The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-07-29
From the Chapel Hill Gazette.
the LATE PROFESSOR MITCHELL.

: !
The Rev. Elisha Mitchell. ID D., was born
in Washington, LitchGeld County. Conn
August 10, l193--graduated at Yale college
ia lSlS-appointed Professor oil Mathematics
and Natural Philosophy in the University OF
North Carolina in lSl7-marrled lSly-or
dainea by the Presbytery Of Orange IN 1871
transferred to the proiessorship Of Chemistry,
Mineralogy and Geology in lS23-honored
with the Doctorship in Divinity BY the Tn,
iyersity Of Alabama in 1910, an appointed
Bursar Of the Unsersity of North Carolina
in 1855. He died June 18th, 1887.
DR.. Mitchell was the son of Abner Mitch
ell, a respectable larmerin Washington, Conn.,
His mothers maiden name was Phoebe Eliot,
and so he was descendant, IN the NTH re-
move, Of the celebrated man OF God, Juhn
Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians. iohh
Eliot and his wife Ann had SIX children,
whose descendants are now very numerous
and can be found in all parts OF our country.
Wherever found, and whatever be the num-
Der of their generation, their position 10 So
clety and their influence in Church and "
state shows that the family still receives OF
that mercy which is shown unto thousands oil
them that fear God and keep His command
ments.
Having received his preparatory education
in his native town, he was graduated at Yale
College in July 1915. lie counted among
his classmates here, Judge Badger and Nj.
Thomas P. Deyereux, and the late Rev. Mr.
Singletsry, Of this State, Judge l.onsstreet,
the famous author Of " Georgia Scenes and
President of the University Of Mississippi,
aud others of note in Church and IN State
IL. ,nainfaiuau a lfuhly
credltsble rank in scholarship, and thus excl
ted hopes which were fully realized: AFTER
graduating, he spent some time as Tutor 10
Yale College, and thee as Principal 81
school for young ladies' in New LONDON
Cona.-and afterwards as Teacher IN : 4.
maica, l.. |. While in this last position. ne
received an appointment TO the Shalr o. aia-
thematics and Natural Philosophy, IN the
University Of North Carolina, at the same
time that Dr. Olmsted. now Of Yale COLLEGE,
received one to the Chair OF Ch!nisiry, then
first created.
DR.. Mitchell began his labars as Pro-
fessor, in January 1918, when the Seniol
Class contained Bishop Green, Mr.. Repor,
fer Jones, the Rev. DR.. Morrison, Presl-
dent Polk, Hon. Hugh Naddel, &c. Al
The same time the late Judge Anderson o.
Fla. aud Senator Haywood Of n. Z. and
Hon. lanes 4. Morehead were in the Junior
Class; the lion. Judge Battle, Mr.. Is. +
Moore. and Bishop 0tey were Sophomores
and The Hon. J. r. J. Daniel, the Hon. An
derson Mitchell, and the Rev. Jos. II. Saun
,Iers we're Freshmen. The Faculty at ths
time consisted Of DR.. Caldwell as President
and DR.. Hooper as Proiessorof Ancient Ian.
guages. Gov. Morehead and the late Priest
" H. Mangum. we're Tutors. DE-. Mitchell
also found 100 Students as his pupils. h'
left behind him Faculty Of President
nine Professors and six Tutors, with Al
He was licensed to preach the Everlastin:
Gospel bv the Orthodox Congregations
Church in Conn, after spending some tim'
1t the Theological Seminary At Andoyer
Mass. He preached his first sermon, aitel
licensure ia Chapel Hill and was ordaine.
by the Prrsbytery Of Orange 10 Hlisborough
lis wife, Maria s., was tie daughter Of Eli
sha North, an eminent Physician Of New
London, Conn, and the house to which b,
brought his bride is still the home Of his wild
ow. As the fruits II his union, te LETT be.
hind him fige children and mae grand chill.
dren.
When Or. Oms;cd returned 4, Val,
College in 1925, DR.. Mitchell stepped INT,
his place. because its studies were Away
particularly attractive - him. and be va
succeeded in the place be left BY the Rev
James Philips. d. D., Who j. nov the OIL,
member Of tie Faculty Of 1926 remaining a
Chapel Hill.
Aiwass remarkable for great bodily actiyl.
~, he devoted much time during the carll
wears Of his Ptoles:prship 10 IurMiig al IN
innate acquaintance With the Botany aud
Geology oi North Carolina. The plants and
the rocks Of tile State he visited ia their Owl
homes, aud during lis life lie was enc Of the
bestauthorities % both subjects III tie country
Tie expeditions that he conducted intO al
parts Oi n. c., IookiBgfvr flowers, aud moses,
and trees; and for rocks, and straits, aud de.
posts, rendered him the 0est PHYSICAL Geo.
grapher that the State has ever had. The
information that he gathered thus, was used
prufgseiy il tie instruction Of bis classes
who always reaped greater benefits from bis
acquisitions than ans other part " our com.
manity. lie loved Tie University u North
Carolina a. he logel his osn child, aad %
IL advance III All that should mark AZ lnsti.
tuition Of the highest grade 10 our land. he
sedulvusIy devoted the best years 81 his life,
Hlsht 1glIemtNt, " ttahAbe aHV v. Vgsft "a
tion we're immense. But they we're mainly
~ hs pupils. Sometimes lie wrote for tie
public papers, on matters u scientific interest
snd sometimes on other subjects. Bat he
read more than Ne observed, aud observed
more than be wrote. The following are the
titles u some more than tie srDie. The
following are he titles u some Of the article.
he furnished to ssiman's JuBrhal:--On tbt
Low country Of n. Z. ~ 1923; On The GeoIo.
gy Of the Gold Il giOns VI y. Z. IN 1895 o.
WeIlher's tube u safety, With notices q
other Subjects, ia 1850; on the causes o
winds aud storms. ii 1851 Aualysis 81 III,
Pruingn1 an IslhnIIL. al 1871. Nhtltes d