Scientist; born in North Stratford, Conn., Aug. 8, 1779; graduated at Yale College in 1796, and was a tutor there from 1799 to 1804; studied law and was admitted to practice in 1802, but in that year was appointed
Professor of Chemistry and Natural History in Yale.
After studying these branches with
Dr. Woodhouse for two years, he gave, in the winter of 1804-5, his first
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full course of lectures, and soon afterwards went to
England, visiting the mining districts there and attending lectures in
London and
Edinburgh.
He also visited
Holland, and published an account of his
European experiences.
He made a partial geological survey of
Connecticut after his return, which is believed to be the first of such explorations made in the
United States.
In 1813 he published an account of his experiments with the oxyhydrogen blow-pipe of
Dr. Hare, by which he (
Silliman) had greatly extended the list of bodies known to be fusible.
He founded the
American journal of Science and art in 1810, of which for twenty-eight years he was an editor, and twenty years of that time sole editor.
His son,
Benjamin Silliman, Jr., became associate editor in 1838, and in 1846 the editorship was transferred to
Prof. James D. Dana and
Benjamin Silliman, Jr. Besides giving lectures on chemistry and geology in most of the large cities of the
Union,
Professor Silliman published scientific essays, a text-book on chemistry, and books of travel.
In 1820 his
Account of a journey between Hartford and Quebec attracted much attention.
In 1853 he resigned his professorship in
Yale and was made professor emeritus.
He died in New Haven, Nov. 24, 1864.
Chemist; born in
New Haven, Conn., Dec. 4, 1816; son of the preceding; graduated at Yale College in 1837.
From 1838 to 1847 he was instructor in that institution in chemistry, mineralogy, and geology.
In 1846 he was appointed
Professor of Chemistry, applied to the arts, in the scientific school of the college.
For about five years (1849-54) he was
Professor of Medical Chemistry and Toxicology in the
University of
Louisville, Ky. In 1854 he succeeded his father in the chair of Chemistry at Yale.
The younger
Silliman bore well the mantle of his father in all departments of learning.
He died in
New Haven, Conn., Jan. 14, 1885.
