Edward L. Youmans

Edward Livingston Youmans (June 3, 1821 – January 18, 1887) was an American scientific writer, editor, and lecturer and founder of Popular Science magazine.

Early life Youmans was the son of Vincent Youmans and Catherine (née Scofield) Youmans. He grew up in Saratoga County where his parents had moved during his early years. His father was a mechanic and a farmer; his mother was a teacher. His brother, William Jay Youmans, helped him found and edit Popular Science Monthly, and on Edward's death his brother became editor-in-chief. His sister Eliza Ann Youmans, in addition to being of great help to Edward in dealing with his blindness, was a science writer herself, chiefly on botanical subjects.

He attended the common school in Saratoga County. At 13 years old, he was afflicted with ophthalmia, which affected his vision throughout the remainder of his life. When he was 17, he became practically blind, and remained so until he was about 30. He very rarely had vision enough to read ordinary type.

Career

Youmans went to New York City in 1840 for treatment of his eye problem. He studied medicine during this period and received the degree of M.D. from the University of Vermont.

Personal life On November 4, 1861, in Saratoga, New York, he married Catherine Newton "Kate" Lee (c. 1819–1894), widow of William Little Lee, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Hawaii. They didn't have any children.

Youmans died on January 18, 1887, in New York City.

Publications

Brief explanations of a new chart of chemistry: Upon which the fundamental principles of the science ... are represented to the eye by diagrams and colors in the clearest manner (1850) Alcohol and the constitution of man;: Being a scientific account of the chemical properties of alcohol, and its leading effects upon the healthy human constitution (1854) Chemical atlas; Or, The chemistry of familiar objects (1856) Handbook of household science: A popular account of heat, light, air, aliment, & cleansing in their scientific principles & domestic application (1857) A class-book of chemistry: In which the principles of the science are familiarly explained and applied to the arts, agriculture, physiology, dietetics ...(1859) The correlation and conservation of forces: A series of expositions by Prof. Grove ... (1867) The culture demanded by modern life: A series of addresses and arguments on the claims of scientific education (1867) Observations on the scientific study of human nature: A lecture delivered before the London College of Preceptors, October 10, 1866 (1867) The scientific basis of prohibition (1871) Herbert Spencer on the Americans and the Americans on Herbert Spencer: Being a full report of his interview, and of the proceedings of the farewell banquet of Nov. 11, 1882 (1883)