Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-12-12
IS NO MORE.
Noted Senator Gathered in by
Grim Reaper.

P and, at 1890 a. m., Fr:-
d V, Senator John H. Mitchell,
D ii to his Father Death was
directly attributed to a hemorr-
hage which resulted from an ex-
II ion of four teeth. The gen
e, feeble condition OF the Sen
at assisted toward the last by
bl poisoning as the result of a
BE- uurrhage was too great for him
d e expired the dav succeed
Ing his visit to the dental parlors
of Dr.. Wise.
Senator John H. Mitchell was
born in Washington county,
Pa June 23, 1885. He grew to
M nhood at Butler, Pa, and was
educated at Witherspoon Insti-
tn
He began life as a school teach
er, out in 1857 commenced the
study OF law. He entered the
office OF Samuel A. Purviance,
where he was soon made a part
ner, and remained there three
years.
In 1860 he left Pennsylvania
and went to California, and after
staying in San Luis Obispo few
months, came to Oregon where
he has resided the past As years.
Senator Mitchell reached Port
land late in 1860, and within one
year after his arrival he was
elected City Attorney. One year
more and he was sent to the State
Senate. Another two years and
he was chosen president of the
State Senate. In 1866 he failed
bv one vote of winning the Re-
publican caucus nomination for
United States Senator, yet such
was his strength that he defeated
the caucus nominee, though un-
able to win the position for him
self.
Six years later, in 1872, he
was elected United States Sena-
tor from Oregon for the first
time, and began his long term ol
service at Washington in March
1873.
About this time Senator Nit
chell married Miss Martha Price,
a member of a prominent Oregon
family.
In 1879, when Senator Mitch
ell came up for reelection, the
Democratic party controlled the
Oregon Legislature, and he was
defeated by James H. Slater.
Four years later Senator Mitchell
again tried for election to the
Senate, but 18 Republican mem
bers refused to vote for him, ant
he was compelled to give way tt
J. N. Dolph.
In 1885 Mitchell succeeded ir
winning the seat in the Senat
once more, through the aid O
Democratic votes, and in 1891 b,
was reelected with very little op
position. In 1897 he failed c
reelection again, because he ha'
been silver exponent at Wash
ington. Such was the intensity
of the fight over the Senatorshil
at that time that the Legislator
did not even effect organization.
The next four years are said t
have been hard ones for Senate
Mitchell. He had allowed hi
business to suffer, and failing c
reelection he was without re
sources. But the remarkabl
political influence he had devel
oped had not all left him, an
factiona1 struggles came to b;
rescue IN the session OF 1901.
There had been deadlock i
the Senatorial contest the entil
session, and when. on the la.
night, no Senator had been chose
Senator Mitchell was electe
United States Senator from Or
gon for the fourth time. Fl
term would have expired
1907.
Senator Mitchell had two son
John H. Mitchell, Jr., an alto
ney at St. Paul, and Hiram ]
Mitchell, a Lieutenant in Il
Regular Army, now stationed
New York; also three daughte,
one of whom died at Washingtt
last winter; another is married
the Duke Of Rochefoucauld,