5 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Sek. 



In 1845, at the age of fifteen years, he entered Oxford 

 College, afterwards known as Miami University. Here he 

 had the usual studies of Latin and Greek, and mathematics. 

 Characteristically he applied himself devotedly to his books, 

 and became especially proficient in mathematics. He joined 

 a literary society, but as he had no idea of ever becoming a 

 public speaker, his activity was confined to written addresses 

 on literary subjects. He read indefatigably, especially history 

 and biography. He left the college because of the students' 

 "snowball rebellion" against the faculty, which rebellion vir- 

 tually caused the temporary ruin of the institution. 



From there he went to Center College, at Danville, Ken- 

 tucky, where he stayed during his junior year. He was not 

 satisfied with the educational advantages of the institution and 

 determined to go to Yale College, w^here he achieved the un- 

 usual distinction of gaining admittance to the senior class of 

 Yale from the junior class of a small western college; due 

 largely to his proficiency in mathematics and originality in 

 working out theorems and problems. In 1849 he graduated 

 from Yale College with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. 



He was now nineteen years of age. In the following year 

 he began reading law in the office of Charles Fox, at Cin- 

 cinnati, and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1852. 



He had now earned and won a good education and admis- 

 sion to the profession of the law. He was in his twenty-third 

 year, in perfect health, with an upright and incorruptible 

 character, a widely varied and valuable experience, and a 

 trained and industrious mind. For several years he practiced 

 law at Hamilton, Ohio, but the life became irksome to him. 

 His father, and all of his ancestors, were pioneers, and the 

 call of his inheritance was strong in his veins. His brother 

 John had come to California in 1849, and Theodore could not 

 longer resist the lure of the Golden West. On October 5, 

 1855, he came from New York to San Francisco by way of 

 the Isthmus of Panama. Thus, in her early history, did Cali- 

 fornia feverishly dig her gold, which was her supposed only 

 treasure, and send it to the East, to be rewarded by the return 

 of far more priceless treasures — resolute, virile citizens. 



Upon reaching San Francisco, Mr. Hittell plunged into the 

 life of one of the strangest, busiest and most romantic cities 



