DENISON OLMSTED. 



1791-1859. 



PROF. OLMSTED, the 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 circumstances mentioned in this sentence called him to be 

 a teacher, whatever lines of work he may have planned to pur- 

 sue. Although 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 achieve- 

 ments in independent 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 descended 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 Deni- 

 son Kingsbury, of Andover, Conn., from whom he seems to 

 have received his Christian 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 distinguished 

 throughout his life. 



The neighbourhood school was not all that was desired, 

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



250 



