In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1908) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1824
From 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908), The History of Clark County Ohio, (1881)
ROSS MITCHELL, retired manufacturer, Springfield. The subject of this sketch is one of the most remarkable instances of self-made men; he has, by his own talents and his personal industry, become one of the most wealthy and influential of our citizens; has, by mere integrity of character and skillfulness in labor, risen from poverty to wealth—from obscurity to prominence. He is the son of James B. and Cynthia (Gowdy) Mitchell; born Nov. 14, 1824, in Landisburg, Perry Co., Penn.; ha came with his parents to Dayton, Ohio, in May, 1836; in 1838, he came to what is now called Woodbury, in this county; in February, 1840, to Medway; in February, 1849, to Hertzler's; in 1892, to Springfield; in September, 1854, to Lagonda, where he became assistant book. keeper, and, two years after, bookkeeper in the Lagonda Works; he then became a special partner, and, after two years, a regular partner. After twenty-six years' connection with the establishment, he retired, in November, 1880, in order to devote himself more especially and personally to his large personal estate and works of benevolence. Mr. Mitchell was blessed with what Milton so justly pronounces “heaven’s last, best gift to man”—a good wife. He was married,
Oct. 7, 1852, to Catherine Ann Miller, daughter of Casper and Susan (Wirt) Miller. Mrs. Mitchell was born Feb. 20, 1827, in Dauphin Co., Penn., and died Sept. 12, 1878; they had five children, all girls, of whom the eldest and youngest are deceased. Mrs. Mitchell had gained a high place in the estimation of the community; her good sense and modesty, her clear understanding and generous temper, were manifest alike in all the vicissitudes of her life; poverty could not repress nor wealth corrupt her noble disposition; actively engaged in every good work, it was remarked by all that the only change observable in her was an increase of benevolent action in proportion to the increase of her means for doing good. Ross was the oldest of eight children, and, at the age of 12 years, the support of mother and four children dependent upon his efforts; his first $78, worked for and saved, were lost by the breaking of a bank; but he and his brother James would save a little from year to year and put it on interest until they could put $1,500 in,a farm in Indiana. Thus has he risen from small beginning to the possession of ample means, by honest skill and faithful labor—by the use of a keen intellect and the power of a fixed habit of industry. But the best of all is that, as he did not, like the multitude of men, abandon himself in the midst of want and opposing forces, so he does not, now that he possesses power, concentrate all upon himself—does not apply his accumulated means to self-gratification, but to the benefit of others, to the welfare of mankind; he is one of those who connect with the most vivid self-consciousness the most complete sense of the existence of others, the most thorough conviction of the claims of God and his fellow-men; he has devoted himself to the most decided efforts for the amelioration of the condition and the improvement of the moral and spiritual character of man, for the benefit of society in church and state; he not only appropriates liberally of his means, büt he gives also his personal attention to works of beneficence, laboring with mind and heart, with tongue and hand, to be helpful to man; deprived of an education, yet, by extensive and careful reading and by the diligent use of a fine library, he has acquired much knowledge and become an effective practical teacher and speaker; and all who are associated with him in beneficent enterprises will admire the manner in which he devotes the skill and experience acquired in secular business to the formation and execution of wise plans, as well as the clearness of understanding and the integrity of purpose which characterize his actions. May he find many to sympathize with him in his noble purposes, and may the community long enjoy the blessing of so useful a life!
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.
ROSS MITCHELL, one of Springfield's highly regarded citizens, now living retired in a beautifully situated home, located at No. 302 East High Street, was long a prominent factor in the great business, concerns which have made the name of Springfield known in almost every quarter of the globe. Mr. Mitchell was born November 14, 1824, in Landisburg, Perry County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James Blaine and Cynthia (Gowdy) Mitchell. The Mitchell" family is of Scotch-Irish extraction. It probably was esta))lished in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the days of the great-grandfather, where the grandfather of Ross Mitchell is on record as a man of substance and local prominence.
James Blaine Mitchell, father of Ross, was born at Carlisle, in Cumberland County, and removed from there to Dayton, Ohio, May 7, 1836. His first work was on the Third Street Canal in Dayton, after which he operated the Patterson saw-mills for almost two years. He was a carpenter and builder and also understood practical mill work, and on February 7th, 1838, he rented the Woodbury Mills, then known as the Sehartle Mills, located on Mad River, which he operated until February- 7th, 1840, when he removed to Med way. After a residence of nine years at the latter point, he removed to Hertzler's Mills, where both he and his wife died. They had eight children, of whom Ross was the eldest and is now the only surviving member of the family. The children all died young but three, Ross, James and Margaret — James and Margaret died in Paris, Illinois.
Mr. Mitchell has spent almost his whole life in theStateof Ohio, being eleven years of age when the family settled at Dayton. During his father's lifetime he assisted him in the saw-mills, and later filled the double position of mill operator and clerk in a general store adjacent to and owned by the proprietor of the mills. When the latter (Mr. Hertzler) disposed of his interests there and removed to Springfield, Mr. Mitchell accompanied him and probably through his good offices obtained clerical work in the strange town. In November, 1854, he became assistant bookkeeper for the firm of Warder, Brokaw & Childs, and in the following year, chief bookkeeper for the firm. In 1865 he was admitted to pai-tnership, when the firm became Warder, Mitchell & Company, Mr. Childs retiring. The business of this finn was the manufacture of farm implements, especially reapers and mowers. In 1866 additional capital and influence came into the business with the admission of General A. S. Bushnell as a partner. In 1881 Mr. Mitchell withdrew, disposing of his interests, and, as his health, especially his eyesight, was poor, he took a season of restful travel.
Mr. Mitchell, however, was not ready to permanently retire from business, where he had met with so much success, and in which field he had become so influential and so largely concerned. For some years he dealt extensively in real estate and subsequently became interested with the firm of Welsh & Dodson in the manufacture of linseed oil, but this enterprise was absorbed by the National Linseed Oil Company. Mr. Mitchell has been connected either as a stockholder or director, often as both, with the following important business organizations: The
Spring-field Metallic Casket Company, the Mast Manufacturing Company, the Philip Wiseman Hardware Company, the Gas Light and Coke Company, the Kansas Kanapolis Land Company, the Royal Salt Company, of Kanapolis; the First National Bank, of Springfield; the Fireman's Insurance Company, of Dayton, and the Citizens' Street Railway Company, of which last mentioned company he was president.
Mr. Mitchell, in 1882-3, erected the fivestory Mitchell Block on the corner of High and Limestone Streets, Springfield, which is one of the most substantial and imposing business blocks of the city. He owns somewhere approaching 2,600 acres of fine land in Clark County, 2,100 acres in Champaigii County, Ohio, and a large acreage in Central Kansas. A monument to Mr. Mitchell's philanthropy and public spirit is found in the great charity known as the Mitchell and Thomas Hospital, which was a gift to the city of Springfield, made by Mr. Mitchell in association with the late J. H. Thomas.
Mr. Mitchell was married, first, in 1851, to Catherine Ann Miller, who died September 12, 1878. She was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1827, and was a daughter of Caspar and Susan (Wirtz) Miller. To this marriage were born five children, the survivors being: Effie J., who married Prof. E. L. Shuey; Fannie, who married Rev. G. P. Raup, and Anna mary, who became the wife of Rev. S. E. Greenawalt. In 1881 Mr. Mitchell married for his second wife Sarah A. Keller, who was born in Maryland, September 16, 1845, and who is a daughter of the late Rev. Ezra and Caroline (Routzahn) Keller, the former of whom was the founder and first president of Wittenberg College.
As a public man of broad scope, Mr. Mitchell always has taken an interest in civic affairs, and served two years as a member of the City Coimcil, from the Eighth Ward. Both he and wife are members of the Second Lutheran Church, in which he is an elder.
As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name Ross Mitchell: John H. Thomas (b. 1826) Charles Bauer (b. 1869) John W. Humbarger Jacob Yeazel (b. 1842) W. S. Moore (b. 1846)
The printed record stops around 1908. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.