Hon. I J Mitchell

MITCHELL

Posted By: Tina Keister (email)
Date: 2/20/2006 at 10:08:15

Hon I F Mitchell,was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1829, when yet a youth his parents removed to a farm in Clermont county, Ohio, where they remained for a number of years, after which they removed to Brazil, Indiana, when he grew to manhood, young Mitchell taught school and studied medicine in 1855 he came to Boonesboro and established a drug store, neither the practice of medicine nor the drug business proving congenial to him, he entered upon the study of law and in 1857 was admiitted to the bar, in 1858 he was elected a member of the State board of education, which office he filled for two years, in 1868 he was elected to the State Senate, and in 1870 was appointed trustee of the State Agricultural college at Ames, in 1874 he was elected judge of this judicial district, his official term expiring in January, 1879, besides these positions, to which he has been elected by the vote of the people, Judge Mitchell has held at least two other important offices by appointment of the general government, that of draft commissioner, and assessor of internal revenue, as drat commissioner during the was, he was called upon to discharge some every arduous and unpleasant duties, these duties he discharged with such care, impartiality and fidelity that there never was a breath of suspicion, nor so much as a insinuation bearing upon his official integrity, the same is true with regard to the discharge of his duties as assessor of internal revenue, there are few men who have held important trusts in the State and nation, who have commanded such a large share of public confidence, or who have greater reasons for congratulation themselves upon their past record, Judge Mitchell is a man of more than ordinary culture, possessed of fine sensibility, his idea of offical dignity and political honor forms a striking contract to the common and established code of the presend day, he does not believe that working up delegations or packing conventions are consistent with the proper estimate of the self-respect of the candidate, hence he has made no organized attempt to obtain the nomination for any office, he is and always has been an ardent admirer of the priciples of the party with which he is identified, and been disignated as the standard bearer in any campaign, has entered the field and given his best energies to bring about the victory the position of standard bearer however, when he did receive it was unsolicited on his part, his connection with the early history of Boone county is merged into the present and he is now exclusively engaged in the practice of his chosen profession , we conclude that in pursuing his privated business he has a wider field of usefulness, and as much real enjoyment as he ever enjoyed while engaged the former for the latter, it will not be of his own choosing, but for the sense of duty to his constiuents.

1880 Boone County History Book