76 The American Geol. ogist 3 February, 1892 
tled at Dorchester, Mass., in 1634, and removed with the first 
settlers to Windsor, Conn., in 1635.* His father died in 1873, 
at Lakeville, (t., at the age of 77 years. His mother still lives, 
at Lynn, Mass., with her daughter, at the age of 85. Some of 
the dominant traits of Alexander's mental, as well as physical 
constitution were derived from his mother. 
1824. He was the first-born, and under his father’s fond tuition 
he received not only the first elements of his education but the 
earliest impressions of honorable striving and achievement. His 
father and mother had both been teachers in the public schools of 
the town, and Alexander's training profited by that experience. 
On the day that he was seven years old he recited, without mis- 
take, the entire ‘‘Multiplication Table” to twelves, and had com- 
pleted Emerson's First Part of mental Arithmetic. When three 
months past ten he had been through W///ett's Arithmetic (similar 
to Daboll’s) and had transcribed all the definitions, rules, prob- 
lems, and full solutions in a manuscript book, which is still ex- 
tant among his papers. This early bent for mathematics re- 
mained through his entire life, and gave shape to numerous 
discussions and arguments. 
1838. He was at first destined for the profession of medicine, 
and spent two years with a great uncle, Dr. Charles McAllister, 
in South Lee, Mass., attending the ‘Stockbridge Academy” in 
the summer and the village school during the winter. The Latin 
which he had begun with his father in 1837, was here resumed. 
In 1840, being still too young to begin the study of medicine, he 
visited his parents, intending to remain a year. Having one day 
expressed to his father a desire to teach, though not yet 16 years 
of age, his father immediately responded that he would obtain a 
position for him, and a district school was engaged, which he taught 
during the winter of 1840-41, his patrons supposing him to be a 
young man of 21. Here one of his amusements was the collection 
and solution of arithmetical problems. He began here the practice, 
continued ever afterward, of putting on record the results of his read - 
ing and study. He had already filled two volumes with arithmetical 
solutions and rules. Here also he began the keeping of a diary,and 
a strict account of expenditures, forming a habit which he never 
lost, and which furnishes the materials for this personal sketch. 
*Genealogy of the Family of Winchell in America, embracing the 
etymology and history of the name. Alexander Winchell, 1869. 
Ts 
