Abram Litton

Abram Litton (May 1814 in Dublin, Ireland[1] – September 22, 1901 in St. Louis, Missouri) was Washington University in St. Louis's first professor of chemistry who served as the acting chancellor during 1869–1870.

Litton's family emigrated from Ireland to Nashville, Tennessee when he was three years old. He graduated from the University of Nashville at age 17. In 1839, he moved to Europe to study chemistry. Three years later, he returned to the United States to accept the Professorship of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. In 1843, he became Professor of Chemistry in the St. Louis Medical College. He held that position for fifty years and died in 1901 at age 87.[2]