Page 20

“J.F.G. Mittag was the first teacher…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 98.

The image of Mittag comes from American Phrenological Journal, unsigned (see “Sims had met Blair,” above), Vol. XXV, No. 6, June 1857, p. 121.

“Mittag spoke nine languages…”

This comes from an old book of history of Lancaster, South Carolina. I’ve lost the exact reference.

“…the sixteen sacred maxims…”

The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), July 16, 1882, p. 3.

“…a trained phrenologist…”

From the “John F.G. Mittag Chronology,” included in a collection of materials gathered by Lindsay Pettus in Lancaster, South Carolina, held at the archives of the Lancaster County Historical Society.

“…a licensed attorney…”

American Phrenological Journal, unsigned (see “Sims had met Blair,” above), Vol. XXV, No. 6, June 1857, p. 122.

“…a prolific portraitist.”

This is from an unpublished profile of Mittag, written by Louise Pettus, held at the archives of the Lancaster County Historical Society in Lancaster, South Carolina, p. 3.

One or two of Mittag’s portraits are held by the Frick collection in New York City.

“…a financial failure…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 98.

“…teaching at Sims’s school.”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 177.

“…Mittag’s classical intellect…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, pp. 98-99.

“…regarded as a coward…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 96.

“…what he should do with his life.”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 98.

“…he was afraid of manhood.”

Although this comes from slightly later in Sims’s autobiography, it seems natural that Sims would have trusted Mittag with his deepest anxieties, particularly when Mittag expressed doubts as to how masculinity was exhibited at the time.

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 118.

“…wanted him to be a lawyer…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 115.

“…the study of divinity.”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 114.

“…dabbled in everything.”

Mittag was a lifelong dreamer and tinkerer. These examples come from later in his lifetime, but in many cases he indicates that the ideas or concepts had been conceived of by him much earlier.

Railroad: Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, NC), June 25, 1880, first edition, p. 2

Selenium: News and Courier (Charleston, SC), August 19, 1881

Sound: Herand and Torch Light (Hagerstown, MD), May 28, 1879, p. 2

Flies: Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, NC), April 1, 1881, first edition, p. 2.

“True men of vision…”

See “…Mittag’s classical intellect…,” above.

Later in life, congratulating his own innovations, Sims repeated the claim that greatness would be appreciated only in posterity.

“…put your name to inventions…”

Mittag would later attempt to take credit for the invention of the telephone (among other things).

Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), August 25, 1881.