SKETCH OF DEN I SON OLMSTED. 401 



SKETCH OF DENISON OLMSTED. 



PROF. OLMSTED, tlie American Journal of Science said, in 

 its obituary notice of him, " regarded his most appropriate 

 sphere of effort, in the circumstances in which he was placed, not 

 so much to cultivate science as to teach and diffuse it." The cir- 

 cumstances mentioned in this sentence called him to be a teacher, 

 whatever lines of work he may have planned to pursue. Al- 

 though his mind at different times in his life turned to other 

 occupations and he began to prepare for them, he was as often 

 called back to teaching by agencies outside of himself. He was 

 a successful and superior teacher. But his achievements in inde- 

 pendent and original research, for which he seemed to have a 

 natural taste, were not few nor insignificant ; and we can not 

 doubt that, if he had been permitted to devote himself to that 

 line, he might have arrived at great distinction in it. 



Denison Olmsted was born in East Hartford, Conn., June 18, 

 1791, and died in New Haven May 13, 1859. His father was de- 

 scended from James Olmsted, one of the first settlers of the colony 

 of Connecticut, who died about four years after Hartford was 

 founded. His mother was a daughter of Denison Kingsbury, of 

 Andover, Conn., from whom he seems to have received his Chris- 

 tian name. His father was a farmer in moderate circumstances. 

 He died when the son was a year old, and the care of the boy's 

 education devolved upon his mother, who is highly spoken of as 

 having been a lady of native strength of mind, sound judgment, 

 and uncommon piety and benevolence. He was early trained to 

 habits of order, diligence, and perseverance, for which he was dis- 

 tinguished throughout his life. 



The neighborhood school was not all that was desired, and 

 Mrs. Olmsted, in order to give her son better facilities for in- 

 struction, obtained a place for him, when he was about twelve 

 years old, in the family of Governor Treadwell, as a chore boy, 

 with the understanding that he should attend the district school. 

 He was, according to the Rev. Dr. Porter, of Farmington, Conn., 

 a very lovely, intelligent boy, and soon engaged the affections of 

 the family. Governor Treadwell became interested in him, and 

 took pains to help him along in his studies. Only reading, spell- 

 ing, and writing were taught in the school. A proposition of 

 Governor Treadwell to teach him arithmetic was readily ac- 

 cepted, and the boy made good progress under this sympathetic 

 attention. Young Olmsted was put into a country store at Farm- 

 ington, in which Governor Treadwell's son was a partner, and 

 then at Burlington, where he had the same employer. When six- 

 teen years old he became desirous of obtaining a liberal educa- 



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