1862, at the time of the Sioux outbreak, he was appointed by Governor Alexander Ramsey, an old-time personal friend, commissary general of the state, and took an active part in measures for the protection of the people of this part of Minnesota. Later he received the appointment of deputy provost marshal, holding the office until the government had no longer need of ehat service. In his early life he was a staunch Whig and a great admirer of Henry CLay. On the birth of the Republican party he gave to it his unwavering allegiance.
In 1841, at Wilkinsburg, Pa., he married Miss Elizabeth Ann Cannon, whose birth had occurred at that place in April, 1821. Her parents were of Scotch-Irish descent, and she was the only sister of Mrs. Jane Grey Swisshelm, well known in journalistic and political circles. Eight children were born to them, four of whom are still living—William B., of St. Cloud; Mary C., widow of Henry C. Burbank, St. Paul; Charles S., editor of the Duluth News-Tribune; Jean G., wife of Dr. Charles E. Walton, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Both General Mitchell and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church, he having been for many years an elder. His death occurred at St. Cloud March 6, 1896, and that of his wife January 6, 1910.
William Bell Mitchell was born at Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1843, his parents being Henry Z. and Elizabeth A. Mitchell. He attended the village schools and a local academy until at the age of hirteen he was for one year at Duff's college, Pittsburg. Coming in the spring of 1857 with his parents to St. Cloud, he attended a private school. In 1858 he assisted as chainman in surveying and locating the state road from St. Cloud to Breckenridge on the Red River of the North, which later was practically paralleled by the present Great Northern railway, and is still the main traveled thoroughfare between these two points. Soon afterwards he became engaged as a compositor in the office of the St. Cloud Visiter, which was owned and published by his aunt, Mrs. Jane Grey Swisshelm, and for a short time continued school work with a private tutor. In June, 1863, he purchased the printing office plant, the name of the paper in the meantime having been changed to the Democrat. This name he changed later to the St. Cloud Journal, and in 1876 having purchased the St. Cloud Press, consolidated the two with the name of the St. Cloud Journal-Press. The publication of this paper he continued until 1892, when he sold it to a corporation, by which it has since been published, in both daily and weekly editions. After retiring from the newspaper he engaged and has continued in the real estate business, with interests in a number of manufacturing and other enterprises.
In 1865 he was appointed by President Lincoln receiver of the United States land office at St. Cloud, being removed by President Johnson for political reasons. In 1878 he was appointed to the same office by President Hayes and four years later was re-appointed by President Arthur, serving until 1885, when he was removed, for political reasons, by President Cleveland. In politics he has always been a Republican, voting for every Republican candidate for president since the first nomination of Abraham Lincoln. In 1887 he was appointed a member of the State Normal school board and resident director of St. Cloud, a position he held through successive appointments
