Torrence Mitchell

As printed in 1912

TORRENCE MITCHELL.

A representative of one of the old and honored families of Knox county, which since pioneer days has been prominently connected with the development and substantial progress of this section of the state, Torrence Mitchell, farmer of Milford township, has worthily sustained the good reputation of the family through his active and useful life and prominence in connection with the agricultural industries of this favored section of the Buckeye state. There is utmost compatibility in here entering a brief review of his career, and aside from being a valuable and perpetual record, the article will be read with interest by the many friends of himself and family.

Mr. Mitchell was born on the farm he now owns in Milford township, this county, on April 22, 1851. He is the son of Almon and Margaret (Hawkins) Mitchell. The paternal grandparents, Sylvanus Mitchell and wife, were natives of Connecticut, where they spent their early lives, emigrating in an early day to Licking county, Ohio, and in 1824 they moved to Knox county when neighbors were few and a wild stretch of woods covered the earth. Here they established their home and spent the balance of their lives. The maternal grandparents, Harrison and Phebe (Lovell) Hawkins, were natives of Rhode Island, locating in Milford township with a colony from that state. Here Mr. Hawkins entered a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he cleared, developed and on which he and his wife spent the balance of their lives.

The father of the subject was born in Licking county, Ohio, in 1816 and the mother was born in Knox county in 1818. When eight years old the former came to Knox county and here grew to manhood and married and devoted his life to general farming and stock raising, being very successful and owning four hundred acres of good land at the time of his death. Politically, he was a Republican and was more or less active in party affairs. His family consisted of thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity and were married. Of the number, five sons and two daughters are still living. The mother was a member of the Church of Christ. The death of Almon Mitchell occurred on April 4, 1896, and his widow survived until in March,

Torrence Mitchell grew up on the home farm and assisted with the general routine of work there in his boyhood. He was educated in the public schools and in the Galena Academy. He began life for himself by teaching school, which vocation he followed for a period of ten years with much success, but he finally tired of the school room and took up farming. He remained on his father's farm while and then went to Tennessee, where he remained three years, then, his father urging him to take charge of the home farm, he returned here and has since operated the same in a most gratifying manner, keeping it well tilled and well improved. This place of one hundred and forty-two acres ranks with the best in Milford township. Mr. Mitchell also has a farm of one hundred acres in Tennessee. In connection with general farming he carries on stock raising, handling some good grades; however, he merely overseas the place, leaving the active work of the same to his son since April 1, 1910.

Politically, Mr. Mitchell is a Republican and he has held various township offices. He is a member of the Grange, the only secret order to which he belongs, and he and his wife belong to the Church of Christ, he having been an elder for twenty years.

Mr. Mitchell was married on October 27, 1875, to Clara Stevens, a native of Knox county, and the daughter of John and Emmeline Stevens, old settlers here. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, namely: L. Grace, who was graduated from the Centerburg high school and Hiram College, has been engaged in social settlement work in Cleveland for the past eight years; Laura L. died when eighteen years of age; Margaret S., also a graduate of Centerburg high school and Hiram College, is also engaged in social settlement work in Cleveland; John S. was graduated from the Mt. Vernon high school, also took the short course in agriculture at the Ohio State University, and is now operating the home farm and has been very successful in carrying out the work inaugurated by his father.

As printed in Past and present of Knox County, Ohio (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.