Senator William O. Mitchell View All Years

Compiled Historical Information

Date of Death: 7/29/1930

Birth Place: Van Buren County, Iowa

Birth County: Van Buren

Party Affiliation: Republican

Assemblies Served:
Senate: 26 (1896) - 27 (1898)

House: 24 (1892) - 25 (1894)

Home County: Adams

Speaker Video:

William O. Mitchell

Adams County

Senator W. O. Mitchell broke the long democratic reign in Adams county in 1891, when he was elected to represent the republicans in the house that session. He filled that office two terms; the first term he was honored by being elected speaker. Senator Mitchell was born in Bonaparte, Van Buren county, April 4, 1846, and is one of the few pioneer Iowa men of the senate. He received his earlier education in the common schools of Van Buren county, and when the war broke out enlisted with a number of his schoolmates in the Thirteenth Iowa infantry, Company C. He served three years in Crocker's brigade, was at the siege of Vicksburg, on the Meriden march, and was captured at Atlanta, July 22, 1864. For eight months he was a prisoner in the Andersonville, Florence and Salisbury prisons, his imprisonment ending only with the war. After his release he entered Cornell college at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, to complete his education. He was graduated from there in 1871. When he had finished college he entered the law office of Stuart Bros., at Chariton, and a year later was admitted to the practice of law. Senator Mitchell located in Corning, his present home, in 1872, and has practiced law, in which profession he has been a success. He is also engaged in the real estate business, and has farming, horticulture, and live stock interests beside. By reason of his interest and knowledge in these pursuits, Senator Mitchell was chosen president of the Southwestern Iowa Blue Grass league. His family consists of wife and daughter Helen. Mrs. Mitchell enjoys an extensive acquaintance in Des Moines' social set, and is one of the most popular of the legislative ladies. Helen is a favorite, with her quaint and charming manner. Senator Mitchell is a member of the G. A. R. organization, and of the Methodist church. In house legislation in the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth General Assemblies he was an active man, and equally so in the regular and special sessions of the Twenty-sixth in the senate. He was chairman of the committee on rules, and served on the committees on judiciary, agriculture, public health, retrenchment and reform, manufactures and public libraries. In the latter question, and that of general education he is especially interested.

Senate District 6