W. S. Mitchell Biography


	This biography appears on page 1848-1849 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	W. S. MITCHELL was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on the 16th of 
February, 1861, and received his educational discipline in the 
excellent schools of his native land, where he remained until he had 
attained the age of twenty-one years, when he severed the home ties and 
came to America. He landed in New York city and remained in the 
national metropolis about six months, at the expiration of which he 
came to the west and located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where he followed 
his trade, that of stone cutter, for the ensuing year, at the 
expiration of which he returned to New York, where he passed the 
following year and then came again to St. Cloud, where he made his home 
until he came to South Dakota and took up his residence in Sioux Falls, 
where he was engaged in the work of his trade until the following year, 
when he cast in his lot with that of the good people of Dell Rapids, 
where he organized the Dell Rapids Granite Company, of which he became 
secretary and treasurer, the company owning and operating valuable 
quarries in this locality. He continued to be actively concerned in 
this line of enterprise for a period of twelve years, at the expiration 
of, which he disposed of his interests and engaged in the hotel and 
restaurant business in Dell Rapids. He has gained to his place a high 
reputation for the best of service in all departments, and Mitchell's 
hotel and restaurant enjoy unmistakable popularity with the traveling 
public. For the past five years he has been manager of the local opera 
house and in the connection has given the public an excellent class of 
entertainments. In politics Mr. Mitchell has ever given an unqualified 
allegiance to the Republican party but has never sought or desired 
public office. He is held in high regard in fraternal circles and he is 
identified with the Masonic order, the Benevolent and Protective Order 
of Elks, the Knights of Pythias, Knights of the Maccabees, Modern 
Woodmen of America and the Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan.

	Mr. Mitchell was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Love, and they 
have one child.