Bacon Chapel Neighborhood.

Some Historical Events

7 February 1902

Clarence, Mo.

Editors SHELBINA TORCHLIGHT

THOMAS MITCHELL

Mr. Mitchell was a Kentuckian by birth. He was born in 1818. His father was a minister of the Methodist Church and was an officer in the war of 1812. Mr. Mitchell, the subject of this sketch, was raised on a farm. He procured a good education and adopted the profession of school teaching. At the age of 24 years he married, and a short time after moved to Indiana, where he followed farming and teaching ‘till in the early fifties he came to Missouri and bought a tract of land. This farm is one half mile north and three fourths or a mile east of Lentner. Mr. Mitchell being a Democrat, was arrested by the Federal officers and compelled to take an iron clad-oath and give a bond of one thousand dollars in the early part of the war of 1861. In 1862, it became unsafe for him to remain at home. Although he was under oath and bond this did not protect his life and property. There being but one of two things for him to do, join the Union army or the Confederate army, he chose rather to cast his fortune with the South. So he enlisted with Col. Joe Porter and was with him till after his tour of northeast Missouri.

When Col. Porter directed his course south, Mr. Mitchell came home and surrendered to Col. Benjamin at Shelbyville. Col. Benjamin required Mr. Mitchell to give up his gun, horse and pay his bond of one thousand dollars. Mr. Mitchell was very fortunate in being to pay the one thousand dollars as required, as it saved his life.

He continued to farm till in 1874, he was elected County Clerk and settled in Shelbyville. He served the county in this capacity for twelve years being elected three times in succession Mr. Mitchell made one of the best officers the county ever had. He was well educated for a man of his day, kind hearted, friendly, and agreeable with his acquaintances and every one he came in contact with. He was a very timid man for a man of his information and ability, slow to make friends, but when gained were lasting. Mr. Mitchell read a great deal and was one of the best-hearted men in the country. He was a member of the Christian Church, and but few, if any of the preachers of his church were able to teach him along the lines of their denominational belief. Mr. Mitchell was a Master Mason. He was made a Mason by the Shelbina Lodge in the early seventies, and was one of her brightest and best members. He was one of the men of the neighborhood in whose company we were often, as he and our father exchanged work much during harvest time, and then there was a special attraction at his house for a boy, consisting of a family of as nice girls as any boy ever kept company with. We often allow our mind to go back and live those days over, and are proud that we had the privilege of being much in company with Mr. Mitchell and his noble family in our boyhood days. Mr. Mitchell’s family of children consisted of seven girls and two sons, Mary L., now Mrs. Dr. Wood of Lentner, Lucy A., now Mrs. Thomas Nelson of near Lentner, Miss H. Isabelle unmarried and at home, Elizabeth R., now Mrs. J. F. Barr living near Clarence, Ella, now Mrs. J. A. Doyle of Shelbyville, Malinda P., now Mrs. Tyson Dines living in the West. Mr. Mitchell lived his three score years and ten. The latter part of his life he was some afflicted, having two or more paralytic strokes. He died in 1900 and was buried in Shelbyville, with the honors of a Master Mason.

JOHN CURTIS MITCHELL

This is the oldest son and third child of Thomas Mitchell, John C. Mitchell was born in Indiana in 1848. He came to Mo. with his father and assisted in making the above named farm, where he grew to manhood. He attended the district school, also two terms in Shelbina, one term to C. M. King, and one term to Elders G. W. Robey and George M. Brown, two Baptist preachers who taught a select school in the fall and winter of 1867. He rode from home, five and one half miles and did his regular farm work night and morning. My brother T. M. Pollard and I attended the same school with Mr. Mitchell going from home eight miles. We three the fall before rode to Shelbina, two nights in the week to grammar school taught by C. M. King. This is the way J. C. Mitchell gained his education which is a fairly good one. He, like his father, is a very timid man for a man of his ability. He married Miss Jennie Turner in 1870 and settled on a tract of land one mile north of the old home, where he improved a farm. He learned the carpenter’s trade in the fall and winter and farmed in the summer. Several years ago he sold his farm and settled in Shelbina, where he worked at his trade till some two years ago, he was connected with the drug business. Mr. Mitchell made a profession of religion when a young man and joined Bacon Chapel Church. When he joined the church he refused to submit to anything but immersion, which was finally granted. This was the first immersion administered by Bacon Chapel. He was baptized in Salt River. Curt, as we called him, and myself were special friends being together more than the other boys of the neighborhood, on account of exchanging work through harvest, and the school days spoken of, and the special attraction of his father’s family, mentioned above. J. C. Mitchell is one of Shelby County’s best citizens.

THOMAS MITCHELL, JR.

This is J. C. Mitchell’s oldest son, who was born and raised on the farm. He attended the district schools in winter and farmed in the summer. He is now a merchant in Iowa.

JAMES MITCHELL

A second son was also born and raised on the farm. He was just budding into manhood when, with his father, he moved to Shelbina, where he so demeaned himself as to merit the respect and friendship of all whom he met. He was educated in the country schools. James Mitchell was a popular young man and worthy of the esteem in which he was held by his many friends, but disease being no respecter of age, fastened its deadly fangs on this worthy young man, and in a short time death claimed him as a prize. He was buried by the Odd Fellows, being a worthy member of that order.

WILLIAM W. MITCHELL

This is the second son and youngest child of Thomas Mitchell. William W. Mitchell was born on the farm near Lentner, and when but a lad, his father moved to Shelbyville and assumed the duties of County Clerk. William grew to manhood in Shelbyville. He attended the Shelbyville public school, and also the State University at Columbia, Mo. He was elected Surveyor of Shelby Co., and is now holding his third term. He is a faithful and worthy officer and richly merits the esteem in which he is held by his friends. W. W. Mitchell is a Democrat, a Master Mason an one of the brightest members of St. Andrew Lodge of Shelbyville. He is a stockholder and officer of Shelbyville bank. W. W. Mitchell is one of Shelby County’s bright, useful and worthy young men.

J. H. Pollard