mater: | Brown University |
| Discipline: | Latin & Greek |
| Death Date: | 1870 (aged 79-80) |
| Birth Date: | 1790 |
| Birth Place: | Bristol, Connecticut |
Romeo Elton was born on 1790 in current day Burlington, Connecticut, then a part of Bristol, Connecticut.[1] He graduated from Brown University in 1813
Elton was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1817, assuming pastorships in Newport, Rhode Island and Vermont. In 1825, he became a professor of Latin and Greek Languages at Brown University.[2] As a professor, he was a student favorite, noted for his awkward appearance and genial nature.[3] He taught at Brown until 1845. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Brown University.[2]
Elton wrote two books and co-wrote a third one. He wrote about the civic and religious affairs in colonial Rhode Island, Roger Williams, founder of the Providence Plantations, and Jonathan Maxcy (1768–1820), the second President of Brown University.
He served as the Second Vice President of the Rhode Island Historical Society in 1837.[4]
Elton moved to England after retiring from Brown University. He returned to the United States in 1879, dying the following year.
The Romeo Elton Professorship in Natural Theology is an endowed chair at Brown University also named in his honor. Richard Kimberly Heck held the professorship from 2009 to 2014.[5] Since 2014 it has been held by John Tomasi who is a professor of political science, professor of philosophy by courtesy, and director of the Political Theory Project.[6]