Col. A. R. Mitchell, De Soto Parish, Louisiana

Submitted by Mike Miller
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Source: Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, 
(vol. 2), pp. 489-490. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, Chicago, 1892
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One of the leading members of the Lake Charles bar, Col. A. B. 
Mitchell, was born in Winchester, Franklin county, Tenn., February 22, 
1817.  He is the son of Robert T. and Mary W. (Shropshire) Mitchell, 
the former a native of South Carolina and the latter of Georgia.  
Robert T. Mitchell was a graduate of Columbia college, Columbia, S. C. 
He read law and was admitted to the bar at Rogersville, Tenn., where 
he practiced his profession at the time General Jackson was circuit 
judge of that district.  He afterward located in Winchester, Tenn., 
where he remained for a short time, and then removed to De Soto parish, 
La, where he gave his attention to planting.  In this he was successful, 
and before his death had accumulated considerable property.  The subject 
of this sketch was the elder of two children.  He spent his school days
in Knoxville, Tenn., graduating from the State university at that place.
Immediately after completing his education he began the study of law, 
and was admitted to the bar at Winchester, Tenn., in 1839.  Shortly 
after this he came to Louisiana, and in 1840 was admitted to the
practice of law at Monroe.  He practiced his profession in Mansfield for a
number of years.  On the breaking out of the Mexican war, Colonel Mitchell 
organized a company, of which he became captain.  He joined General Taylor 
in the army of the Rio Grande, and he and his company served
gallantly through this whole struggle.  The first of his service was in the
Fifth Louisiana regiment, but he was afterward transferred to the Fourth 
regiment of the United States troops, and in this regiment he was promoted 
to lieutenant of his company, and was mustered out of service as brevet 
captain.  At the close of the war Colonel Mitchell returned home and resumed
his law practice.  In this he was seduously engaged until the late struggle
between the states again demanded that he should leave the quiet of home and 
defend his native land against the wrongs imposed upon her.  He organized 
a company and entered the confederate states cavalry service.  His company 
was afterward attached to the Third Louisiana cavalry, of which regiment
he afterward became lieutenant-colonel, and was in command of the regiment
until its dissolution.  When the war closed Colonel Mitchell again resumed 
his law practice and was earnest in his efforts to extinguish sectional 
strife; but during the well-remembered days of reconstruction, he left 
the tumultuous scene and resided in different places in Texas.  After
the election of a democratic governor he returned to Louisiana and located
of Lake Charles, where he has since given his attention to his profession.  
As a lawyer Colonel Mitchell has few equals in his section.  He is an 
accomplished orator and a gentleman of deep learning.  Few men
are favored with as remarkable a memory as he possesses, and to this he
ascribes to a great extent his success as a lawyer.  Colonel Mitchell has 
always been more or less prominent in political affairs of the state.  While 
a resident of De Soto parish he was district attorney and represented the 
parish in the legislature for four consecutive terms.

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