WILLIAM WILLIAMS MATHER. 



403 



follow his trade, and kept a temperance hotel, also giving 

 considerable attention to the improvement of worn-out lands. 

 His son William W. was born in Brooklyn on May 24, 1804. 



The Hon. Ivers J. Austin, who wrote the memorial sketch 

 of William Mather for the New England Historic Genealogical 

 Society,* was unable to find any information concerning Wil- 

 liam's childhood and very little in regard to his early youth. 

 While still in his teens William formed the purpose of becom- 

 ing a physician, and went to Providence, R. I., to take up 

 medical studies. There he became much interested in chem- 

 istry, and on the occasion of a visit home he brought with 

 him an elaborate piece of chemical apparatus, the cost of 

 which rather astonished and displeased his father. But he so 

 amused and instructed his family by his chemical experiments 

 and explanations that his father became entirely reconciled to 

 this outlay. In 1822 the young man applied for a warrant as 

 a cadet at West Point, which he obtained in the following 

 year. For this appointment he had recommendations of the 

 highest character. Twelve well-known men, living in seven 

 towns, certified to his ability and worth. The chief judge of 

 Windham County, wrote : " He is about eighteen years of age, 

 possessed of much more than common talents and literature. 

 He understands the Latin language, and some of the higher 

 branches of mathematical science, which he acquires with 

 much facility. His moral character is, I think, very fair and 

 unexceptionable." 



He entered the academy in the summer of 1823, and, in 

 common with eight or nine other members of his class, spent 

 one year more than the usual period there, being graduated 

 in 1828. Young Mather was proficient in chemical analysis, 

 especially of ores and minerals, before going to West Point, 

 and in 1826, when Webster's Chemistry was passing through 

 the press, the proof-sheets of a part if not of the whole of the 

 work were sent to him by the author for suggestions and cor- 

 rections. These were furnished by him and were adopted, but 

 Mather's name was not mentioned in the preface of the book 

 among those who had contributed to it, and he expressed to 

 his classmate and memoirist, Austin, his disappointment at the 



* It is from this memorial that most of the facts in the present article are 

 derived. 



