Charles S . Mitchell Charles Sumner Mitchell ( November 13 , 1856 – January 9 , 1922 ) was an American newspaper publisher and editor . He was the assistant editor of the " St . Cloud Journal - Press " from 1881 to 1894 , the publisher of the " Alexandria Post - News " from 1894 to 1920 , the editor - in - chief of the " Duluth News Tribune " from 1906 to 1920 and of the " Washington Herald " from 1920 until his death in 1922 . He also served two terms as the president of the Minnesota Editorial Association . He was a graduate of the University of Michigan where he played college football as the goalkeeper for the 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team — the first football team to represent the University of Michigan . Early years . Mitchell was born in Wilkinsburg , a suburb of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , in 1856 . His parents , Henry Zehring Mitchell and Elizabeth Ann ( Cannon ) Mitchell , were both Pennsylvania natives . He moved with his parents as an infant to St . Cloud , Minnesota , in May 1857 . His father operated a store in St . Cloud as a drygoods and clothing merchant and general agent . Mitchell ' s early education was in the schools of St . Cloud , Minnesota . He received his preparatory education at Ann Arbor High School . Mitchell ' s aunt , Jane Swisshelm , was a noted journalist , abolitionist , and women ' s rights advocate who published the first newspaper in St . Cloud , Minnesota — " The Saint Cloud Visitor " . During Mitchell ' s childhood , his older brother , William Bell Mitchell ( born May 14 , 1843 ) , purchased his aunt ' s printing plant and operated the " St . Cloud Press " , later known as the " St . Cloud Journal - Press " . University of Michigan . Mitchell enrolled in the literary department at the University of Michigan in the fall of 1876 . While at Michigan , he was the founder of the Athletic Association at the university . He played college football for the 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team — the first football team to represent the University of Michigan . Mitchell played at the goalkeeper position in the first game played by a Michigan football team , a game against Racine at White Stockings grounds in Chicago . The game was described at the time as " the finest game of Rugby foot - ball ever played this side of the Alleghanies . " While at Michigan , Mitchell was also a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity , captain of the senior football team , president of the Athletic Association , editor of the " Oracle " , editor of the " Palladium " ( the University of Michigan yearbook ) , a member of Gamma Kappa Epsilon , and secretary of the Football Association . Mitchell graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor in Philosophy degree in 1880 . Newspaper editor . After graduating from Michigan , Mitchell was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in December 1881 . However , he spent his career in the newspaper business rather than as a lawyer . Mitchell began his newspaper career working with his brother at the " St . Cloud Journal - Press " . He was the assistant editor of the " St . Cloud Journal - Pres " from 1881 to 1894 . In 1894 , he purchased the " Douglas County News " ( Douglas County , Minnesota ) and the " Alexandria Post " ( Alexandria , Minnesota ) . He consolidated the two newspapers into the " Alexandria Post News " and became its publisher and editor . At the time of the 1900 United States Census , Mitchell was living in Alexandria , Minnesota , with his wife , Ella , and their daughter , Elizabeth . His occupation was listed at that time as an editor . He was the publisher of the " Alexandria Post - News " during its entire run from 1894 to 1920 . Mitchell later became the editor of the Fairbanks , Minnesota " News " . From approximately 1906 to 1920 , Mitchell was the editor of the " Duluth News Tribune " . Under Mitchell ' s editorship , the " Duluth News Tribune " was one of the first newspaper to advocate the United States ' entry into World War I . He was also twice elected as the president of the Minnesota Editorial Association . In 1920 , Mitchell accepted the position of editor - in - chief with the " Washington Herald " in Washington , D . C . Family and death . In August 1884 , Mitchell was married to Elora Thompson ( born 1864 ) of Butler , Pennsylvania . They had one daughter , Elizabeth Ann Mitchell ( born March 20 , 1891 ) . He was later married to Rizpah DeL . Mitchell . They had a daughter ( Adade ) and a son ( Scott ) . Mitchell died in January 1922 at his home in Washington , D . C . According to an obituary in " The New York Times " , Mitchell ' s death was due indirectly to a nervous breakdown . Another newspaper attributed his death to " heart trouble following an illness of a few weeks . "