A. W. Mitchell

As printed in 1881

A. W. MITCHELL, physician; Dialton; was born Dec. 13, 1848; is a son of George J. and Amanda F. Mitchell and the youngest of a family of three children, consisting of two boys and one girl. Early in 1849, the family moved to the eastern part of Shelby County, where his father bought a farm and improved it. It was here that he endeavored to bring up his family in the fear of the Lord, and as the country was at that time a wilderness, he had many chances to teach them practically that “in the sweat of thy face thou shall eat bread." The family was one of unusual personal affection and social enjoyment. In 1863, the wife and mother was taken away and the subject of this sketch soon after went off to school. From 1869 to 1872, he was principally occupied in teaching, and in 1871 commenced the study of law. However, he never felt that the profession was exactly congenial with his disposition, and was more than ever impressed with this fact one day when, after reciting his lesson in Blackstone, he directed his attention to some lawyers who were in the office consulting on the best plan to win a certain knotty case. He ventured a thought that the plan suggested would hardly be right, and was sturmed by the reply, Young man, if you ever expect to be a lawyer you must never harp on conscience." He soon gave up the study and in March, 1872, went West. For three years he observed the varied phenomena of the Kansas climate. He then went to Southwest Missouri where he spent three years more, principally in teaching in Joplin and vicinity. He was at one time engaged in mining at this place, and had charge of mines which bid fair to place him on the road to fortune, but his natural love for the schoolroom and the uncertainty of the mines induced him to relinquish them to take charge of the Third Ward schools. He here commenced the study of medicine in 1877 with Dr. H. B. Pinney, and in September, 1878, left for Ann Arbor, Mich., to attend lectures. He spent one year in this institution, and in October, 1879, matriculated with the Cincinnati College of Medi-

` eine and Surgery, from which he graduated the following year. Like all new-fledged doctors his next step was one of importance. Where shall I locate? agitated his mind for a few months, and he finally settled down in the quiet little village of Dialton in September, 1880. Though Dr. Mitchell, in his various ramblings, saw a good deal of the * rough-and-tumble " side of life, he never either forgot or ignored his early religious training, and invariably took an active part in Sabbath school and church work, and it would not be far from expressing his true sentiment on temperance if we would say he is a teetotaler. He commenced life in his new and chosen profession with bright prospects for the future.

As printed in The History of Clark County Ohio, (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.