Harry Elliott Nettleton, investment dealer, of Orange street, New Haven, was born in West Haven, Connecticut, on March 26, 1861. His parents were H. Edward and Emma (Smith) Nettleton, both members of old Connecticut families. With the exception of two years' residence in New Haven, his home has been in West Haven.
     On the paternal side, Mr. Nettleton is descended from Samuel Nettleton, who came to America from England in 1639. Both families were represented in the Revolutionary war, one member giving up his life at Fort Ticonderoga, and another being an occupant of the small boat in which Washington made his famous passage of the Delaware. The paternal branch of the family was also represented in the Civil war, and at the time of the writing of this sketch Mr. Nettleton's son is serving his country in France.
     Mr. Nettleton was educated in the West Haven schools and the Hillhouse high school of New Haven. After leaving the high school his first regular employment was as secretary to President George H. Watrous of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. He later served for a brief period as secretary to the succeeding president, Charles P. Clark, and was then, at his own request, transferred to the office of the chief operating officer of the railroad. As chief clerk and office assistant, Mr. Nettleton was associated with three general managers, and was later appointed assistant superintendent of the Shore Line division, extending at that time from New Haven to Providence, and from New London to Worcester. In 1904 Mr. Nettleton left the railway service and entered the investment business, for a while confining his transactions largely to the sale of bonds to banks and institutions in southern New England. The following year he began to develop an in vestment business with individual investors, in which line he has since been engaged, handling a conservative line of securities.
     While not actively engaged in politics, Mr. Nettleton has served West Haven and the town of Orange in different ways, at one time having been a member of the board of burgesses, and at other times being a member of committees engaged in the preparation of, or revision of, the town and borough charters. Much of his spare time has been devoted to association, church and philanthropic work. In early manhood he was recording secretary of the board of directors of the New Haven Young Men's Christian Association, was afterward a member of the committee of management of the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association, and for a number of years past has been recording secretary of the State Young Men's Christian Association and a member of the county committee. He has been connected with the Village Improvement Association of West Haven since its inception, and was a member of the committee of three having charge of the erection of the public library. He has also been, for several years, vice president of the Village Improvement Association. Mr. Nettleton has been actively engaged in church work since boyhood, his principal activities being in connection with the First Congregational church in West Haven, which church he has served in different official capacities. He is at the present time clerk of the church mentioned.
     On September 19, 1888, Mr. Nettleton married Jeannette Baldwin Richards, a daughter of John Marshall and Gertrude (Baldwin) Richards, both members of well known Connecticut families. Mr. and Mrs. Nettleton have two children: Vincent R. Nettleton, a Yale graduate and a mechanical engineer, who at the writing of this sketch is serving in the United States Aero Service in France; and a daughter, Constance R. Nettleton, a young lady of marked musical ability.
     Through his association with prominent railway officials in early life, Mr. Nettleton had unusual opportunities to become familiar with corporation life, and made an extended list of acquaintances, which has been largely augmented since he entered the investment field. He has been an extensive reader, and has supplemented business knowledge gained in that way by frequent trips of inspection to various cities, principally in the midwest and the growing sections of the south. He calls himself an optimist with conservative tendencies, and is known as a man of strong convictions, and one who firmly believes in the application of the Golden Rule to everyday business life.