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The Autobiography of William Mitchell Written in his 77th Year As one of the outstanding citizens of Nantucket, William Mit chell was a teacher, business man and scientist, who was suc cessful in all three fields. As the father of famous woman astronomer, Maria Mitchell, he was her first teacher, and, upon retirement, he spent his last years in her home. The manuscript was written in his 77th year, and is in the possession of the Maria Mitchell Association. This organization has given permission for its use in the issues of Historic Nantucket. It is the form of a reminiscence addressed to his daughter, Phebe Mitchell. (Continued from our January issue)
The Grammar School consisted of 202 scholars and I taught it with reasonable success for two years. But I was not satisfied with serving a committee; besides, the task of governing and instructing so large a school proved too much for me. I then built a school house in Howard Street* and opened a select school for 50 scholars, half of each sex. I have always looked back on this school with satisfaction. Punishment of any kind was almost unknown. We met together as common friends and for mutual improvement. After about three years, a circumstance occurred entirely beyond my control and with which I had nothing to do except as a sufferer, reduced it to about one third of its original number, at a time too when my family was largest and most expensive. As if designed by a good Providence, the secretariship of the Phenix Insurance company became vacant and I received the appoint ment. The salary of this position was scarcely sufficient for the maintenance of my large family. Indeed, pecuniarily, my whole life has been a struggle, subjecting thy patient mother to such endurance. The office of Treasurer of the Savings Bank, instituted about this time, was without salary in its early days. I continued in the position till the 2nd mo. 1837, when I was chosen cashier of the Pacific Bank, with no increase of salary except the use of the dwelling house. This posi tion, as well as that of the Treasurer-ship of the Savings Bank, I held till the 4th of 10 mo. 1861 — 24 years — when I left the island without an un paid debt outside of my own family. When learning my trade, the troubles of the country in reference to our relations with England and France became serious, and politics was the theme in all gatherings and every man was a politician. The subject being so frequently discussed ir. our shop, I became infected by it and was recognized by my young friends as a thorough Jeffersonian, a political bias which grew with my growth for some years. • Now the Library of the Maria Mitchell Association.
