Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/427

 MITCHELL

MITCHELL

During her stay in Europe her American friends, under the leadership of Elizabeth Peabody of Boston, raised a sufficient sum of money to buy for her a new telescope more powerful than the one owned by her father. After removing with her father to Lynn, Mass., she built there an observatory, where she pursued her investigations until 1865, when upon the establishment of Vas- sar college she was appointed profeasor of astron- omy and director of the Vassar observatory. She resigned her position in 1888 on account of failing health. Her resignation was not accepted, but an indefinite leave of absence was granted her with full pay. At the meeting of the Vassar alumnae association in 1888 at a reception given in her honor, it was voted to endow the chair of astronomy as a memorial to her and $40,000 was pledged for that purpose. The honorary de- gree of Ph.D. was conferred upon her by Rutgers Female college in 1870, that of LL.D. by Hano- ver in 1882 and Columbia in 1887. She was the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, first as honorary member in 1848, and subsequently as fellow, and up to 1902 there had been no other women so honored. She was also a member of the American Institute and of the American Association for the Advance- ment of Science, and was twice elected president of the American Association for the Advancement of Women, at]Syracuse in 1875 and at Philadelphia in 1876. She edited "Astronomical Notes" in the Scientific American, based on calculations made by her students, and wrote many scientific papers. She died in Lynn, Mass., June 28, 1889.

MITCHELL, Nahum, jurist, was born in East Bridge water, Mass., Feb. 12, 1769; son of Cush- ing and Jennet (Orr) Mitchell; grandson of Col. Edward and Elizabeth (Cushing) Mitchell; great- grandson of Edward and Alice (Bradford) Mit- chell, and greats-grandson of Experience Mitchell, who immigrated to America in the ship Ann in 1623, settled at Plymouth, Mass., removed to Duxbury in 1631, and later to Bridgewater; and also a descendant of Maj. John Bradford of Kingston. Nahum Mitchell was graduated from Harvard, A.B., 1789, A.M., 1792. He studied law in Plymouth, Mass., was admitted to the bar in November, 1792, and practised in Bridgewater. He was a representative in the state legislature for several years; was a representative in the 8th congress, 1803-05; judge of the court of common pleas, 1811-21, and chief-justice, 1819-21. He served in the governor's council, 1814-20; was treasurer of the state, 1822-27, and was appointed chairman of the commission for exploring and laying out the Boston and Albany Railroad route in 1827. He was a commissioner to settle the boundary line between Massachusetts and Rhode Island and subsequently between Massachusetts

and Connecticut. He was librarian and treasurer of the Massachusetts Historical society and pres- ident of the Bible Society in Plymouth county. He is the author of a Grammar of Music: The Brattle Street Collection of Church Music (1810); Tlie Bridgewater Collection of Sacred Music (1812); History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater (1840), and a series of articles on the History of Music, published in the Boston Euterpiead. He died in East Bridgewater, Mass., Aug. 1, 1853.

MITCHELL, Nathaniel, governor of Delaware, was born near Laurel, Del., in 1753. He led a company in the Continental array at the battles of Brandywine and Monmouth; was adjutant of Colonel Dagworthy's battalion; and was subse- quently with Colonel Patterson's battalion of the flying camp and with Colonel Grayson's addi- tional Continental regiment. He was transferred to Colonel Grist's regiment, and in 1779 he became brigade-major and inspector to Gen. Peter Muh- lenburg. He was a delegate to the Continental congress, 1786-88, and in 1804 he was elected governor of Delaware and served by re-elections until 1810, when he was succeeded by Joseph Haslet. He died near Laurel, Del., Feb. 21, 1814.

MITCHELL, Robert B., governor of New Mexico, was born in Richland county, Ohio, April 4, 1823. He attended "Washington college. Pa., studied law, and practised in Mansfield, 1844- 46. He served throughout the Mexican war as 1st lieutenant in a regiment of Oliio volunteers, and in 1847 resumed the practice of his profes- sion. He removed to Kansas in 1856, and became an active advocate of the free-state policy. He was a representative in the territorial legislature, 1857-58; treasurer, 1858-61; colonel of 2d Kansas volunteers, and his regiment, with two companies of the 1st Iowa, were being led by General Lyon in the battle of Wilson's Creek when the General was killed and Colonel Mitchell was severely wounded. He subsequently raised a regiment of cavalry; was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, and commanded the 9th division, 3rd army corps. Army of the Ohio, in the battle of Perryville, Oct. 8, 1862, and the cavalry corps of the Army of the Cunil>erland in the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 19-20, 1863. He was governor of New Mexico, 1865-67, and in 1867 removed to Washington, D.C., where he died, Jan. 26, 1882.

MITCHELL, Samuel Thomas, educator, was born in Toledo, Ohio, Sept. 24, 1851. He attended the public schools of Cleveland and Cincinnati, and was graduated from Wilberforce university in 1873; taught school in Wilmington, Ohio, 1873-75; was licensed to preach in 1875, and taught school in Springfield, Ohio, 1875-80. He was principal of Lincoln institute at Jeflferson City, Mo., 1879-84; received his A.M. degree from Wilberforce in 1881, and was elected president