SHEFFIELD, Joseph Earle, donor, born in Southport, Connecticut, 19 June, 1793 ; died in New Haven, Connecticut, 16 February, 1882. He received a common-school education, and in 1808, when only fifteen years of age, began his business career as a clerk in New Berne, North Carolina In 1813 he became a partner in a New York house, but remained in New Berne to represent the business there. He travelled extensively in the south on business matters, and, visiting Mobile, Alabama, he decided to transfer his southern business to that city, and in a few years became its chief cotton merchant. In 1835 he returned to his native state, and established himself in New Haven. He took an active part in the construction of the New Haven and Northampton canal, and was one of the most energetic in scouring the charter for the New York and New Haven railroad. His next enterprise was building the Chicago and Rock Island railroad, which proved very profitable to him. His donations to Yale have been munificent. In 1860 the name of its scientific department, which was reorganized and placed on a firm basis by his liberality, was changed to the Sheffield scientific school in his honor. Its two buildings are called respectively Sheffield hall and North Sheffield hall. He gave to other colleges, seminaries, and religious institutions, and his gifts amounted to more than $1,000,000.