Benjamin Silliman



Benjamin Silliman (Born::August 8, 1779 – Died::November 24, 1864) was an American chemist and the first scientist to distill petroleum.

Biography
Benjamin Silliman was born in North Stratford, Connecticut. He was a son of General Gold Selleck Silliman. Benjamin Silliman was a great geologist, chemist, and physician. He went to Yale University and received many degrees: A.B. (Artium Baccalaureus is same as Bachelor of Arts) degree in 1796 and A.M. (Artium Magister is same as Master of Arts.) in 1799. After Benjamin graduated Yale, he tutored at Yale and was appointed by the President Timothy Dwight IV of Yale, and he studied chemistry with a professor James Woodhouse for Chemistry and Natural History. Being a great scientist, Benjamin Silliman had a strong belief on right action. He stood against slavery as Abraham Lincoln, and he was a supporter of Abraham Lincoln. He married with Harriet Trumbull and they had four children. One of his children is Benjamin Silliman Jr., who is a great scientist as his father. Benjamin Silliman remarried with Sarah Isabella. He died at New Haven in 1864. 

As a Scientist
He was a great geologist, chemist, and physician. The reason of the great geologist and chemist is that he is an establisher of “American Journal of Science,” which is well known and powerful worldwide. Not only being the establisher of "American Journal of Science", he was the member of two associations; American Association for the Advancement of Science and National Academy of Sciences. After he graduated Yale, after 1796, he became a tutor. He taught Chemistry and Natural History, the Law, and Chemistry at Yale. After he studied the Law with Simeon Baldwin from1798 to 1799, he became the tutor from 1799 to 1802. Benjamin Sillimon was appointed by the President Timothy Dwight IV of Yale, and he studied chemistry with a professor James Woodhouse for Chemistry and Natural History. Benjamin tutored at Yale University, and he influenced a lot at Yale. Because Benjamin was great influence in science field as the chemist, geologist, and physician, Yale University honored him; the university placed Benjamin's statue on Science Hill. Silliman published a research about the oil. His research on the oil established the significance of the oil industry in America. "Sillimanite" is a type of the mineral and it was names after him. 

As a Creationist


Benjamin Silliman was the scientist, but also he was a creationist. He believed God and he showed up as the creationist with his research, his belief, and his actions. Silliman said, "The Word and the works of God cannot conflict, and the more they are studied the more perfect will their harmony appear." Also he said, " And now, my Heavenly Father, I implore Thy blessing upon my dear children and their children, and upon the faithful and devoted companion whom Thou hast in mercy given me." The Protestant founded the university, Silliman University, and the university has a church at the campus; he lectured at Yale about the prayer. While he was attending Edinburgh University, he met Robert Darwin, who was a father of Charles Darwin, and Robert Jamson, who as a geologist. Silliman was influenced by Robert Darwin and Robert Jameson. Actually, Silliman was influenced by "concordist" about Genesis and geology. He wrote lots of the appendixes, and from the appendixes he argued about "six days" from the Bible and age of the Earth. Silliman was an Old-Earth Creationist, as opposed to many modern creationists who argue that the Earth is young. With geology, he tried to discover and find the evidences of God, because of it he wrote lots of the appendixes. There are many volumes of appendixes, and still they are available.

The Opponent of Slavery
Benjamin Silliman was against slavery, even though his family had slaves; Benjamin's mother, Mary, sold some of slaves for Benjamin and his brother to pay tutition to go to Yale. The Sillmans had seven slaves at their house, and they sold the slaves to their neighbour to make a profit. While the slaves from his family were freed to go with the statutory slave, Silliman grew opposed to slavery. (Silliman owned the slaves, while he was growing he changed his position.) With the opposition of the slavery, he became an advocate on abolition of the slavery. After he became the opponent of the slavery, and he became an officer of "American Colonization Society," which was an association to send the slaves back to their country: Africa. In 1832, Benjamin preached at center church in Green, New Haven about the slavery. He became the supporter of the anti-slavery and Abraham Lincoln.

Silliman University


Silliman University, Silliman Institute, was established in August 28, 1901. It was the oldest university in Asia; it was the first university in Asia. The school is located in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines. The Silliman University was organized by the Protestants and the Protestant church. (The Protestant missionaries from the United States went to Philippines, and they established Silliman University.) Because the Protestant established it, the University has a church on the campus.