MITCHELL, Perry Thomas - 1912 Bio (1855-1937)

MITCHELL, FRUSH, TOWNSEND, JOHNSON, INGALLS, SMITH, DE ARMUND, WILCOX, BENN, COYKENDALL, MOSS, PRINGLE, KUYKENDALL

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/24/2007 at 18:15:35

History of Jefferson County, Iowa -- A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol II, Published 1912, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 366-368

Perry Thomas MITCHELL.

Among the county's citizens who have always resided within her borders Perry Thomas MITCHELL is numbered and the success he has achieved places him among the representative men of this district. He has always followed farming and stock-raising and today ranks with the foremost representatives of those lines of business in eastern Iowa. He was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, January 9, 1855, his parents being Abraham and Elizabeth (FRUSH) MITCHELL, who were natives of Maryland and of Ohio respectively. The father was a farmer by occupation and in 1853 came to Iowa, settling on the Barr farm, near Fairfield, in Jefferson county. There he resided for two years and then removed to a farm, a mile north of Packwood, in Polk township, where he resided until his death, which occurred April 22, 1908. He was truly a self-made man, for he was in very limited financial circumstances when he came to Iowa and at the time of his death was the owner of a valuable farm of two hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable land in Polk township, together with a fine city property and a lot of five acres in Richland, Iowa. His first wife died when a comparatively young woman and in 1880 Mr. MITCHELL was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Mary TOWNSEND, who is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Nellie JOHNSON, on a farm north of Richland. By the first marriage there were nine children: Mrs. Amelia Jane INGALLS, a resident of Gentry county, Missouri; Mrs. Amanda Frances SMITH, of Norwalk, Iowa; Perry Thomas; Henry S., a ranchman residing in Custer county, Montana; Mrs Lilly De ARMUND, of Maryville, Missouri; Mrs. Lizzie WILCOX, living in Grand Forks, North Dakota; Mrs. Anna BENN, the wife of Robert BENN, of Wapello county, Iowa; Harry, a resident farmer of Polk township; and George, who became a ranchman of Custer county, Montana, where he was shot and killed by sheep herders, on the 5th of September, 1908. By the father's second marriage there was one child, Mrs. Nellie JOHNSON, now of Keokuk county, Iowa.

Perry Thomas MITCHELL has been a lifelong resident of Jefferson county and has always followed farming within its borders. He attended the Pleasant Hill school when the old-time pioneer benches and desks were used and when not busy with his text-books he assisted in the work of the home farm. He continued to aid his father up to the time of his marriage in 1879 and then began farming on his own account. He had no ready capital at his command and so rented land, leasing the Gray farm in Polk township for two years. During that period he carefully saved his earnings until his industry and his economical expenditure had brought him a sum sufficient to enable him to purchase the farm in Polk township on which he resided for thirty-one years. In February, 1901, he removed to Packwood, where he has since made his home. However, he still owns the farm of three hundred and twenty acres of fine land in Polk township upon which his eldest son now resides. He and his two sons carry on the farm and buy, feed and ship cattle, hogs and horses extensively. After his removal to Packwood Mr. MITCHELL rented his farm for five years but found this unsatisfactory and so again assumed personal management with the aid of his sons. They are now among the largest stockmen of this part of the county, shipping on an average of a carload of stock each week throughout the entire year. They ship cattle and hogs mostly to Chicago, although they sometimes ship hogs to Ottumwa, Iowa. Mr. MITCHELL owns a small farm adjoining his city property, where with commodious barns he does some of his feeding in the winter. His Polk township property, covering half a section, is a well improved stock farm. He also carries on general agricultural pursuits and the property is splendidly improved, being equipped with all modern accessories and conveniences and with the latest machinery. There is a fine young orchard on the place, good water and no waste land and its splendid appearance indicates the practical and progressive methods of the owner. In addition to his other business interests Mr. MITCHELL is a stockholder in the Farmers Savings Bank of Packwood.

In 1879 Mr. MITCHELL was united in marriage to Miss Clara COYKENDALL**, a daughter of Joseph and Judith (MOSS) COYKENDALL, both of whom were natives of Illinois. In 1873 they came to Iowa, settling on a farm in Polk township, Jefferson county, and it was upon that place that Mr. and Mrs. MITCHELL were married. In 1880 Mr. COYKENDALL removed from this county to Colorado and is now located at Platteville, where he is living retired. At the present writing he is filling the office of justice of the peace. In the fall of 1911, although now eighty-four years of age, he took part in a celebration there. With his nineteen-year-old driving horse he entered a free-for-all race and drove the animal himself and made the mile in 2:19. This broke all Colorado records for an eighty-four year old driver. His horse had been a former grand circuit winner. In the public life of Platteville Mr. COYKENDALL has been quite prominent, serving as mayor of the city for several years and otherwise taking an active part in municipal affairs. His wife had died at the old homestead farm in Polk township ere his removal from Jefferson county.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. MITCHELL have been born two children, Floyd Wilson, the elder, married Mada PRINGLE, of Fairfield, Iowa, and is now a well known farmer and stockman, living upon his father's farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Polk township. Merle is at home with his parents and is a partner with his father in the stock business. He is widely and favorably known and is a member of Ottumwa Lodge of Elks. Mr. MITCHELL exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party and is somewhat prominent as a worker in its local ranks. At the present writing he is serving as a member of the city council of Packwood, which position he has filled since his removal to the town, ever exercising his official prerogatives in support of the men and measures which tend to advance general welfare. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Packwood and their lives have ever been in harmony with their professions. In all of his business dealings Mr. MITCHELL has been found trustworthy and reliable, never taking advantage of the necessities of another in any business transaction. He early realized the fact that industry is the basis of success and when guided by sound judgment and supplemented by perseverance it always wins the desired results. He has proven himself to be an excellent judge of stock as well as a practical and progressive tiller of the soil and in the conduct of his interests has made for himself an honorable position among the prosperous residents of the county.

** [Transcriber's note: I have also seen this surname spelled KUYKENDALL, and pronounced as written above.]

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.