John L. Mitchell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John L. Mitchell
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| United States Senator from Wisconsin |
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| In office March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1899 |
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| Preceded by | Philetus Sawyer |
| Succeeded by | Joseph V. Quarles |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 4th district |
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| In office March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 |
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| Preceded by | Isaac W. Van Schaick |
| Succeeded by | Peter J. Somers |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 6th district |
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| In office January 3, 1876 – January 7, 1878 |
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| Preceded by | John Black |
| Succeeded by | George Howard Paul |
| In office January 1, 1872 – January 5, 1874 |
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| Preceded by | Peter V. Deuster |
| Succeeded by | John Black |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Lendrum Mitchell
October 19, 1842 Milwaukee, Territory of Wisconsin |
| Died | June 29, 1904 (aged 61) Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Resting place | Forest Home Cemetery Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1863 |
| Rank |  1st Lieutenant |
| Unit | 24th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War
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John Lendrum Mitchell (October 19, 1842 – June 29, 1904) was an American politician and a generous giver to good causes from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served one term in the United States Senate (1893–1899) and one term in the House of Representatives (1891–1893). Before that, he was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate. He also served as an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
John L. Mitchell was the son of Alexander Mitchell, a powerful railroad owner and banker in Milwaukee. John used his family's money to support many important projects in Milwaukee. For example, the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory is named after him.
His son, U.S. Army Major General William Lendrum "Billy" Mitchell, is known as the "father of the United States Air Force".
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Lendrum Mitchell was born in Milwaukee, which was then part of the Wisconsin Territory. His parents were Martha (Reed) and Alexander Mitchell. His father was a very rich banker and politician who had moved from Scotland.
John went to a military academy in Hampton, Connecticut. He also studied in Europe, spending time in Munich, Bavaria, and Geneva, Switzerland. He came back to the United States in 1860, just before the Civil War began.
Serving in the Civil War
During the American Civil War, John Mitchell joined the 24th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in the summer of 1862. He became a 2nd Lieutenant in Company I. His regiment officially joined the army on August 21, 1862. They left Wisconsin on September 5 to fight in Kentucky.
First Battles in Kentucky
On September 20, they arrived in Louisville, Kentucky. The 24th Wisconsin regiment joined the III Corps of the Army of the Ohio. They quickly faced General Braxton Bragg and his Confederate army. The Confederates were trying to take control of Kentucky.
The two armies met at Perryville, Kentucky, on October 8, 1862, in the Battle of Perryville. The 24th Wisconsin was kept in reserve for most of the battle. But late in the day, they were ordered to join the fight. They chased the enemy as they ran away. They continued chasing the Confederates until October 15. Then, they were told to stop and go back west. They moved into Tennessee and set up camp near Nashville on November 22.
Stones River Campaign
At their camp near Mill Creek, the Union army was reorganized. It became the Army of the Cumberland under Major General William Rosecrans. On December 27, they attacked Bragg's army again. Bragg was camped along the Stones River, near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
During this campaign, Lieutenant Mitchell was chosen for a special job. He worked as a map-making assistant for Brigadier General Joshua W. Sill. Sadly, General Sill was killed during the first hours of the Battle of Stones River. Lieutenant Mitchell had to tell Colonel Nicholas Greusel that he was now in charge of the brigade. Colonel Greusel was able to get the brigade back in order and led them well for the rest of the battle. Colonel Greusel later praised Lieutenant Mitchell in his official report.
Promotion and Discharge
After the battle, the Union army stayed in Murfreesboro for several months. They turned it into a strong Union base. During this time, Lieutenant Mitchell was promoted. On January 17, 1863, he became a 1st Lieutenant for Company E.
That summer, Lieutenant Mitchell was with the army during the Battle of Hoover's Gap. However, around this time, the army doctor found that Lieutenant Mitchell had serious vision problems. He was sent home to Wisconsin and officially left the army.
Political Life and Public Service
After the war, Mitchell became a farmer. He cleared 480 acres of land west of Milwaukee. In 1871, he started his political career. He ran for the Wisconsin State Senate as a Democrat in the 6th senatorial district. He did not run for re-election in 1873. But he returned to office after winning the 1875 election in the same district. He chose not to run again in 1877. However, he stayed active in the state Democratic Party. For several years, he was the chairman of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party.
Community Contributions
Mitchell was also active outside of politics. He was chosen as President of the Milwaukee School Board in 1884 and 1885. He also gave a lot of money to Milwaukee's Soldiers' home. In 1886, Congress appointed him to the board of managers for the National Home for Disabled Soldiers. He served on this board almost until his death.
After his father died in 1887, Mitchell took over many family businesses. He became very important in state affairs. People respected him for how well he managed the family's money. He became President of the Marine and Fire Insurance Company Bank, which his father had started. He also owned a large part of the Northwestern National Insurance Company.
In 1888, a storm damaged several buildings at the state fair grounds. Mitchell used his own money to rebuild them quickly for the fair. That year, he was elected President of the state Agricultural Society.
Serving in Congress
In 1890, Mitchell decided to run for the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 4th congressional district. He won the election with 56% of the votes. He then served in the 52nd United States Congress. After being elected, he became chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He worked hard to help Democrats win more seats in both the House and Senate in the 1892 elections.
He also wanted to become a U.S. Senator. The Wisconsin Legislature would choose the Senator in 1893. The Democrats kept their majority in the Legislature. After many votes, the Democratic group chose Mitchell as their candidate for Senator. He received 77 votes in the final election.
Senator Mitchell's Views
Mitchell was known as one of the best-educated members of the Senate. He continued to support funding for veterans. He supported the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act, which was a tax on people earning more than $4,000 a year. This only affected about 10% of Americans at the time.
He strongly disagreed with the idea of American imperialism, which was about the U.S. taking over other countries. He spoke out against the U.S. taking over Hawaii and against the Spanish–American War. Even though he didn't personally agree with some of his party's economic ideas, he remained loyal to the Democratic Party. In 1896, some people suggested he could be a candidate for Vice President of the United States. He served in the Senate until 1899 and did not run for re-election.
After leaving the Senate, Mitchell traveled to Europe with his family. He and one of his daughters studied at Grenoble University in France. They both earned a diploma for their skills in French language and literature. The family returned to their farm in Greenfield, Wisconsin, in 1902. Mitchell's health got worse after this. He passed away at his home on June 29, 1904. He was buried in the Mitchell family plot at Milwaukee's Forest Home Cemetery.
Family and Lasting Impact
John Mitchell was married twice. First to Bianca Coggswell, and then to Harriet Danforth Becker. Harriet was an important member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He had at least 12 children, but only 7 lived to be adults.
Famous Children
One of his sons was Major General Billy Mitchell. He is famous for being the "father of the United States Air Force". Interestingly, during the Civil War, John Mitchell served with Arthur MacArthur Jr.. Arthur's son, Douglas MacArthur, later served as a judge in the court case of John's son, Billy, in 1925.
Another son, John Mitchell, was also an early American pilot. He died in his fighter plane in France in 1917. His daughter, Ruth Mitchell, was an author. She became well-known for fighting alongside Yugoslav Chetniks against the Germans in World War II.
Philanthropy and Legacy
Mitchell collected paintings by famous artists like Jules Breton and Adolf Schreyer. He supported several art and education groups, including the Layton Art Gallery, Milwaukee College, and the Milwaukee Hospital. He was also an active member of several groups for veterans.
He helped start the College of Agriculture at the University of Wisconsin. He also offered twenty scholarships for boys from poor families to attend the school. Finally, he donated the land to create Mitchell Park, which is named in his honor.
His personal papers, along with his father's, are kept at the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Images for kids
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John L. Mitchell
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Rank insignia for a First Lieutenant in the Union Army
