Who is Elton Shaftsbury from The Contract with God Trilogy: Life on Dropsie Avenue and what is their importance?

Elton Shaftsbury's family are the wealthy owners of an axe-handle manufacturing business. Elton, however, decides to sell the business to invest in stocks, so he can focus on his social life. When the stock market crashes, he loses everything, and moves to Dropsie Avenue where he works as a runner for a stock company. Later, he meets Rebecca, and helps her father, Jacob, to acquire a lumber yard and makes it a successful business. Ultimately, Elton and Rebecca end up married.