George C. Mitchell of Winfield, Kan., is of Scotch descent and a native of Ohio, born in New Matamoras, Washington county, that state, May 6, 1874. His father, Joseph M. Mitchell, was a native of Monroe county, Ohio, where in his earlier years he followed the cooper's trade. He was one of those heroic men who, fifty years ago, promptly responded to the call to arms in defense of the Union. He enlisted in Company E Seventy-seventh Ohio infantry, which regiment was organized at Marietta, Columbus and other places in Ohio, from Sept. 28, 1861, to Jan. 5, 1862, to serve three years. Its first serious battle was that of Shiloh, where it bore a conspicuous part in the determined and protracted struggle for the position at Shiloh Church and in baffling the enemy in all his attempts to capture Taylor's battery, and General Sherman commended the regiment for its heroic defense in this noted battle. Joseph M. Mitchell was captured at the battle of Falling Timber, Ark., and was imprisoned at Tyler, Tex., where he remained until Lee's surrender. He suffered all the horrors incident to prison experience and there contracted diseases which seriously affected him throughout the remainder of his life. After his release at the close of the war he returned to Ohio, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and, there his death occurred in 1906. He was a Democrat in political belief and served as clerk of the district court of Washington county, Ohio, four years. The mother of George C. Mitchell was Mary Ellen, daughter of James Swartz, a native of Maryland, who came to Ohio when a young man. He, too, was a soldier in the Civil war and gave his life at the battle of Antietam as a sacrifice to the preservation of the Union. The first Swartz of this family in America was an emigrant from Scotland and came to this country in Colonial days.

George C. Mitchell received a common school education in Ohio and initiated his independent career at the age of fourteen by entering the employ of the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling Railway Company, where he remained one year. He was subsequently employed one and a half years in filling orders for the Hubbard & Paull Wholesale Grocery Company of Wheeling, W. Va. He then became assistant clerk for one season on the steamer "Lexington," plying on the Ohio river, and then accepted a similar position on the "Liberty," with Capt. John K. Booth, then the oldest steamboat captain on the Ohio river in point of his years of service. He remained with Captain Booth until the "Liberty" was sold, two years later, when he engaged with the Green River steamboat lines as chief clerk and auditor and was thus employed until his coming to Kansas, in 1898.

On Dec. 21 of that year he wedded Katharine, daughter of E. M. Rice, a native of Monroe county, Ohio, who came to Kansas in 1879 and settled at Winfield. Mr. Rice was identified with the J. P. Baden Produce Company a number of years as bookkeeper, but is now retired. He has accumulated valuable farm property in Cowley county. Mr. Mitchell did not return to Ohio after his marriage, but remained in Winfield as secretary and bookkeeper for the S. H. Myton Hardware Company until July 1, 1905, when he was made assistant county treasurer and has filled that position continuously to the present time. He is also an interested principal in the Home Realty Company of Winfield, which conducts a profitable real estate and insurance business. Fraternally Mr. Mitchell is prominently identified with the Masonic order, being a member and past master of Winfield Lodge, No. 110, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; a member of Winfield Chapter, No. 31, Royal Arch Masons; of Winfield Commandery, No. 15, Knights Templars; and of Wichita Consistory, No. 2, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masons. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 732, and is a Knight of Pythias, having served as first lieutenant of the Uniformed Rank, and as past chancellor commander of Chevalier Lodge, No. 70, prior to the surrender of its charter. Mrs. Mitchell is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.