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Below is a family biography included in the book, Portrait and Biographical Record of Johnson and Pettis County Missouri published by Chapman Publishing Company in 1895.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JAMES F. MITCHELL. The life of this gentleman furnishes an example of what a man with brains and business ability can accomplish by persistence, sagacity and industry. His career in its practical results is an encouragement to every struggling young man who has ambition and resolution and a genius for hard work. The seed that he has sown has fallen upon good ground and has grown and brought forth an hundredfold. He is at present one of the largest land-owners and successful agriculturists of Pettis County, owning six hundred and sixty acres, lying on section 36, township 44, range 23, section 7, township 43, range 22, and section 12, township 43, range 23.

Our subject was born in Caldwell County, Ky., January 5, 1827, and was the third child born to Cader and Martha (Nichols) Mitchell. The father was born in Bertie County, N. C., and was there reared and educated. Upon attaining his twenty-eighth year he emigrated to the Blue Grass State, and there engaged in agricultural pursuits on his own account. He was possessed of good business ability, which he showed in his wise investment in land, and continued to make his home in Kentucky until his decease, which occurred in 1856. He was a stanch Whig in politics.

Mrs. Martha Mitchell was born in Caldwell County, Ky., in which state she passed all the years of her life, dying several years prior to the decease of her husband. There being few schools in the neighborhood of her home, her son, our subject, had limited advantages for obtaining an education, only attending the house of learning about a year and a-half until after arriving at man’s estate. He was, however, thoroughly trained in the business of farming, and was at home working on the old place when the strife between Mexico and the United States began. Young Mitchell, though not twenty-one years of age, enlisted, in 1847, becoming a member of Company G, Fourth Kentucky Infantry, and creditably served his country for a year. He was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., in July, 1848, and, returning home, worked on the farm for the following twelve months.

In 1850 our subject came to Missouri, stopping first in Hickory County, where he made it his first duty to attend school. After six months spent in the schoolroom, he began working out on farms near Osceola, and two months thereafter we find him en route for Kansas City. There he engaged to go as teamster to New Mexico, his destination being Santa Fe. After making two trips that season over the plains, he returned to his home in the Blue Grass region and made a visit. The gold excitement in California was at its height about this time, and, again coming to Missouri, Mr. Mitchell procured a wagon and oxen with which to make the trip to that state. This was in 1852, and he worked in the mines for six years. Unlike many who went to California at that time, he was successful, and when ready to return was the possessor of $8,028, which was about that much more than he had on his arrival there.

In 1858 Mr. Mitchell again returned to Kentucky, but on this trip the old home seemed desolate, as death had claimed his father for his own. He remained there one summer, and in 1859 came again to this state in order to look up the claim which he had entered prior to his last trip over the plains. February 14 of the following year he left Kentucky, and on the 21st of the same month made permanent location in Missouri. He at once took up his abode on a tract of land which forms a part of his large possessions at the present time, By his indefatigable push and energy he added to his estate, until now he has six hundred and sixty acres of some of the finest land in this part of the state.

As we have already made plain to the reader, he commenced in life empty-handed and has won prosperity and success through his own well directed efforts, being to-day one of the wealthiest farmers of this section. He has never joined the army of benedicts and still lives in single blessedness. In politics he is a stanch supporter of Democratic principles and is therefore opposed to monopolies. Although never aspiring to positions of public importance, he has been called upon on several occasions to represent his fellow-townsmen in offices of honor and trust. Socially he is prominent in the order of Odd Fellows, taking a great interest in the work of that body.

Mr. Mitchell has met with some reverses in life, for soon after his return from California he loaned some $5,000 to parties in Kentucky, who upon the outbreak of the Civil War were wrecked financially and unable to pay the obligation. He also lost $1,200 in the purchase of a slave prior to the Rebellion. Mr. Mitchell is a member of the Christian Church, having affiliated with that body for about thirty years.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the Pettis County, Missouri portion of the book,  Portrait and Biographical Record of Johnson and Pettis County Missouri published in 1895 by Chapman Publishing Co.  For the complete description, click here: Pettis County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Pettis County, Missouri family biographies here: Pettis County, Missouri Biographies

View a map of 1904 Pettis County, Missouri here: Pettis County, Missouri Map

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