BIO: James MITCHELL, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 429 & 430.
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  JAMES MITCHELL, president of the Clearfield National Bank, at Clearfield, 
Pa., is one of the representative business men of this section and for many 
years was prominent in the lumber industry.  He was born on his father's farm 
in Lawrence Township, Clearfield County, Pa., May 8, 1842, and is a son of 
William and Elizabeth (Spackman) Mitchell.
  William Mitchell was born in Ireland, a son of John and Isabella Mitchell, 
who were of Scotch-Irish birth.  When William was six years of age they sailed 
for St. John's, New Brunswick, where they lived for a time before coming to the 
United States.  They landed at Philadelphia and went from there to Center 
County and then settled on 400 acres of land situated in Lawrence Township, 
Clearfield County.  This was in 1830 and John Mitchell died on that land in 
January, 1849.  William Mitchell was one of a family of eight children, all now 
deceased.  He became a farmer and lumberman, purchasing land of his own 
adjoining that of his father.  He married Elizabeth Spackman, who died in 1887, 
at the age of 74 years, having survived her husband since 1858.  She belonged 
to a prominent old Quaker family of Chester County, Pa.  The following children 
were born to William and Elizabeth Mitchell:  Theodore, John, Eliza, Isabella, 
James, Sarah, Caroline, Oscar and Alfred, all surviving except Theodore, John 
and Isabella.
  James Mitchell remained on the home farm, a tract of 231 acres, which he 
purchased in 1865, until 1871, following farming and stock raising and being 
interested also in surveying and lumbering.  He had country school advantages 
in his youth, supplemented by three months attendance in the Clearfield 
schools, the opportunities for securing an education in his youth being very 
different from those now presented to the boys and girls all over the land.  In 
1871 Mr. Mitchell built and took possession of his comfortable residence at 
Clearfield and has been identified with the leading interests of the city ever 
since.  He was one of the organizers of the Clearfield National Bank and filled 
the office of vice president until 1911, when made president.  In politics he 
is a Republican and the confidence of his fellow citizens was shown by his 
election in 1888 to the responsible office of county treasurer.
  On May 15, 1883, Mr. Mitchell was married to Miss Grace B. Row, who is a 
daughter of the late Samuel B. Row, and nine children have been born to them, 
namely:  George, Catherine, John, Elizabeth, James, Theodore, Samuel, Grace and 
Eugene.  Mr. Mitchell and family attend the Presbyterian church.