Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-06-03

~- Few men there are in our conn

EH- Few men there are in our conn
ty or State who are entitled to higher-ds
gree Of respect, or command more ensia
bic cast of public opinion than the Hon
Gilbert c. r. Mitchell, whose biography
We publish to-day from the Forthcoming
work. emitted Davenport Past and Prel
ent.' Judge Mitchelrs friends { enemies
has none) will read the following arii
with much satisfaction:
JUDGE MITCHELL was born Decemhet 5,
1908, at Dandridge, Jefferson county, East
tennessee. He was educated at East Ten
nssee College, s(now "E. Tennessee Unives-
sity,') in Knoxville, Tennessee, ard was
member Of its first graduating class in the
fail of 1922. His parents having removed
to Lawrence county. Alabama he proceeded
thither after graduating, and commenced
studying law with Judge A. F. Hopkirs
lnow OF Mobile), and was admitted to prac-
tice in 1925. He practiced in Alabama un-
til 1884, and spent winter in tour among
eastern cities, and in the spring oElS3H
came West, sitter visiting st. Louis, Ghica-
go, Galena and Dubuque.
Liking this portion Of the country. I'd
anticipating the results Of its admire 9l2s
cation, he purchased squstters right =
tract Of land upon which he at pr csent ~
sides. He erected a cabin, (which stood on
Fifth street, just west of De Soto street,)
and resided in it until 1897, or two yeare.
at that time, what now constitutes Iowa
was attached to Michigan, and until Wis
cousin was formed, there was neither law
nor officers of any kind west of the Missis
sippi. For several Years the principal pro-
iessional business Of lawyers in the terrific
ry was limited to litigation in regard TO
claim titles, or "Squatter's Rights" Judge
Mitchell added to this species of practice.
somewhat In the courts Of Rock Island
county, which were at that time organized
In lsi3, he wa. elected to the House OF
Representatives cf the Iowa Territoi ial
Legislature. He was nominated as Congress
sional Representative from that State in
1916, but was defeated.
lie was elected Mayor Of Davenport in
1886, and in April, 1857, was nominated by
"A meeting of the Bar, and elected Judge
of tue Fourteenth Judicial Districi-con
posed If the counties of Scott Clinton and
jackson. lie was elected to this office by
handsome majority, although the Republi-
can party nominal. i and ran party and
opposition candidate, and had large ma.
lorlty upon almost every other one of their
ticket. lie filled this office until the fall of
1887, and then resigned owing to il health
with design of removing to warmer
climate.
Judge Mitchell was always a Whig. until |
hat party dissolved, or became indicted
with Free Solism, and other of its modern
since then he has acted with |
the Democratic party in full faith in its ma
tionaity
As jurist. Judge Mitchell takes high |
Position-he is profoundly discriminative-
a keen, careful analyst, and one whose de.
auctions are always reliably correct His I
mental processes are seemingly slow, but in
reality rapid, for while others would dash |
to conclusion (often the wrong one). with
IN imperfect view of few contiguous
'acts, he traver5es the whole ground, omit
ting nothing. however seemingly trivial or
great; and although he may be twice as |
long In evolving question another, he
T Ierforms ten times the labor, and his con-
'iusion Is In the same proportion more wor-
.hy OF credence. If he has one trait more
prominent than another. it is thorough
nprehens'rcness-hs ability to include ev-
'rything in his examination of subject,
md add to this nice instructive and cul-
lyated perception of the character and
weight of fact, and one may see why he
'arely goes wrong, or commits errors in con-
.lusions
In regard to his every day life-that TOR
! mans being which all are interested in
shall say much less than the
excellence of the subject would admit
Wealthy, with cultivated literary taste,
nd choice and ample library, he now an-
oys life as only one surrounded by such
circumstances can. Fresh, Instructive, and
ngaging in his conversation, he takes a
nigh rank as a social companion, and as one
Who can be instructive, amusing, and brill
ant without effort.