Ellerton James Brehaut was born in North Attleboro, Massachusetts on 6 April 1897 to Annabel Hankins and James W. Brehaut. Ellerton received his B.A. from Harvard College in 1918 and enlisted in World War I that June. He served in France, where he was promoted to sergeant, and was discharged at the war's end. He married Catherine Hortense Farrell in about 1922 and they had one daughter, Elaine Janet Brehaut in 1927.

Brehaut worked for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce from October of 1919 until 1959, first as manager of the Civic Bureau, and later in the Legislative Department. After his retirement, he worked part-time for the Raytheon Company as a legislative consultant. He was a member of civic committees and organizations, including serving as the chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Massachusetts Association of Commercial Executives from 1946-1959. In his spare time, Brehaut collected and created thematic compilations of historical publications documenting Boston-area politics, government, and city infrastructure development.

Ellerton Brehaut died on 11 February 1985 in Danvers, Massachusetts.

Sources:

Mead, Frederick S., ed. Harvard´s Military Record in the World War. Boston: Harvard Alumni Association, 1921.

Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840–1911. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

State of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003. Boston, MA, USA: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health Services, 2005.

United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930.

United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940.