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Original handwritten letter signed “Elias Loomis,” headed “Yale College,” January 3, 1881. Written on the front and reverse of the original paper, this substantial genealogical response discusses several Hull family members, historical dates, published sources, and possible family connections.
ELIAS LOOMIS — THE WRITER
Elias Loomis (1811–1889) was an American astronomer, mathematician, meteorologist, textbook author, and genealogist. A Yale graduate of 1830, he taught at Western Reserve College and New York University before returning to Yale as professor of natural philosophy in 1860.
His pioneering storm studies and maps helped establish methods used in modern weather mapping. He also investigated the extraordinary auroral displays of 1859. His mathematical and scientific textbooks circulated widely, while his genealogical publications documented descendants of Joseph Loomis.
This letter provides an example of Loomis personally answering historical and genealogical questions.
PEOPLE AND SUBJECTS DISCUSSED
Dr. Eliphalet Hull and his wife Charity:
Loomis records that Charity died September 16, 1795, aged 50, and explains that he cannot determine her maiden name. A later Hull family genealogy identifies Dr. Eliphalet Hull (1738–1799) as a Yale graduate of 1758 and a surgeon in the Revolutionary War. That genealogy names his wife as Charity, or Mary, Burr. The letter itself leaves her maiden name unresolved. A published Greenfield Hill Cemetery transcription independently matches the death date and age Loomis supplies.
William Hull and David Hull:
Loomis directs his correspondent to page 735 of the recently published History of Derby, Connecticut, 1642–1880, for their genealogy. The referenced family includes General William Hull, a Revolutionary War officer and later a general during the War of 1812, and his brother David Hull, a physician associated with Fairfield, Connecticut.
Rev. John Gould Hull:
Loomis discusses his birth in 1814 and death in 1844, adding that he does not know his ancestry but presumes he belonged to the “Commodore Hull branch of the family.”
Yale’s later biographical record identifies John Gould Hull as a member of its class of 1837, born March 16, 1814, to Dr. Nimrod Hull and Amy Lewis in the area now known as Naugatuck, Connecticut. He studied medicine before pursuing Episcopal theological training in Alexandria, Virginia, and entering deacon’s orders in 1840. Loomis’s handwritten death date appears to read March 16, 1844; the later Yale account gives March 1, 1844.
The presumed Commodore Hull connection is presented as Loomis’s opinion, rather than an established pedigree. The naval figure associated with that reference is Commodore Isaac Hull, famous for commanding USS Constitution in its August 19, 1812 victory over HMS Guerriere.
Joseph Darling Hull:
Loomis gives his birthplace as New Haven and birth date as February 21, 1818, explaining that he resides in New York City and could supply further particulars.
Joseph Darling Hull was a Yale graduate of 1837 and a Yale Divinity School graduate of 1842. He served as pastor at Essex, Connecticut, and later became principal of the Murray Hill Institute in New York City.
Charles Hull:
Loomis believes this family contact is living in Brooklyn, New York. The middle initial appears to be A. His precise identity has not been securely established.
Walter S. Hull and James S. Hull:
On the reverse, Loomis identifies Walter as the son of James S. Hull, gives his birth as March 13, 1847, at Industry, Ohio, and reports that he was last known to be living in Nashville, Tennessee.
Those birth details match a contemporary biography of Walter S. Hull, a Yale graduate of 1870 who became an attorney and Chicago alderman. His father was Colonel James Standiford Hull of the 37th Indiana Infantry, a Union officer seriously wounded at the Battle of Stones River. This military connection is historical background; the letter’s subject is genealogy.
CONDITION
Age toning, horizontal folds and creases, edge wear, scattered small blemishes, and visible wear/splitting along a horizontal fold. The signature remains clearly visible. Please examine all photographs and close-ups for the paper’s condition and handwriting. See the ruler photograph for scale.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS LISTING IS FOR ONE ORIGINAL PAPER ONLY. The collage shows multiple views and enlarged details of the same letter. The ruler, decorative background, and research references are not included.
Type: Autograph Letter Signed (ALS)
Signer: Elias Loomis
Date: January 3, 1881
Place Written: Yale College, New Haven, Connecticut
Signed: Yes
Format: Handwritten letter, front and reverse
Material: Lined paper
Language: English
Country of Origin: United States
Subjects: Hull Family Genealogy; Yale College; Historical Correspondence
Associated Fields: Astronomy; Meteorology; Mathematics; Genealogy
Condition: Antique used condition; toning, folds, edge wear and fold splitting
Dimensions: See ruler photograph for scale
