Mitchell Hall

Elisha Mitchell: A Life of Scientific Discovery and Exploration

by Jenah McCall

Elisha Mitchell was a man “of large stature, of great bodily strength, of untiring activity, of restless curiosity, of varied and extensive attainments, of a quaint and quiet humor, of persevering generosity, and of a well established piety. This desire for excellence in things pertaining to the mind was a prominent feature in Dr. Mitchell’s character from early childhood.”[1]

Early Life

Elisha Mitchell, courtesy of Wilson Library’s Portrait Collection

[2]

Elisha Mitchell was born in Washington, Connecticut on August 19, 1793. In many ways he would follow in his maternal great-grandfather’s footsteps. Jared Eliot was a prominent minister, scientist and intellectual, much like Elisha Mitchell would become.[3] Mitchell attended Yale University and graduated in 1813. While at Yale, he studied under Professor Benjamin Silliman. The two would work together again in the future when Silliman would publish several of Mitchell’s scientific articles in the American Journal of Science and Arts, which he edited from 1818 to 1838. After Mitchell left Yale, he began teaching almost immediately. He started teaching at Union Hall Academy in Jamaica, Long Island then served as principal of Union Academy in New London, Connecticut before returning to Yale as a tutor in 1816. During this time, Mitchell also began his theological career. He took a theological course in Andover, Massachusetts and became licensed to preach by the Congregationalist Western Association of New Haven County, Connecticut. The following year Mitchell moved his life and career to Chapel Hill and began his time at the University of North Carolina.[4]

Career and Life While at UNC

In January of 1818, Elisha Mitchell arrived in Chapel Hill. He began his career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by teaching mathematics and natural philosophy. While working at UNC, he was reunited with former Yale classmate, Denison Olmsted. Olmsted was serving as professor of chemistry, geology and mineralogy at the time. A few years later, in 1825 when Olmsted returned to Yale, Mitchell took his place. Mitchell taught chemistry, geology and mineralogy at UNC for the next thirty-two years.[5] Mitchell gained much popularity while teaching these subjects at UNC. He used similar teaching techniques as his former professor, Benjamin Silliman. Mitchell used laboratory demonstrations to provide his students with practical education in the sciences when the curriculum of the time was dominated by the classics.[6]

While teaching at UNC, Mitchell became ordained by the Presbytery of Orange in Hillsborough, NC. He continued combined preaching and teaching by making his theological ideas as evident as his scientific ones. In addition to working as a professor, Mitchell also officiated chapel services on campus. He also served as bursar and accountant for the university.[7] Mitchell used his position as bursar, where he was in charge of the grounds and buildings that belonged to the university, to increase the variety of flowers, trees and shrubs throughout campus. Also, with the help of slaves, Mitchell was able to build the rock walls that remain throughout campus today.[8]

Mitchell was not shy about expressing opinions on the issues of his day. He disliked Jacksonian democracy. He urged other North Carolinians to support state establishment of a tax-supported system of common schools. He believed that educated people were essential to the improvement of society as a whole. He also supported this idea because it would provide more jobs for women as teachers at the schools. He noted the isolation of people living in the mountains of Western North Carolina when he visited several times for his geological surveys. He believed in the importance of material improvement and looked forward to a day with better means of transportation and education for all people. Although a lot of these ideas may seem progressive for his time, Mitchell was a supporter of the southern point of view of slavery. Despite being from the north himself, he acquired many slaves when he moved to Chapel Hill.[9] Mitchell wrote a book defending slavery entitled The Other Leaf of the Book of Nature and the Word of God.  In the book he noted that he was “the owner of a few slaves”[10] which was really a belittlement of his possessions because Mitchell was wealthier than the average man.[11] He claimed slavery to be no worse than any other form of holding property. “…a person may without fear of falling into condemnation hold property of various kinds, land, goods, gold and silver, and slaves.”[12] Throughout this book, he explored many passages of the Bible and came to the conclusion that God had not specifically expressed anything against slaveholding. Mitchell actually thought slavery to be beneficial to African Americans[13] because he believed that they were a “race of inferior moral and mental endowments.”[14]

On November 19, 1819 Elisha Mitchell married Maria Sybil North. The couple had met a few years earlier while Mitchell was teaching at Union Academy in 1815. The pair went on to have seven children: Mary Phoebe, Ellen Hannah, Margaret Eliot, Eliza North, and Charles Andrews as well as Matthew Henry and Henry Eliot who both died in infancy.[15]

Geological Contributions

View of Mount Mitchell at distance, courtesy of the North Carolina County Photographic Collection

[16]

Elisha Mitchell is best known for his work at the mountain that would later be named after him. Mitchell measured the Black Mountains in Western North Carolina and claimed their tallest peak to be the highest peak east of the Rocky Mountains.[17] At the time, nearby Grandfather Mountain had been assumed to be the highest peak in the region, but Mitchell was convinced otherwise. In 1835 after visiting the tallest peak of the black mountains, Mitchell determined it to be 6,476 feet, proving it to be higher than Grandfather Mountain. He came back to measure the peak again in 1838 and 1844.[18] One measurement found the highest peak to be 6,708 feet, 250 feet taller than Mount Washington in New Hampshire’s White Mountains which had previously been thought to be the tallest mountains east of the Rockies. By this time locals were already referring to the peak as Mount Mitchell.[19] Mitchell was able to determine the height of the peaks by making multiple barometric observations in a short time frame. He established Morganton as a base station and had someone take barometric readings there while he took readings from the mountain summits and the same time. Using complex formulas he was able to calculate the heights of the mountaintops from the differences in barometric readings. Mitchell’s final determination of the peak was 6,672 feet, only twelve feet under the modern calculation.[20]

However, everyone was not satisfied with his calculations. In the 1850s controversy over which peak in the Black Mountain range arose between Mitchell and one of his former students and U.S. Senator, Thomas Clingman. Clingman claimed the elevation of the highest peak was 6,941 feet and claimed that Mitchell had not measured the tallest peak. In 1857, Mitchell returned to the Black Mountains in an attempt to verify his calculations.[21] On June 27, 1857 Mitchell set off on foot to contact some of his former guides but never returned. After no sign of Mitchell for a week, search parties were formed. After a couple of days, footprints were found near a creek and waterfall where Mitchell’s body was found in a pool of water below. It was determined that he had slipped and fallen, was knocked unconscious and drowned in the pool below.[22] Although Mitchell was first buried at a Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, after a year his body was moved and he is now buried atop the peak that is named after him, Mount Mitchell. His family and the people of North Carolina as a whole found the mountain to be a more fitting resting place for Elisha Mitchell. “In view of the fact, that he was the first to visit those mountains and to make known their superior height to any east of the Rocky Mountains, and that he spent a great portion of his time, and finally lost his life in exploring them, we think it will be admitted that no more fitting testimony of esteem could be offered his memory, and no more fitting spot found whereon to erect it.”[23]

Falls near Mount Mitchell, courtesy of the North Carolina County Photographic Collection

[24]

Mount Mitchell State Park elevation sign as it appears today

[25]

Remembering Elisha Mitchell

Elisha Mitchell grave site, courtesy of Wilson Library’s Portrait Collection

In 1881-1882, the U.S. Geological Survey upheld Mitchell’s measurements of the highest peak in the Black Mountains and officially named it after him.[26] In 1915 a bill was introduced to the North Carolina state legislature that established Mount Mitchell as the first state park. The modern calculation of Mount Mitchell is 6,684, only twelve feet higher than Mitchell’s calculated height.[27] Mount Mitchell remains the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.[28] On September 28, 1928, seventy years after Mitchell’s remains had been reburied atop the mountain named after him, a memorial plaque was dedicated to Elisha Mitchell at the mountain’s peak. Today his grave and the overlook are part of Mount Mitchell State Park.[29]

[30]

Elisha Mitchell grave inscription, courtesy of the North Carolina County Photographic Collection

[31]

Josephus Daniels at Elisha Mitchell’s grave

[32]

Elisha Mitchell is mostly remembered for all of the hard work and many years that he dedicated to his geological research, and for the identification of Mount Mitchell as the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River. There is no doubt that Mitchell was a good scientist who cared a great deal about his work. He dedicated his life to making new scientific discoveries and died while attempting to carry out his last geological survey. Mitchell did a lot of work while he was a professor at UNC to help establish the sciences as more important and enjoyable subjects. He was successful in doing so, because his students reportedly found him to be a challenging and witty professor and most enjoyed the courses he taught.[33]

The scientific work that Mitchell did was very beneficial and should be remembered as such. However, there are some parts of Mitchell’s life that often aren’t remembered or talked about. Although many of his beliefs can be considered progressive for the time, he was also a big supporter of slavery despite the fact that he was from the north. He bought many slaves after moving to North Carolina and was known to preach sermons in support of slavery.[34] In relation to today and there being so many arguments concerning the role of slavery in the creation of this institution and the role that racism has played throughout the university’s history, one can’t help but to wonder when Elisha Mitchell will become part of the conversation. The Daily Tar Heel has already made mention of Elisha Mitchell in relation to this debate. The article mentions that fact that he was a prominent slaveholder and also acknowledges the book he wrote defending slavery. It also makes sure to note that Mitchell actually believed that slavery was beneficial to black people.[35] Some may claim that he was just a man of his time, someone that was convinced to support slavery once moving to the south. This may be true since Mitchell was not the only northerner than acquired slaves upon arriving in Chapel Hill.[36] Either way, it’s a conversation that will most likely happen in the near future.

Mitchell Hall

Beginning construction of Mitchell Hall, courtesy of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Image Collection

[37]

Mitchell Hall as it appears today

[38]

Mitchell Hall was constructed in 1964. This building is located at 104 South Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 and has always served as an academic building on UNC’s campus.[39] Since completion, the building has always served as home for the geology department, it includes many things necessary for an academic science building – faculty offices, classrooms and teaching labs, and proper research equipment. This building was first constructed to fill the need on campus of a building that could be dedicated to the study of geology and would provide students and faculty with the proper equipment and materials to perform geological research.[40]

Mitchell Hall is named for Elisha Mitchell because of his dedication to teaching and researching in the field of geology. However, who exactly decided to name this building for Elisha Mitchell remains a mystery. Most likely there was some sort of a committee that voted on the building being named after Mitchell. The records of pre-construction correspondence jump from heading each letter requesting funds or services as “Geology Building” or something similar on April 14, 1960 and earlier, to heading the letters as “Elisha Mitchell Building” on and after April 20, 1960 which no explanation of the change. Some letters following this change refer to the building as “Elisha Mitchell Building (formerly Geology Building)”, but there is still no indication of when the decision to name the building for Elisha Mitchell occurred. There is one letter among the others from February 28, 1961 that simply has “University of North Carolina – Geology Building” as its subject instead of the now usual, “Elisha Mitchell Building”. There are a couple more letters with similar subjects also from 1961. However, by May of 1961 the letters appear to be pretty consistently referring to the project as something along the lines of, “University of North Carolina Geology and Geography Building (Elisha Mitchell Building)” or simply “Elisha Mitchell Building”.[41] Could this change in name of reference to the building indicate some debate over who to name it after? Or was it simply error considering the construction process hadn’t actually started yet? Whichever the case, it seems that Elisha Mitchell was chosen as the building’s namesake relatively early and his name has remained constant throughout time with little to no protests against it from the vast majority of the general public.

The creation of Mitchell Hall gave the students and faculty of UNC-Chapel Hill the classrooms and laboratory facilities needed to conduct geological and other scientific research. Mitchell Hall provided the campus with a physical space to conduct scientific research which helped it to transition into the research university that it is today. With the sciences making up several of the top most popular majors among students, another space to conduct research and learn in a laboratory setting was much needed.[42] Today Mitchell Hall is equipped with many high-tech facilities to aid in geological and scientific research. There is a Benzene synthesis and Carbon-14 laboratory that allows students to perform Carbon-14 dating. There is a Deltech gas mixing furnace and a microscope heater stage in the experimental petrology lab for magma analog experiments. The geochronology and isotope geochemistry lab is a fully functional geochemistry lab, complete with a mass spectrometer and vent-hood workstations, also the entire 3-room facility is pressurized and contains a Mili-Q water purification system. This lab is regularly used by the university along with other local, national and international researchers. The paleoclimate and paleoecology lab facilities are up to date with scientific sedimentology equipment. There is a scanning electron microscope used to analyze samples. There is an X-ray diffractometer used to analyze a variety of crystalline materials. There is also a wave propagation laboratory. In addition to all of the technologically advanced laboratories, Mitchell Hall is also home to many standard classrooms where a variety of subjects are taught to students every day.[43]

Conclusion

Elisha Mitchell dedicated his life to the field of science. He worked tirelessly to make geological advances and to create a classroom environment that would be more beneficial and enjoyable for his students. The work he did is evident when you set foot inside of Mitchell Hall today. The hallways of the building are filled with cases of rocks and their descriptions, the photographs hanging from the walls depict geology as more of an art than simply a science. The interior of the building is aesthetically pleasing and gives students a comfortable place to expand their knowledge. I think Elisha Mitchell would be proud of how far the department he helped to establish has come, and I think he would be glad to have the geological science’s home be in a building named for him.

 

Sources:

[1] Otey, James Hervey, David Lowry Swain, Charles  Philips, and James M.  Henderson. 1858. A Memoir of the Rev. Elisha Mitchell … : Together with the Tributes of Respect to His Memory, by Various Public Meetings and Literary Associations, and the Addresses Delivered at the Re-Interment of His Remains. Chapel Hill, NC: J. M. Henderson. Page 2.

[2] Wilson Library – Portrait Collection, circa 1720-1997. Folder 2345: Mitchell, Elisha (1793-1857): Scan 1. Filename: P0002_2345_15823.tif.

[3] Otey, Page 2.

[4] “Mitchell, Elisha.” In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1979–1996. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mitchell-elisha-0.

[5] Ibid

[6] “Elisha P. Mitchell (1793-1857) and Mitchell Hall.” The Carolina Story: A Virtual Museum of University History . Accessed 9-2-17. https://museum.unc.edu/exhibits/show/names/mitchell-hall.

[7] “Mitchell, Elisha.” In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1979–1996. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mitchell-elisha-0.

[8] “Elisha Mitchell’s Leadership on Campus.” The Carolina Story: A Virtual Museum of University History. Accessed 10-20-17. https://museum.unc.edu/exhibits/show/antebellum/mitchell-s-watch-found-in-his-.

[9] “Mitchell, Elisha.” In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1979–1996. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mitchell-elisha-0.

[10] Mitchell, Elisha. 1848. The Other Leaf of the Book of Nature and the Word of God. Chapel Hill, NC: [s.l. : s.n.]. Page 43.

[11] “William Gaston and Elisha Mitchell.” Slavery and the Making of the University. Accessed 11-5-17. https://exhibits.lib.unc.edu/exhibits/show/slavery/writings_speeches/gaston_mitchell.

[12] Mitchell, Page 42.

[13] “Elisha Mitchell.” The Carolina Story: A Virtual Museum of University History. Accessed 11-5-17. https://museum.unc.edu/exhibits/show/slavery/elisha-mitchell–1793-1857-.

[14] Mitchell, Page 39.

[15] “Mitchell, Elisha.” In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1979–1996. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mitchell-elisha-0.

[16] Wilson Library, North Carolina County Photographic Collection, circa 1850-2000. Folder 0896: Mitchell County: Landscapes: Mount Mitchell: Scan 1. Filename: P0001_0896_30985.tif

[17] “Rev. Elisha Mitchell, D.D.” The Historical Marker Database. Accessed 11-4-17. https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=11063.

[18] “Mount Mitchell State Park: History.” North Carolina State Parks. Accessed 11-3-17. https://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park/history.

[19] “Rev. Elisha Mitchell, D.D.” The Historical Marker Database. Accessed 11-4-17. https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=11063.

[20] Mewborn, Suzzane. “Elisha Mitchell and His Mountain.” Learn NC: North Carolina Digital History, 2006. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/4391.

[21] “Mount Mitchell State Park: History.” North Carolina State Parks. Accessed 11-3-17. https://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park/history.

[22] Mewborn, Suzzane. “Elisha Mitchell and His Mountain.” Learn NC: North Carolina Digital History, 2006. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/4391.

[23] Otey, Page 45.

[24] Wilson Library, North Carolina County Photographic Collection, circa 1850-2000. Folder 1565: Yancey County: Mount Mitchell, circa 1857-1858: Scan 7. Filename: P0001_1565_x549.tif

[25] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_Mitchell_sign.jpg.

[26] Mewborn, Suzzane. “Elisha Mitchell and His Mountain.” Learn NC: North Carolina Digital History, 2006. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/4391.

[27] “Mount Mitchell State Park: History.” North Carolina State Parks. Accessed 11-3-17. https://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park/history.

[28] Mewborn, Suzzane. “Elisha Mitchell and His Mountain.” Learn NC: North Carolina Digital History, 2006. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/4391.

[29] Lewis, Jamie. “Mt. Mitchell, Where Mystery, Intrigue, and Forest History Meet!” Peeling Back the Bark, 10-16-12. https://fhsarchives.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/mt-mitchell-where-mystery-intrigue-and-forest-history-meet/.

[30] Wilson Library – Portrait Collection, circa 1720-1997. Folder 2347: Mitchell, Elisha (1793-1857): Scan 2. Filename: P0002_2347_10041.tif

[31] Wilson Library, North Carolina County Photographic Collection, circa 1850-2000. Folder 1568: Yancey County: Mount Mitchell, circa 1920s: Scan 1. Filename: P0001_1568_10768.tif

[32] Lewis, Jamie. “Mt. Mitchell, Where Mystery, Intrigue, and Forest History Meet!” Peeling Back the Bark, 10-16-12. https://fhsarchives.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/mt-mitchell-where-mystery-intrigue-and-forest-history-meet/.

[33] “Mitchell, Elisha.” In Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1979–1996. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mitchell-elisha-0.

[34] Ibid

[35] Lockwood, Daniel. “Evidence of Institutional Racism at UNC.” The Daily Tar Heel, 2-20-15. http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2015/02/evidence-of-institutional-racism-at-unc.

[36] “Slaves of Faculty and Townspeople.” Slavery and the Making of the University. Accessed 11-10-17. https://exhibits.lib.unc.edu/exhibits/show/slavery/faculty_townspeople.

[37] Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Image Collection, 1799-1999. Folder 0363: Mitchell Hall: Construction, circa 1964: Scan 1. Filename: P0004_0363_30903.tif

[38] “Plan Room – Mitchell Hall (029).” Facilities Services: Engineering Information Services, Plan Room. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Accessed 10-8-17. https://planroom.unc.edu/FacilityInfo.aspx?facilityID=029.

[39] Ibid

[40] Wilson Library – Southern Historical Collection, Records of the Construction Administration Dept., 1946-1992 (bulk 1970-1987). Box 2:3:32. Folder 1. Geology Building – Elisha Mitchell (Pre-Construction).

[41] Ibid

[42] “Quick Facts and Applying to Carolina.” UNC Admissions, n.d. https://admissions.unc.edu/files/2013/09/Applying-Fact-Sheet.pdf.

[43] “Facilities .” Geological Sciences – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , n.d. https://geosci.unc.edu/about/facilities/.