Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-07
RISE OF MITCHELL
President of Miners Union HasLed
Strenuous Life.
FAMILY LEADS A SIMPLE LIFE
How John Mitchell Came Up from OBJ
scurity at Spring Valley Until He
Now Stands at the Head of the Min
ers-Is a Devoted Husband.

John Mitchell, at 10 was digging in
a canal mine; at 33 now, he is presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers of
America. This is in brief the story of
the life of the man who is leader of
the vast army of miners, of which
the members of the unions in Ottumwa
and the surrounding country, are a
part.
The twenty years of his life that lie
between those two periods are years
of toll and vicissitude, and the last |
ten, especially, of steady, remarkable
progress toward a never changing |
goal. Holding now the highest Office
in the gift of the United Mine Work |
ers, his family still lives in Spring Val
ley in the simplest manner imaginable. !
Mrs. Mitchell, her neighbors say, puts
on no airs" and they like her the bet
ter for it. 1t is evident that as her
husband has grasped good fortune and
risen in the world, she has not cared
to change her way of living, which is
practically that of the better class OF
miners in the town. The house which
Mrs. Mitchell and her four children
occupy is a half of a double frame,
which she owns. The other half she
rents. She has six rooms for her own
use. An ingram carpet covers the
parlor floor, and on the walls hang
enlarged crayon pictures of members
of the family, including a nun, Mrs.
Mitchell's sister. Prominent in one
corner of the room stands an easel,
on which is picture of Mr. Mitchell.
in wide frame of flowers and grasses.
Beneath this is large silver loving
cup, presented to him October 30. 1900.
by "admiring and enduring friends"
of Scranton, Pa A gilt clock and
candelabrum from other associates
were on table.
Mrs. Mitchell
Mrs. Mitchell is small, slender
woman, black haired and gray eyed,
kind, practical and contented. She has
worked hard and shows it. One would
never guess that her name before mar
riage was decidedly Irish one
Catherine O'Rourke-for she speaks
without even touch of the brogue
heard so much there She is naturally
timid, quiet and reserved, and just
now. owing to recent attacks on her
husband, suspicious of journalistic
strangers, but stimulated by friendly
inquiries, she talked freely of him and
herself. She was born in Catlin, Ill
81 did not get much education" she
4 said. "My mother died when | was
eight, and the care of the house fell
to me. | went to the Sisters school at
Colinsville, H.. for while, but that
was ALL was woman before | was
4 old enough to be girl" Mrs. Mitchell
finds herself busy with her children
In doing the homework she has the
assistance of cousin, a young girl
you must excuse my appearance.
she exclaimed to her visitor. with a
deprecatory glance at her wrapper 81
do all my own sewing, and that takes
so much time" 1t has been suggested
that the family's plain manner Of liv
ing is due to prudence, since any other
might lessen President Mitchell's DOB
ularity with the union. but really il
apnears a matter of choice on Mrs
: Mitchell's part Habit is strong ant
she prefers to live just as she has
always lived.
Father Little at Home.
!, Mr.. Mitchell is seldom at home, ant
there only for two or three days at {
time. His last visit there was :s
: March. 81 expected him home for the
Fourth said his wife, "but he had t.
go into Michigan to look after tn,
strike there and I see by the pape
that he has been called over to Wilkes
barre" Mrs. Mitchell apparently dos,
: not follow her husbands business III
closely. She says that she has neN
! been in a mine but once. When sh
q met him here in Spring Valley thirtesl
g years ago, he was still digging coal
e Loving him for what he then was, an,
$ probably not suspecting his possibi
d tiles for future advancement. she ken
n company" with him. and June 20, 1885,
/ they were married.
q Presidents Early Life.
RI cup to that time Jack ran about
O good deal,' said Mrs. Mitchell. "A
s school he played hockey and did nc
b get as much learning as he nigh
It His mother died when he was onl
Is two years old and his father marie
again. I guess Jack didn't have muc
" of a home after that. lie had to bel
n his new mother round the house all
is I've often heard him say how h
1t hated it. He had liking for goin
d about, and once worked his way out I
,r Colorado, and another time he wa
b. down in Mexico John was born i
it Braidwood in 1859. His father Wa
Irish and combined mining with
teaming business. He was killed in
T mine. His mother was an Englis
woman.
he after we were married, John gc
steady He bought books OF all kline
10 and used to study at night
" Are any of those books about IL
a. house, Mrs. Mitchell? Do you reca
~ what they were?"
= ooh, no! | never paid any ate
20. toin to them. | suppose he's got the
@. with him.
. ITO what trait or quality do you a
&C tribute your husbands success, MI
IT Mitchell?'
~ "Oh, John, he was always sobe
as Many time I've said to him, If you