Elisha Mitchell was born on August 19, 1793, in Washington, CT. He was the son of Abner and Phoebe Elliot Mitchell and a descendent of Matthew Elliot, an immigrant from Yorkshire, England. Mitchell graduated from and taught at Yale University for a period of time. He was also the principal at Union Hall Academy in Jamaica, Long Island for a period of time. Mitchell was licensed to preach by the Congregationalist Association of New Haven County, Connecticut.

The Rev. Sereno E. Dwight, whose father was chaplain of the US Senate, recommended Elisha Mitchell for a teaching position at UNC–Chapel Hill. Mitchell came to NC in 1818 to teach mathematics and natural philosophy, which at that time included botany, zoology and physical science. Mitchell’s old classmate at Yale, Denison Omstead was at Chapel Hill at the same time, teaching chemistry and geology. Omstead decided to return to Yale in 1825, and Mitchell took over for him and taught his classes. Mitchell taught at UNC for the next 32 years.

Elisha Mitchell was ordained by the Presbytery of Orange in Hillsborough. He combined preaching with education and scientific interest the remainder of his life. Mitchell was known as a witty and challenging lecturer at Chapel Hill. In addition to teaching, he officiated at Chapel Hill services, both on week nights and Sundays. Mitchell also served as bursar and accountant for the university. Mitchell acted in place of university President David Swain when Swain was away from the university. He worked to increase the variety of flowers, shrubs and trees on the college campus.

Governor William Brown appointed Mitchell to survey a turnpike from Raleigh to Asheville. Mitchell reported in 1846 that such a turnpike was necessary to promote trade and travel and to connect the western section of the state. He was a supporter of the temperance movement and society. Mitchell deplored the isolation in which the mountain people lived.

Elisha Mitchell is best known for his measurement of the Black Mountain of the Blue Ridge. He measured the mountain in 1835 and 1838. Mitchell showed it to be the highest mountain peak in the area and proved it to be 250 feet higher than Mount Washington in New Hampshire. In 1855, Thomas Clingman claimed that the mountain known as Clingman’s Dome was higher than Black Mountain. Mitchell returned to Black Mountain in 1857 in an attempt to prove Clingman wrong. On June 27, leaving his son and guides behind, Mitchell started out alone to measure the mountain peak. He got caught in a thunderstorm and fell down a waterfall and drowned in the pool below. Mitchell was first buried in Asheville on July 10, 1857. He was reburied on top of Mount Mitchell, which was named after him on June 16, 1858. The US geological survey upheld Mitchell’s measurement of the peak on Black Mountain in 1881/1882 and officially named it Mount Mitchell.

Elisha Mitchell married Maria Sybil North of New London, Connecticut. They had seven children: Mary Phoebe, who married Leland J. Ashe; Ellen Hannah, who married Dr. Joseph Summerelle; Margaret Elliot; Mathew Henry, who died as an infant; Eliza, who married Richard S. Grant; Charles Andrew; and Henry Elliot, who died in infancy.

Bruce Whitaker documents Fairview-area genealogy. To get in touch with him, contact the Crier at [email protected] or 828-771-6983 (call/text).