The Newtown bee., 1893-12-15

IIlt SlClduSs ldt Has ICIltu VII disease and dropsy would have accom- plished in few months. His age was about G6 years. The following account, taken principally from the Modesto (Cal.) Herald, furnishes a truthful pie ture of the life of the worthy man, who
 Nhas passed on.' It is as follows: The news of the death of John William Mitch ell was received with genuine regret and sorrow throughout the country. He was one of our earliest pioneers; our wealthi- est citizen; a man who was foremost in the promotion of that which he deemed best for the public good; one whose great wealth, obtained by his own fO-e- sight and business ability, rather than taking advantage of the necessities of his fellow men, was liberally expended for the relief of the needy. He found pleas ure in ameliorating distress, in relieving worthy men in their adversities, in feed
 ing the hungry and clothing the poor. It was his happiness to install prosperity where prosperity had Ieigned, and to bring happiness into homes where wretchedness and want stalked. He gave his tenants opportunities and privileges enjoyed by no other tenants in California. voluntarily redeeming obligations to him in bad years, and even wiping out alto gether their indebtedness ,defraying their other obligations and starting them in life anew. Where the public veal was involved his purse was never closed. Again and again he was imposed upon by men whom he had assisted, but he never lost faith in his fellow men, and to the end pursued the course the simple nobil
 itv of his nature marked out for him. No man who knew him envied him his great wealth. and now that he is gone. many, very many mourn the loss of their bPne- factor and best friend. John w. Mitch ell was born in WOOdburv. West Side. in house that occupied the site now oc
 cupipd by the house opposite the fair ground, lately owned by his brother, Charles c. Mitchell. He was educated in the common schools, supplemented by years attendance at the WoOdburv Academy, of which William Cothren. Esq.,, was then principal. He was raised on his fathers farm, but in early man
 hood forsOok the plow for the carpenters g bench. In 1850. attracted by the allur- ing stories of the new EldOrado by the shores of the Pacific, he joined party from his native state and went to Califor- mia. taking the ISthmus route. Arriving at Stockton, he engaged in teaming from that point to the Tuolmune mines. invest ing his profits in lands in the live oak section near Stockton. A few years later he made his way down the valley, and. impressed with the advantage of the soil and climate. acquired a tract of 6000 or 1000 acres just west of Modisto, founding Paradise City. His farming operations proved highly remunPrative and the pro- ceeds he invested in other lands, acquir- ing large tracts at very low prices. From Paradise he went to Turlock, of which town he has always been the mainstay. Later on he developed the thriving town of Atwater. from mere railroad station. extending liberal inducements to settlers for that purpose. A year ago he present. ed to the town a handsome and cOmmo- dious public hall. The deceased owned nearly 100000 acres of land at the time of his death and, during his life, possess ed double that acreage. Two thirds of this land is under cultivation and a large body of it irrigated by canal construct ed by Mir StetcusOn and the deceased, is not Pxcelled in the state. The great bulk of the estate lies in Stanislaus and Meread counties. although there are comparative ly small tracts in Tulare and Fresno counties. The estate is no doubt worth $2 100000. The deceased was deeply in- terested in the success of the Turl0ck ir- rigation district.and to aid the enterprise invested some $25.000 or S30.000 in the bonds of the district when the money was most needed. He was serving his second term as director of the district at the time of his death. Mir Mitchell's wife died few years ago. and his only surviving relatives are two brothers. two nieces, a grand nephew and a grand niece, viz: Charles c. Mitchell of Atwa- ter. Cal, Asahel F. Mitchell of Brook lyn, N. Y, Mrs Stephen H. Crane and Mrs H. F. Geer of Turlock. Cal. George S. Bloss, Jr., and Edna Bloss of Atwa- ter The remains were transferred to San Francisco and deposited in a vault, to be ultimately inferred under monu- ment to be erected at Turlock The soul of integrity, simple and kindly of de- meanor. generous to fault, and possess- ing rare nobility of character, that waS distinguished by his'deep and active com
 miseration for his less fortunate fellow men, John w Mitchell has gone to his grave, mourned by legion of friends and leaves none to speak other than rev. erentlv of his memory. His will gives among other bequests $5000 each to four towns for public libraries; $5000 each to hie two brothers; 5000 each to the three children of the late George Drakelev. viz. Hollister and George Drakelev and Mrs John Pierce. Jr.. and $5000 to Mrs
 Augusta Munson. sister of Robert I. Drakelev. He gives the town of Turlock five acres of land for cemetery, direct ing that his body be buried there, and that the sum of $5000 be expended for a vault. After bequeathing between $20O. GOO and $500, ,000 in legacies. the res- idua of hia property is distributed to Mrs Stephen H. Crane ard Mrs H. F. Gear of Turlnck, and Gearge $. Bloss. .Jr. and Edna Rloss of Asw fer George 6. Ploss of Atwatar and H F. Geer of Turlnck arc designated as executors to serve without