SAMUEL MITCHILL AND THE MODEL FOR LIBERTY

In December 1802, the "living encyclopedia" Samuel Latham Mitchill (1764–1831), was a freshman member of Congress residing in the new capital of Washington. Mitchill wrote a letter to his wife Catharine (née Akerly 1778–1864) back home in New York. Samuel and Catharine were still newlyweds, having been married in 1799 when Mitchill was teaching chemistry, botany, and natural history at Columbia College.

Mitchill, born in Hempstead, New York, graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School in 1786. An admired and enthusiastic know-it-all, Mitchill loved to pontificate on anything and everything. Familiarly known as Dr. Mitchill, he was a "chaos of knowledge," and to Thomas Jefferson he was the "Congressional Dictionary." Throughout his life, the national press considered Mitchill an authority whenever there was a question of science or natural history.

Mitchill wrote to Catharine that he had "an Anecdote to give" and then went on to describe a rumor he had heard about the identity of the model for Liberty on United States coins, the "effigy of this coy wood-Nymph" seen on "our Cents, Eagles, &c." He said the "Chief Engraver of the Mint, looked to his own Wife" and "made Copy from that Original." Since "Her face appeared to him beautiful enough to furnish a Model for ‘Liberty.'" Mitchill concluded, "They say she is well known in Philadelphia, tho I have never seen her."

Mitchill may be an untapped source of numismatic learning, as, besides this 1802 letter, I have recently uncovered another intriguing statement linked to him (more to come later!). Since the Newman Numismatic Portal has been unavailable, I consulted Joel Orosz (who is the next best thing) to ask what he knew of Mitchill. In the words of Joel, "Samuel Latham Mitchill is a big name—one of the foremost scientists in the young republic. His Medical Repository published the first inventory of a significant American coin collection in 1801 (that of Rev. John Christopher Kunze)." Joel added, "It appears that SLM might have a lot to teach us about the cradle days of numismatics in the United States."

Joel's mention of Mitchill's Medical Repository steers us to another of Mitchill's eccentric claims to fame. Mere months after he wrote to Catharine about our fair Liberty, Mitchill was strenuously promoting his plan to rename the United States of America as "Fredon" or the poetic "Fredonia." Mitchill believed that "American" had been twisted into a pejorative by the British and that a native of this land should be able to proudly declare himself a Frede, "instead of using the tedious circumlocution that he was ‘a citizen of the United States of America.'" Not to mention that "notice will be taken of the association of Fredonia and Macedonia and Caledonia as a word equally potent and melodious in sound."

Needless to say, Mitchill's campaign was not successful. However, the dream of Fredon was popular enough that we can still find it memorialized today, such as by the Village of Fredonia in western New York.

As to his 1802 letter to his wife, it seems that Mitchill must be referring to US Mint Chief Engraver Robert Scot. However, I have found very little about Scot's wife (said to be Eunice Beal, 1751–1806). Perhaps, though, E-Sylum readers have some other thoughts about Mitchill's "Anecdote."

Some of Mitchill's letters have been scanned and transcribed at the University of Michigan, and this letter and others can be found here: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mitchill/

I have an Anecdote to give you concerning our American Coins. The law provides that an emblematical Figure of Liberty shall be impressed upon the Productions of the American Mint. In consequence of this you see our Cents, Eagles, &c, all bearing the effigy of this coy wood-Nymph. It has commonly happened that Sovereigns and Princes have caused their own likenesses to be stamped upon the money issued during their own Times. The jealous Republicanism of our Country has prevented the exhibition of the Presidents face upon these circulating peices of Metal, and to avoid flattering or complimenting any Individual in the Nation so much, has put the fancied likness of an allegorical King there. Now observe how this has operated. The face of Liberty was to be an human countenance. (These fictitious Personages are generally females.) And in determining what the profile of this Visage should be the cheif Engraver of the Mint, looked to his own Wife. Her face appeared to him beautiful enough to furnish a Model for "Liberty." He made Copy from that Original. And the Citizens of the U. S. who carefully prohibited the reproduction of the President's features on their Coins, have now the pleasure of beholding the fair and more engaging looks of the Engraver's Wife!

How do you like her? Did not her husband seize the opportunity of distinguishing her highly? They say she is well known in Philadelphia, tho I have never seen her.