History of Newfane, (Windham County) Vermont United States of America

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Biographies:

James Elliott, representative, was born in Gloucester, Mass., Aug. 18, 1775. He removed to Guilford, Vt., in 1790 and became a clerk in a store. In 1793 he enlisted at Springfield, Mass., as the first non-commissioned officer in the second U.S. sub-legion, and was in the service against the insurgents in Pennsylvania and the Indians in Ohio, 1793-96. He was admitted to the bar in 1808 and in the same year took his seat as a representative in the 8th congress. He was re-elected to the 9th and 10th congresses, serving 1803-09. On his retirement from congress he published a paper in Philadelphia, Pa., and in the war of 1812 he served in the army for a brief period. He then practised law in Brattlebore, Vt., and was a representative in the state legislature, 1813-19. He later removed to Newfane, Vt., and again served in the state legislature, 1837-38. He held several minor political offices, and died at Newfane, Vt., Nov. 10, 1889.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Lewis Grout, author, was born in Newfane, Vt., Jan. 28, 1815; son of Deacon John and Azubah (Dunklee) Grout. He was the oldest of nine children, eight of whom were sons, one of whom, Henry Martyn, 1831-86, was a celebrated Congregational minister. Lewis was a student at Brattleboro academy, 1834-37, Burr seminary, 1838, and Yale college, 1838-42, graduating in 1842. He supported himself while a student by teaching, took a course in theology at Yale, 1844-45, and was graduated at Andover theological seminary in 1846. He was married, Oct. 8, 1846, to Lydia Bates of Springfield, Vt., and the same day was ordained as a missionary of the A.B.C.F.M., sailing from Boston, Mass., for South Africa October 10 and reaching Natal, Feb. 15, 1847. He labored among the Zulus in the District of Natal for fifteen years and returned to Boston, reaching that port, June 7, 1862. He made a study of the Zulu and other African languages, and was by turns teacher, preacher, explorer, printer, architect, carpenter, brick-maker, mason, wheelwright, blacksmith, road-maker, bridge-builder, hunter, student of natural history, translator of the Scriptures, and author, editor and publisher of grammars, tracts and other educational literature. On his return to America he was pastor at Saxton's River, Vt., and Feeding Hills, Mass.; secretary of the American missionary association for Vermont and New Hampshire, 1865-84; financial agent of the Atlanta university, Ga., 1884-85; pastor at Sudbury, Vt., 1885-88; and engaged in general literary work, 1888. He was corresponding member of the American oriental society. He is the author of: The Isizulu; a Grammar of the Zulu Language (1859, rev. ed., 1893); History of the Zulu and Other Tribes In and Around Nattal (1853); A Reply to Bishop Colenso's Remarks on Polygamy (1855); An Answer to Dr. Colenso's Letter on Polygamy (1856); Translation of Psalms, Acts and Other Portions of the Bible into the Zulu Language; ZuluLand, or Life Among the Zulu Kafirs of Natal and Zulu-Land, South Africa (1864); Reminiscences of Life Among the Zulu Kafirs (1865); and numerous sermons, addresses and essays delivered in South Africa and in America, published in pamphlets by the society, the colonial government and in the Journal of the American Oriental society. See Some of the Fruits of his Pen (1899), a bibliography including ninety subjects. On Nov. 14, 1899, he delivered an address before the Brattleboro professional club on The Boer and the Briton in South Africa, which made his ninety-second published subject.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor