My Genealogy Hound

William T. Mitchell, a well-to-do farmer of Knox County, was born in Lewis County, Mo., in 1848. His father, Hartwell H. Mitchell, was born in North Carolina, and was partly of Scotch origin. At the age of sixteen he accompanied his widowed mother to Union County, Ind., where he resided until he became of age, and soon after was united in marriage to Miss Mary Willis, a native of Union County, Ind. Soon after this he emigrated west, and farmed in Marion County until 1841 or 1842, when he moved to Lewis County, Mo. In 1852 he changed his residence to Shelby County, Mo., and there lost his wife, who was, at the age of fifty-five, a Christian lady, and a member of the Methodist Church. For twenty-seven years Mr. Mitchell was a resident farmer and stock raiser of Shelby County, but in 1879 removed to Phillips County, Kas., where he resided until his death, which occurred January 24, 1883, at the age of sixty-six. He had been ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and part of his life was devoted to that high calling. William T. Mitchell is the second son of the above mentioned family. Of ten children, nine grew to maturity, and seven are now living and residing in Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. Our subject was reared principally in Shelby County, and at the age of twenty-one began life for himself. He was employed by Samuel Murphy, a prominent farmer in Knox County, for two years, and then went to Nebraska, remaining about a year. He then returned to Knox County, and worked for Mr. Murphy another year, and in 1876 married Rowena A. Murphy, daughter of Samuel and Eleanor Murphy. Since his marriage he has been a resident of Jeddo Township, and is now numbered among Knox County’s most industrious and enterprising farmers, owning 425 acres of valuable land, well stocked and improved, which is mainly the result of his own thrift and economy. September 7, 1887, was the eleventh anniversary of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, and to them have been born Samuel G. and Lida K. In politics our subject is a Republican, and is a man of honor and character, highly esteemed by those who know him. Both he and his wife are connected with the church.