108 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



you and bless you, and return you in safety to your friends 

 and beloved home. 



Yours, as ever, 



J. DAT. 



Shortly after Professor Silliman's return from 

 Europe, he was married to Mrs. Sarah Isabella 

 Webb, of Woodstock, Connecticut, daughter of John 

 McClellan, Esq., and a relative of his first wife, Mrs. 

 Webb's grandmother having been a daughter of the 

 first Governor Trurnbull. The lady to whom he was 

 thus united had been connected, as well by long 

 friendship as by ties of blood, with his family. It is 

 sufficient to say that her society and her assiduous 

 care were the principal source of his comfort and 

 happiness in the closing years of his life. 



One of the oldest and most respected of Professor 

 Silliman's friends was Dr. John Griscom, distin 

 guished alike for his scientific merits, and for his 

 philanthropy. He was Professor Silliman's senior 

 by several years. For a long period he lent his aid, 

 in the way of scientific contributions, to the " Journal 

 of Science." He and the venerable Professor Chester 

 Devvey, who still survives, were active coadjutors of 

 Professor Silliman, when in this country the science 

 which they cultivated in common was still in its 

 infancy. Dr. Griscom was a member of the Society 

 of Friends. He died just one month after the last 

 *of the following letters was written : 



TO DR. JOHN GRISCOM.* 



NEW HAVEN, January 15, 1850. 



MY DEAR OLD FRIEND, Old we both are in years, for 

 I too have passed the solemn boundary of threescore and 



* This letter was written before the death of Mrs. Silliman; the letter 

 which follows, after the author's second marriage. F. 



