Sixteen letters either written or received by members of the Mitchell family. Also, one gold license issued to William Mitchell, Jr. Several of the letters were written by William Mitchell who was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, in 1825. His parents brought him and his brothers and sisters to Middletown, Conn., where he grew up. When Mitchell was 24 he sailed around Cape Horn to join the California Gold Rush. In 1852 he sailed to Australia where he worked in the gold fields for three years and then went on around the world. He came to Kansas in 1856 as part of the Beecher Rifle Company. He was prominent in the history of that colony, underground railroad, and in the border troubles. When the Prairie Guards Militia Company was organized, Mitchell was chosen Captain and led his men to the defense of Lawrence, K. T. In 1868, he was elected to the State Legislature. In that same year, he married Mary Chamberlain, a teacher from Middletown, Conn. They lived on their farm of 320 acres until 1880, when they and their four children moved to Wabaunsee. Mitchell served as a station agent for the Manhattan, Alma and Burlingame Railroad. Mary Chamberlain Mitchell's sister Josephine Chamberlain was married to Dr. William Hornaday, a famous naturalist who worked to save to the bison and composed several songs. The Mitchell children had outstanding careers, Alex C. Mitchell retired after working 47 years for the Santa Fe Railway, H. Raymond and William I. Mitchell were for many years the manager and treasurer of the Bronx Zoological Park, and Maude J. was an artist, poet, and composer.
Kansas Memory
Kansas Historical Society
Mitchell family letters - W. Mitchell, Jr. to J. Mitchell, January 20, 1849