# Mathew Carey Lea > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mathew_Carey_Lea > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mathew_Carey_Lea.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathew_Carey_Lea > Source revision: 1352640077 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American chemist (1823-1897) Mathew Carey Lea Born (1823-08-18)August 18, 1823 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Died March 15, 1897(1897-03-15) (aged 73) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Burial place Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Occupations Chemist, lawyer Spouses Elizabeth Jaudon ​ ​ (m. 1852; died 1881)​ Eva Lovering Relatives Isaac Lea (father) Frances Anne Carey (mother) Henry Charles Lea (brother) Henry Charles Carey (uncle) Matthew Carey (grandfather) Signature **Mathew Carey Lea** (August 18, 1823 – March 15, 1897) was an American [chemist](/source/Chemist) known for his research on the chemical and physical properties of [silver halide](/source/Silver_halide) salts and their usage in photography. He pioneered early work in [mechanochemistry](/source/Mechanochemistry) and developed Carey Lea Silver, a [photochemical](/source/Photochemistry) still in use today. ## Early life and education Lea was born in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia) on August 16, 1823.[1] His father, [Isaac Lea](/source/Isaac_Lea) was a [publisher](/source/Publisher), [conchologist](/source/Conchology) and geologist. His grandfather was [Mathew Carey](/source/Mathew_Carey), the Irish-American publisher and economist.[2] He received his education through private tutors including the mathematician [Eugenius Nulty](/source/Eugenius_Nulty).[3] Lea received a [classical education](/source/Classical_education_movement) including the [trivium](/source/Trivium) (grammar, logic and rhetoric), [quadrivium](/source/Quadrivium) (arithmetic, geometry, music and celestial navigation). classical languages and history. Nulty immersed Lea in a single subject for long periods to encourage its complete mastery.[4] Lea also received instruction in the Booth & Boy private chemical laboratory.[5] On July 14, 1852, Lea married Elizabeth Jaudon (1827-1881), sister of his brother, [Henry Charles Lea](/source/Henry_Charles_Lea)'s wife. Elizabeth had earlier married merchant William Bakewell, but Blakewell had died in Cincinnati in 1850, leaving her with a young daughter.[6] The couple had a son, George Henry Lea (1853–1915), who helped in the family publishing business. After Elizabeth's death, Carey Lea married Eva Lovering, daughter of Harvard Professor [Joseph Lovering](/source/Joseph_Lovering), but they had no children.[7] ## Career Lea became interested in photography and in 1840, created a series of images of his father's plant and shells collection that was displayed at the [American Philosophical Society](/source/American_Philosophical_Society).[2] Lea read the law under the tutelage of prominent attorney [William M. Meredith](/source/William_M._Meredith), and in 1847 was admitted to the [Pennsylvania Bar](/source/Pennsylvania_Bar).[8] The highly successful family publishing firm published some legal books.[9] However, Lea was sickly, and left the practice of law to travel to Europe and other places for his health, as well as to pursue his scientific avocation.[10] Lea worked in the laboratory of Professor [James C. Booth](/source/James_C._Booth), and constructed a laboratory in his home in Philadelphia's [Chestnut Hill](/source/Chestnut_Hill%2C_Philadelphia) neighborhood. In 1841, the *[American Journal of Science and Arts](/source/American_Journal_of_Science)* published his first paper at his father's request, "On the First, or Southern Coal Field of Pennsylvania" and that publisher would ultimately publish approximately 100 more.[11] In July 1864, he published two papers concerning aspects of [platinum](/source/Platinum).[12] Lea devoted himself chiefly to the chemistry of [photography](/source/Photography), to which he made a number of important contributions.[13] He was recognized as an authority on the chemical and physical attributes of [silver halide](/source/Silver_halide) salts and their usage in photography.[14] He also published 300 technical articles and correspondences in the [British Journal of Photography](/source/British_Journal_of_Photography),[15] as well as a book on photography entitled, *A Manual of Photography: Intended as a Text Book for Beginners and a Book of Reference for Advanced Photographers*.[16] His publications include numerous papers on the [chemical action of light](/source/Photosynthesis). He is also known for his development of **Carey Lea Silver**, a photochemical, still in use today.[17] Due to the loss of an eye during an experiment with [picric acid](/source/Picric_acid), and his constantly ill condition, Lea spent most of his time in solitude. As a result, few chemists knew Lea personally, his only interaction with the science community was the publication of his studies.[2] He was not associated with any universities.[18] In 1848, he joined the [Franklin Institute](/source/Franklin_Institute) and took a special interest in the chemistry section. In 1895, he was elected to the [National Academy of Sciences](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences).[7] ## Death and legacy Lea died on March 15, 1897, at his Chestnut Hill home from complications of a prostate cancer operation.[7] He was interred at [Laurel Hill Cemetery](/source/Laurel_Hill_Cemetery) in Philadelphia.[19] He ordered his notebooks destroyed, and they were, which has complicated research into his work.[18] Along with other charitable bequests, Lea bequeathed his books and scientific apparatus to the Franklin Institute, plus funds to allow the institution to continue to purchase books and periodicals.[7] His contributions to mechanical chemistry exceed the contributions to photography for which he received acclaim in his lifetime.[20] ## Publications - *[On the First, or Southern Coal Field of Pennsylvania](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20American%20Journal%20of%20Science/xIBIAQAAMAAJ)*, The American Journal of Science, Volume 40, pages 370–374, 1841 - *[A Manual of Photography: Intended as a Text Book for Beginners and a Book of Reference for Advanced Photographers](https://www.google.com/books/edition/A%20Manual%20of%20Photography/AtU3AQAAIAAJ)*, Benerman & Wilson, Philadelphia, 1868 ## Citations 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903157_1-0)** [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), p. 157. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cansler_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cansler_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Cansler_2-2) Cansler, Clay; Turner, Roger (December 14, 2021). ["Matthew Carey Lea and the Origins of Mechanochemistry"](https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/matthew-carey-lea-and-the-origins-of-mechanochemistry). *www.sciencehistory.org*. Science History Institute. Retrieved October 6, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Robson_3-0)** Robson, Charles (1874). [*The Biographical Encyclopaedia of Pennsylvania of the Nineteenth Century*](https://archive.org/details/biographicalency00robs/page/12). Philadelphia: Galaxy Publishing Company. p. 13. Retrieved September 19, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Bradley, Edward Sculley (1931). [*Henry Charles Lea - A Biography*](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030698529&view=1up&seq=9). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 43. Retrieved October 8, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Whitcomb_5-0)** Whitcomb, David (Winter 2006–2007). ["Mathew Carey Lea: Chemist, Photographic Scientist"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080821125944/http://www.chemheritage.org/pubs/ch-v24n4-articles/feature_careylea.html). *Chemical Heritage Magazine*. **24** (4). [Chemical Heritage Foundation](/source/Chemical_Heritage_Foundation). Archived from [the original](http://www.chemheritage.org/pubs/ch-v24n4-articles/feature_careylea.html) on August 21, 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Sellers, Edwin Jaquett (August 10, 1890). [*An Account of the Jaudon Family*](https://archive.org/details/accountofjaudonf00sell). J.B. Lippincott. p. [10](https://archive.org/details/accountofjaudonf00sell/page/10). Retrieved August 10, 2017 – via Internet Archive. jaudon philadelphia. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903203_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903203_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903203_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903203_7-3) [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), p. 203. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Peters, Edward. ["Henry Charles Lea and the Libraries within a Library"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052900/http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/at250/history/ep.pdf) (PDF). *Library.upenn.edu*. Archived from [the original](http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/at250/history/ep.pdf) (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Hoeflich, M. H. (April 26, 2010). [*Legal Publishing in Antebellum America*](https://books.google.com/books?id=36F9yDts_xoC&pg=PA46). [Cambridge University Press](/source/Cambridge_University_Press). p. 46 at note 74. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781139488051](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781139488051). Retrieved December 15, 2021 – via Google Books. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903158_10-0)** [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), p. 158. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903158–159_11-0)** [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), pp. 158–159. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903160_12-0)** [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), p. 160. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Henry Charles Lea Papers - Biographical Sketch"](http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/rbm/mss/lea/leabio.html). *Penn Special Collections*. University of Pennsylvania:Rare Book & Manuscripts. January 31, 2003. Retrieved December 1, 2010. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903174_14-0)** [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), p. 174. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarker1903159_15-0)** [Barker 1903](#CITEREFBarker1903), p. 159. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Lea, M. Carey (Mathew Carey) (August 10, 1871). ["A manual of photography: intended as a text book for beginners and a book of reference for advanced photographers"](https://archive.org/details/amanualphotogra00leagoog). Philadelphia, Printed for the author. Retrieved August 10, 2017 – via Internet Archive. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [*Scientific American*](https://books.google.com/books?id=moM9AQAAIAAJ). Munn & Company. July 9, 1887. p. 17. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Takacs_18-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Takacs_18-1) Takacs, Lazlo (2003). ["M. Carey Lea, The Father of Mechanochemistry"](http://acshist.scs.illinois.edu/bulletin_open_access/v28-1/v28-1%20p26-34.pdf) (PDF). *Bull. Hist. Chem*. **28** (1): 28. Retrieved October 8, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Matthew Carey Lea"](https://remembermyjourney.com/memorials/matthew-carey-lea?id=vJpewxAq). *remembermyjourney.com*. webCemeteries. Retrieved January 3, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Takacs, Lazlo (2003). ["M. Carey Lea, The Father of Mechanochemistry"](http://acshist.scs.illinois.edu/bulletin_open_access/v28-1/v28-1%20p26-34.pdf) (PDF). *Bull. Hist. Chem*. **28** (1): 33. Retrieved October 8, 2022. ## Sources - Barker, George F. (1903). [*Biographical Memoir of Matthew Carey Lea, 1823-1897*](http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/lea-matthew-c.pdf) (PDF). National Academy of Sciences. ## External links - This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Gilman, D. C.](/source/Daniel_Coit_Gilman); Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Lea, Mathew Carey". *[New International Encyclopedia](/source/New_International_Encyclopedia)* (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. p. 40. Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Italy Netherlands Artists RKD Artists Photographers' Identities Other IdRef Open Library Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mathew Carey Lea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathew_Carey_Lea) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathew_Carey_Lea?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.