Samuel Latham Mitchill
Encyclopedia
Samuel Latham Mitchill was an American physician
, naturalist
, and politician
from New York
. He was born in Hempstead, New York
. In 1786 he graduated from the University of Edinburgh
, an education paid for by a wealthy uncle.
Mitchill taught chemistry, botany, and natural history at Columbia College
from 1792 until 1801, and he was a founding editor of The Medical Repository
, the first medical journal in the United States. At Columbia Mitchill lectured on botany, zoology, and mineralogy, and he collected, identified, and classified many plants and animals, particularly aquatic organisms. From 1807 to 1826, he taught at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York and then helped organize the short-lived Rutgers Medical College of New Jersey, which he served as vice president until 1830. While at Columbia, Mitchill developed a fallacious theory of disease, which however resulted in his promotion of personal hygiene and better sanitation.
Mitchell served in the New York State Assembly
in 1791 and again in 1798 and was then elected as a Democratic-Republican to the United States House of Representatives
, serving from 1801 until his resignation on November 22, 1804. In November 1804
, Mitchill was elected a U.S. Senator from New York to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Armstrong
, and served from November 23, 1804, to March 3, 1809. He then served again in the House of Representatives
from December 4, 1810, to March 3, 1813.
Mitchill strongly endorsed the building of the Erie Canal
, sponsored by his friend and political ally DeWitt Clinton
; they were both members of the short-lived New-York Institution. Mitchill suggested renaming the United States of America Fredonia
, combining the English "freedom" with a Latinate ending. Although the suggestion was not seriously considered, some towns adopted the name, including Fredonia, New York
.
Mitchill was a man of "irrepressible energies...polyglot enthusiasms...[and] distinguished eccentricities" who was not "a man afraid to speak out loud about the loves of plants and animals; indeed, he was not a man afraid to speak out loud on most any topic. In the early nineteenth century, Mitchill was New York's "most publicly universal gentleman...a man known variously as the 'living encyclopedia,' as a 'stalking library,' and (to his admired Jefferson
) as the 'Congressional Dictionary.'" "Once described as a 'chaos of knowledge,' Mitchill was generally more admired for his encyclopedic breadth of understanding than for much originality of thought." As a personality he was affable but also egotistical and pedantic. Mitchill enjoyed popularizing scientific knowledge and promoting practical applications of scientific inquiry.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was born in Hempstead, New York
Hempstead (village), New York
Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:...
. In 1786 he graduated from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, an education paid for by a wealthy uncle.
Mitchill taught chemistry, botany, and natural history at Columbia College
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
from 1792 until 1801, and he was a founding editor of The Medical Repository
The Medical Repository
The Medical Repository was the first American medical journal, founded in 1797 and published quarterly, with some interruptions, through 1824.It was printed by T. & J. Swords, Printers to the Faculty of Physic of Columbia College, New York....
, the first medical journal in the United States. At Columbia Mitchill lectured on botany, zoology, and mineralogy, and he collected, identified, and classified many plants and animals, particularly aquatic organisms. From 1807 to 1826, he taught at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York and then helped organize the short-lived Rutgers Medical College of New Jersey, which he served as vice president until 1830. While at Columbia, Mitchill developed a fallacious theory of disease, which however resulted in his promotion of personal hygiene and better sanitation.
Mitchell served in the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1791 and again in 1798 and was then elected as a Democratic-Republican to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, serving from 1801 until his resignation on November 22, 1804. In November 1804
United States Senate special election in New York, November 1804
The second 1804 United States Senate special election in New York was held on November 9, 1804, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.-Background:...
, Mitchill was elected a U.S. Senator from New York to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Armstrong
John Armstrong, Jr.
John Armstrong, Jr. was an American soldier and statesman who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. Senator from New York, and Secretary of War.-Early life and Revolutionary War:...
, and served from November 23, 1804, to March 3, 1809. He then served again in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from December 4, 1810, to March 3, 1813.
Mitchill strongly endorsed the building of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, sponsored by his friend and political ally DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
; they were both members of the short-lived New-York Institution. Mitchill suggested renaming the United States of America Fredonia
Fredonia
- Places :In the United States* Fredonia, Alabama* Fredonia, Arizona* Fredonia , Arkansas* Fredonia, California* Fredonia, Iowa* Fredonia, Kansas* Fredonia, Kentucky* Fredonia, New York* Fredonia, North Dakota* Fredonia, Pennsylvania...
, combining the English "freedom" with a Latinate ending. Although the suggestion was not seriously considered, some towns adopted the name, including Fredonia, New York
Fredonia, New York
Fredonia is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 11,068 as of 2009.The Village of Fredonia is in the Town of Pomfret south of Lake Erie...
.
Mitchill was a man of "irrepressible energies...polyglot enthusiasms...[and] distinguished eccentricities" who was not "a man afraid to speak out loud about the loves of plants and animals; indeed, he was not a man afraid to speak out loud on most any topic. In the early nineteenth century, Mitchill was New York's "most publicly universal gentleman...a man known variously as the 'living encyclopedia,' as a 'stalking library,' and (to his admired Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
) as the 'Congressional Dictionary.'" "Once described as a 'chaos of knowledge,' Mitchill was generally more admired for his encyclopedic breadth of understanding than for much originality of thought." As a personality he was affable but also egotistical and pedantic. Mitchill enjoyed popularizing scientific knowledge and promoting practical applications of scientific inquiry.
External links
- Francis, John W. Reminiscences of Samuel Latham Mitchell, (1859). From the Digital Collections of the National Library of Medicine.