Elisha Mitchell (1793-1857) was born in Washington, CT, the son
of Phoebe Eliot and Abner Mitchell, a farmer. He graduated from
Yale with Denison Olmsted in 1813 and subsequently taught at
Jamaica, NY, at New London, CT, and at Yale as a tutor before
becoming professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at the
University in November 1817. He was licensed to preach by the
Congregational Church and in 1821 was ordained a Presbyterian
minister. He married Maria Sybil North of New London, CT, in
November 1819; she was the daughter of a physician. The couple
had seven children: three sons—Henry Eliot Mitchell, Matthew
Henry (who died in infancy) and Charles Andrews; and four
daughters—Mary Phoebe (who married Richard J. Ashe), Ellen
Hannah (who married Joseph John Summerell), Margaret Eliot, and
Eliza North (who married Richard S. Grant). In 1825 Mitchell
succeeded Olmsted as professor of chemistry. Continuing a
geological survey of North Carolina begun by Olmsted, Mitchell
published several papers and pamphlet