224:, New York, with his family, to pursue work in the freight and commission business. Soon after his arrival he formed a partnership with James B. Taylor as Elwell & Taylor, at 84 Coffe House Slip, New York City. James W. Elwell worked for James R. Gibson as a clerk in his store where he received $ 50 (equivalent to $ 1,579 in 2023) per year. Elwell stayed with Gibson until 1838. On May 1, 1838, James Elwell and his brother Charles Frederick Elwell (1830–1907) joined his father in the family shipping business as a junior clerk. The firm was called John Elwell & Co., which was located at 57 South Street in New York City. The firm established lines of sailing vessels for the ports of Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, and New Orleans.
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376:; vice president and trustee of the Seamen's Friend Society of the City of New York; Mission and Track Society of Brooklyn; Brooklyn Dispensary; New York Port Society; founder of the Helping Hand Night Mission, which he helped organize; the Home for Friendless Woman and Children of Brooklyn; trustee of Clinton Avenue Congregational Church; founder of the Fresh Air Fund now the Seaside Home; president of the board of council of the Mariners' Family Asylum of Staten Island and trustee of the
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at the foot of Wall Street, when he was struck on the head by the main boom. Elwell died five days later from injuries incurred in the accident. After the accidental death of John Elwell in 1847, James took over the business alone and renamed the firm James W. Elwell & Co., which would remain in
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operation well into the twentieth century. His brother, Charles Elwell rejoined the firm in 1852 and stayed until 1885. The firm entered the shipping trade, controlling lines of vessels to the East and West Indies, South
America, and European ports. In 1838, James Elwell became a member of the
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Elwell was known as a philanthropist, being a director and trustee of several charitable undertakings in the New York district. He gave $ 3,000,000 to charity over his lifetime. He helped fund some of
Brooklyn's best institutions, including
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Elwell married Olivia
Peterson Robinson on July 16, 1844, in Bath, Maine, and had three children. Olivia died in 1851 at age 32. He married his second wife, Lucy E. R. Stinson, on May 6, 1852, in Bath, Maine, and had three more children.
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In 1920, the business was incorporated under the state as James W. Elwell & Co., Inc. Howard E. Jones was elected president, Harvey G. Perine vice-president, Rodrique Joly, treasurer, and Robert W. Swanson, secretary.
252:, which served a network of produce and commodities dealers across the United States. He served on its arbitration committee for five terms. He was elected a member of the Chamber of Commerce in 1855.
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becoming a member in 1845, which he held up to his death. He was a director and trustee of several insurance and railroad companies and banks, including: the Ship Owners' Association of New York, the
319:. The house is one of the two oldest houses on Lefferts Place. The house became a designated individual landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on December 12, 2006, and is called the
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The Civil, Political, Professional and
Ecclesiastical History, and Commercial and Industrial Record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y. from 1683 to 1884 Volume 2, Part 1
396:, New York. He had three daughters that survived after his death. His funeral was at his home with Rev. T. B. McLeod conducting the service. His interment was at Chestnut Hill,
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On
December 29, 1954, Robert W. Sawson, then president of James W. Elwell & Co., became chairman of the board and his son, David W. Swanson, became president.
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was named in honor of Elwell. On her trial trip from New York City, on April 2, 1867, James W. Elwell was on board along with a delegation of other prominent men.
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for his garden and flowers on his property. He took the Wall Street Ferry to work. He loved flowers and was known as "Bouquet Elwell."
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134:(August 27, 1820 – September 2, 1899) was a 19th-century American businessman and philanthropist. Elwell was the owner of
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The family firm, John Elwell & Co., was founded in 1821 in Bath, Maine, by James's father, John Elwell. It imported
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ports and New York. The business grew and became the most important Line out of New York to the
Mediterranean.
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in 1636. His mother was Mary L. Sprague (1794–1857) comes from the
Sprague ancestors that landed at
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The
Landmarks of New York, Fifth Edition, An Illustrated Record of the City's Historic Buildings
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at New York City from her owner, James W. Elwell & Company of New York City, for use on the
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James's brother
Charles continued with the James W. Elwell & Co., until his death in 1907.
184:, on August 27, 1820. He was the son of John Elwell (1790–1847). The Elwell ancestors landed in
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was reactivated and allocated to James W. Elwell & Co. for sailing on its
Spanish routes.
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764:"Death of James W. Elwell. Oldest Member of New York Chamber of Commerce Dies of Pneumonia"
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and the Industrial Home for Children. For twenty years he was a trustee of the
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542:"U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704–1930"
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603:. Magazine of Western History Publishing. pp. 653–654
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On July 15, 1847, his father died while on board the bark
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Olivia Peterson Robinson (1844), Lucy E. R. Stinson (1852)
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In 1854, Elwell and his wife Lucy built the wood-framed
707:"The Pilot-Boat James W. Elwell, No. 7, Her Trial Trip"
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296:, Brooklyn, New York, for over forty years and had a
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in 1628. James Elwell went to the Bath High School.
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960:. Brooklyn, New York. December 29, 1954. p. 20
770:. Brooklyn, New York. September 4, 1899. p. 12
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575:. Brooklyn, New York. February 15, 1851. p. 2
180:James W. Elwell was born the shipbuilding city of
154:best institutions. Elwell and his wife built the
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934:. New York City. November 15, 1920. p. 22
655:. Brooklyn, New York. July 20, 1847. p. 2
629:. Brooklyn, New York. July 15, 1847. p. 2
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388:At age 79, he died on September 2, 1899, of
208:Brother Charles Frederick Elwell (1830–1907)
789:Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Barbaralee (2011).
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264:In 1886, the firm became the agent for the
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142:. He was one of the oldest members of the
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713:. New York City. April 3, 1867. p. 5
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288:at 70 Lefferts Place, Brooklyn, New York.
851:"HDC: James W. and Lucy S. Elwell House"
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835:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
687:. Brooklyn, New York. December 12, 2006
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331:He was the fourth oldest member of the
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470:List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats
368:, member of the advisory board of the
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996:19th-century American businesspeople
349:Chicago and Indiana Railroad Company
317:Clinton Hill South Historic District
138:a shipping firm at 57 South Street,
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678:"James W. and Lucy S. Elwell House"
380:and Industrial School of Brooklyn.
341:Galena and Chicago Railroad Company
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737:"James W. Elwell & Co., Inc."
685:Landmarks Preservation Commission
597:Travers, George Williams (1884).
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220:. In 1833, his father moved to
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741:Pilot Lore From sail to Steam
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374:American Congregational Union
353:Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
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1006:Businesspeople from Brooklyn
333:New York Chamber of Commerce
150:who helped to found some of
144:New York Chamber of Commerce
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600:Magazine of Western History
496:Stiles, Henry Reed (1884).
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411:On December 12, 1917, the
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37:James W. Elwell (1820–1899
795:. New York. p. 130.
735:Allen, Edward L. (1922).
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958:The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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627:The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
573:The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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255:In 1867, The pilot-boat
172:was named in his honor.
986:People from Bath, Maine
258:James W. Elwell, No. 7,
228:James W. Elwell and Co.
190:Plymouth, Massachusetts
903:"Henlopen (S. P. 385)"
378:Children's Aid Society
370:Brooklyn Orphan Asylum
345:Great Eastern Railroad
313:Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
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164:Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
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146:. He was known as a
132:James William Elwell
877:"Charles F. Elwell"
398:Green-Wood Cemetery
218:British West Indies
78:, New York City, US
881:The New York Times
711:The New York Times
502:. pp. 656–657
413:United States Navy
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309:historic district
294:70 Lefferts Place
166:. The pilot boat
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1001:1820 births
991:1899 deaths
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659:February 4,
633:February 4,
607:February 4,
524:|work=
506:February 3,
428:World War I
337:Marine Bank
214:broadcloths
182:Bath, Maine
84:Nationality
57:Bath, Maine
980:Categories
623:"Accident"
476:References
305:Italianate
266:Fabre Line
237:Fabre Line
176:Early life
152:Brooklyn's
92:Occupation
49:1820-08-27
828:ignored (
818:cite book
526:ignored (
516:cite book
390:pneumonia
355:company.
347:Company,
245:Nautilus,
239:brochure.
140:Manhattan
116:Signature
108:Spouse(s)
448:See also
419:Henlopen
394:Brooklyn
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222:Brooklyn
87:American
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938:May 10,
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861:May 20,
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315:in the
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649:"Died"
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200:Career
186:Boston
681:(PDF)
384:Death
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432:SS
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