The Mitchell Families of Jasper County, Missouri

J. W. MITCHELL. Among the very early settlers of Sheridan township none are more worthy of entering these pages than the subject of this sketch. He has lived in Cedar and in Jasper counties ever since 1834, and is one of the very early settlers of Jasper county. He was born in Blount county, Tenn., Nov. 27, 1821, and was raised on a farm. Has a meager education, which he got by going to Sunday-school. He there learned to read. He then went to common school in Tennessee a short time during winter months. He then moved to Missouri, in 1834, with his parents. He is the son of James and Sarah Mitchell, natives of Tennessee. Mr. Mitchell was a minister of the gospel for over sixty years, and had fourteen children, eight boys and six girls, who lived to be men and women grown. The subject of this sketch was the ninth child. He remained at home until he was seventeen years of age, then hired out to work by the month for Rev. Anthony Buley, on Spring River, near Bower's Mills, helping to split rails. He worked there until he was taken sick with chills and fever; then returned home and worked on the farm until twenty-four years of age, and during that time made two trips to St. Louis and drove cattle through on foot. He drove an ox team through with sugar, coffee, and salt. Feb. 25, 184:5, he was married to Miss Esther Mackey, daughter of James and Sarah Mackey, natives of Tennessee. They moved to Washington county. Mo., in 1820, where Mrs. Mitchell was born, Jan. 21, 1825, and moved to Springfield, Greene county, Mo., at the age of six years, and in 1832 moved to Polk county and was raised there. Her mother is still living there at the advanced age of seventy-six years. After Mr. Mitchell was married he moved to Cedar county. Mo., and lived there twenty-five years, engaged in farming, and during that time served in the state militia and helped to guard Carthage until it was burned; then took a trip through southwestern Missouri and was on a scout through Arkansas. During that time saw the land he now lives on, and said he would make one of a colony to come and settle up this prairie after the war. He came to Jasper county with Mr. Fox and bought 320 acres of land, and this is one of the farms that was ia the McFarland suit. In March, 1870, Mr. Mitchell moved on his farm of 180 acres, as Mr. Fox gave 20 acres for the choice of location. He lived there twelve years. Mr. Mitchell has two children living, Melville A. and Sarah C. His son Thomas (deceased) was married to Isadore Hunt March 7, 1877, and bought sixty acres in section 16. Mr. Mitchell gave him twenty, making eighty acres in section 16. He died Sept. 3, 1879, and Mr. Mitchell bought the 80 acres and sold the old homestead of 120 acres. Mr. Mitchell now lives on the 80 acres that he purchased of his daughter-in-law and her children. He now has 120 acres in section 16, which is all under cultivation. He has a good young orchard, and good buildings. Mr. Mitchell belongs to the Summit Grange; also joined the Masons, but does not attend the lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are members of the M. E. Church, and are old settlers whom Jasper county can feel proud of.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM D. MITCHELL, farmer, section 23, post-office Dudenville, was born in Johnson county, Ind., June 18, 1839, and was reared and educated in Johnson county. He is the son of Benjamin and Bernetha Mitchell, natives of Kentucky. Our subject was the third of eleven children. On

Aug. 14, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, Seventy-ninth Indiana Infantry, and served his country three years. He was mustered in at Indianapolis and went to Louisville, Ky., and joined the Army of the Cumberland. The principal battles he was engaged in were Berryville, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge, and was mustered out June 7, 1865. He was married to Miss Delphia Shoemaker, June 23, 1861, the daughter of Washington and Eliza Shoemaker. His father was born in Ohio and his mother in Kentucky. Mrs. Mitchell was the third of eight children, being born Feb. 1, 1841. Mr. Mitchell moved to Guthrie county, Iowa, and farmer four years; then moved to Kansas, living there three years, and moved and located on his present farm of 160 acres, in 1873. It is well fenced and watered. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are members of the Chsistian Church. Mr. Mitchell's well-earned reputation for fair and honorable dealings has won him many warm and true-hearted friends and neighbors. They had their house burned in 1882, and bad no insurance, but their kind neighbors have aided them so that he hardly feels his loss, for which he holds them in grateful remembrance.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES R. MITCHELL.

Character and ability are as essential to the success of the farmer as to the business man, and it is safe to assume that the successful farmer is a good citizen even without inquiring into the details of his career, and a brief statement of the principal events in the life of a man like the subject of this sketch is interesting alike to the general reader and toi the student of our national progress.

Charles R. Mitchell, who lives on section 3, Jasper township, Jasper county, was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, March 29, 1870, a son of Edward D. and Hannah (Hilderbrandt) Mitchell. His father was born in Illinois, and was an early settler in St. Clair county, whence in 1877 he came to Jasper county, Missouri, where he died in 1895, aged sixty-two years- He was a Democrat in politics, a Methodist in religious faith, and an influential citizen. Hannah Hilderbrandt, who became his wife, was born in Germany, and was brought to America in her childhood by her parents. She died December 17, 1900.

Of the seven children of Edward D. and Hannah (Hilderbrandt) Mitchell, Charles R. Mitchell was the sixth in order of birth. "When, in 1877, his parents removed from St. Clair county, Illinois, to Jasper county, Missouri, and located on the farm on which he now lives, he was seven years old. His share of the old Mitchell homestead consisted of eighty acres, and his place is well equipped and in a high state of cultivation. He has devoted himself quite successfully to general farming. Politically he is a Democrat. He has tilled the offices of school director of his school district and constable O'f his township. He is a member of the Order of the Woodmen of the World.

In 1897 Mr. Mitchell married Miss Edna Ault, daughter of Isaac Ault, and they have one son, Russell A. Mitchell.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JONAS A. MITCHELL.

For twenty-two years Jonas A. Mitchell has been a representative of the banking interests of Carthage, and has been instrumental in maintaining one of the most reliable financial institutions in southwestern Missouri, where he enjoys a most enviable reputation in business circles. He was born in Franklin county, Maine, in March, 1837, his parents being Jonas and Martha (Campbell) Mitchell, who were also natives of New England, the father having been born in Massachusetts, the mother in New Hampshire. The former died in 1869, but the latter is still living. The Mitchell family is of Irish lineage, and was founded in America at an early epoch in our country's history. The grandfather. James Mitchell, was a native of IMassachusetts, and married a Miss McDonald, who was of Scotch descent.

Jonas A. Mitchell pursued his education in the public schools of his native state and in the academy in his home town. After putting aside his textbooks he worked upon his father's farm for a time, and later was employed in various ways until 1871. when he became a partner in a large grocery and hcpior house in St. Louis, Missouri, in which he had been employed as a salesman from 1864. He was connecteil with that enterprise until 1878, when he sold his interest and came to Carthage. Here he purchased an interest in the bank, the oldest financial institution in the city, and with its management and control he has since been continuously and actively identified. From 187Q to 1886 he and his partner, G. A. Cassil, owned the entire stock of the bank and carried on a good business, receiving a liberal patronage, owing to their reliable and conservative methods, their obliging manner and their desire to accijmmodate their patrons. This institution was incorporated under the laws of [Missouri in 1880. and is now known as the Bank of Carthage, and is capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars. In addition to his bank stock Mr. jMitchell is the owner of other real estate in Jasper county, together with his attractive Ijrick residence, which is situated on une of the finest streets ni Cartilage.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.