Life Early life and education The Eliots were a Boston elite family, with roots in England and New England. Eliot's paternal grandfather, William Greenleaf Eliot, had moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to establish a Unitarian Christian church there. His father, Henry Ware Eliot, was a successful businessman, president and treasurer of the Hydraulic-Press Brick Company in St Louis. His mother, Charlotte Champe Stearns, who wrote poetry, was a social worker, which was a new profession in the U.S. in the early 20th century. Eliot was the last of six surviving children. Known to family and friends as Tom, he was the namesake of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Stearns.
Life Early life and education The Eliots were a Boston elite family with roots in England and New England Eliot's paternal grandfather William Greenleaf Eliot had moved to St Louis Missouri to establish a Unitarian Christian church there His father Henry Ware Eliot was a successful businessman president and treasurer of the Hydraulic-Press Brick Company in St Louis His mother Charlotte Champe Stearns who wrote poetry was a social worker which was a new profession in the US in the early 20th century Eliot was the last of six surviving children Known to family and friends as Tom he was the namesake of his maternal grandfather Thomas Stearns