Thomas Corwin Mendenhall

Thomas Corwin Mendenhall
Thomas Corwin Mendenhall
Born	October 4, 1841 Hanoverton, Ohio, USA
Died	March 28, 1924(1924-03-28) (aged 82) Ravenna, Ohio, USA
Nationality	US
Fields	gravity physics seismology meteorology
Alma mater	Ohio State University
Known for	gravity physics
Influences	Augustus De Morgan
Influenced	Yamakawa Kenjirō Tanakadate Aikitsu
Notable awards	Cullum Geographical Medal (1901) Franklin Medal (1918) Order Of The Sacred Treasure(Japan) (1911)

Thomas Corwin Mendenhall (October 4, 1841 – March 23, 1924) was an American autodidact physicist and meteorologist. Alongside his work, he was also an advocate for the adoption of the metric system by the United States.

Mendenhall was born in Hanoverton, Ohio to Stephen Mendenhall, a farmer and carriage-maker, and Mary Thomas. In 1852 the family moved to Marlboro, Ohio a Quaker community outside of Akron, Ohio. His parents were strong Abolitionists and frequently opened their home to escaped slaves heading north along the Underground Railroad. Mendenhall became principal of the local primary school in 1858. He formalized his teaching qualifications at National Normal University in 1861 with an Instructor Normalis degree.

While living in Columbus, Ohio he married Susan Allan Marple in 1870. The couple had one child, Charles Elwood Mendenhall(1872-1935), teacher and chairman of the Physics Department at University of Wisconsin-Madison for 34 years.

He taught at a number of schools in Ohio including Central High School (Columbus, Ohio) gaining an impressive reputation as a teacher and educator until 1873 when, although lacking conventional academic credentials, he was appointed professor of physics and mechanics at the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. The College ultimately became Ohio State University, Mendenhall being the first member of the original faculty. He was later awarded the first ever Honorary Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1878.