Pierce Mitchell(1822-1893)

MITCHELL, VON SCHRADER, MCCLOY

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 5/28/2008 at 00:41:06

Maquoketa Excelsior
January 20, 1893

The Passing of Another Pioneer.

In the death of Hon. Pierce Mitchell, which occurred at his late residence in this city, last Saturday, January 14, 1893, this community sustains a serious loss. For nearly half a century he has been a prominent, influential and much respected citizen of this place, in hearty sympathy and close touch with its best interest, political, social, educational, moral. During the whole of his three score years and ten of life, whatever of power was given him was ever exerted in behalf of what in his judgment was right, and all of his multitude of friends know that his judgment was seldom at fault.

In many official capacities was he called upon from time to time to serve this school district, city and county, and in every instance he proved faithful to the trust reposed in him, performing his various official duties, the disagreeable and ordinary as well as the agreeable and ordinary as well as the agreeable and showy, with ability, integrity and promptness; but it was not in his official capacities that he rendered this community the best service. It was rather in his capacity as the model head of a model household, in the fact that he was ever true to his convictions in the every day affairs of life, and as scrupulously exact and conscientious in the performance of the manifold minor duties which must fall to every man’s lot, but which are so often slighted or neglected, as he was in the doing of those which were deemed more important by the world, and which would be seen of men.

For many years he took an active interest in politics and was identified with the Democratic party. While he was a man of very decided views and, on most questions which divided the great political parties, aggressively a Democrat, yet, in political affairs, as in his private life, he was pre-eminently a clean, fair-minded man, and whether working to secure an election when he was himself a candidate, or in the interest of a friend, for whom he would ever do more than for himself, he was never even accused of using or winking at the use of any of the many corrupt or questionable methods so often and so shamelessly used by self-seeking politicians of all parties.

Mr. Mitchell was born in Delaware county, N. Y., December 19, 1822. He went to Kentucky in 1844. There he taught school for a few years and then came to Maquoketa, reaching here in 1847. Little did Mary McCloy think on that day forty-six years ago, when she saw Pierce Mitchell, then a young man of twenty-five years, passing her father’s house just south of town, as he entered this place for the first time, that her fortune, her hopes, her fears, would soon be linked with his for life, yet such a fate a kind providence had in store for her. In October, 1852, they were married and have lived together happily ever since. To them four children were born. One of these, Burr I., departed this life in Oct., 1888. The other three, Frank P., Hon. George L., and Mrs. Dr. Charles Von Schrader, all reside in this city.

Upon his arrival in this place in 1847, Mr. Mitchell engaged in the mercantile business, which he followed for thirty-eight years. In 1885 he retired and was succeeded by his sons, Geo. L. and Burr I., and the former has continued the business since the death of the latter.

At the first election held in the town of Maquoketa, March 15, 1854, he was elected alderman of his ward, a position of which he was elected again in 1869, and in 1873. In the spring of 1879, he was chosen mayor of this city. In 1873 he was elected to represent Jackson county in the lower house of the state legislature, and so satisfactorily did he fill this important position that he was promoted by being elected state senator in 1879.

Mr. Mitchell’s general health has been quite poor for two or three years, but the dread malady which carried him away, Bright’s disease of the kidneys, did not manifest itself until a few months ago. He suffered much during his last few months of life, but he bore his suffering with patience and fortitude.

Funeral services were held at the Congregational church Tuesday afternoon, and were conducted by the Rev. T. Arthur Porter. The vast congregation, the sad, solemn faces, the hushed voices, testified the respect in which deceased was held in this community.

The sorrowing wife, children, and grandchildren have the sympathy of all who know them, or knew him.