William Mitchell was an educator, Civil War veteran, and

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

public servant who served as the first

North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction The North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction oversees the operations of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. The Superintendent enforces state and federal statutes and regulations regarding public schools and related program ...

from 1889 until his sudden death in 1890.

Biography

William Mitchell was born near Mount Vernon in

Knox County, Ohio Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,721. Its county seat is Mount Vernon. The county is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the fir ...

. His birth year is disputed. Some sources claim 1828 or 1829, and other sources claim it was 1830. William was the oldest of nine children born to Rev. John Mitchell and Anne (Ogden) Mitchell. He married Catharine Haller in 1854 and they had three children. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, Mitchell was employed as a teacher in Ohio. He left the classroom and served as a captain in Company A of the 96th Ohio Infantry Regiment. From then on, he preferred to be called "Captain" Mitchell. He served as superintendent of instruction in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, for several years. In 1883, he moved to

Fargo, North Dakota Fargo ( /ˈfɑɹɡoʊ/) is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, North Dakota, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 125,990, making it the most populous city in the state and the 219th-most populous city in ...

. In 1887, he was elected superintendent of schools in Cass County. He became instrumental in calling the first education association meeting, which eventually become the North Dakota Education Association. When

was admitted to the Union in 1889, the state's constitution created the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the position was made an elective office for a two-year term. In 1889, William Mitchell became the first Superintendent of Public Instruction for North Dakota. During his short time in office, he became well liked and respected. During his long career as an educator, he worked as a teacher, college professor, instructor, city superintendent, State Examiner, county superintendent, and State Superintendent. He also had experience in the legal field. On the evening of March 10, 1890, William Mitchell died suddenly of heart failure at his residence on Second Street in

Bismarck, North Dakota Bismarck () is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the state's second-most populous city, after Fargo. The city's population was 73,622 in the 2020 census, while its metropolitan popula ...

. His deputy, Frederick W. Cathro, became interim superintendent until William J. Clapp was appointed to complete Mitchell's term in office. William Mitchell is buried at Mound View Cemetery in

Mount Vernon, Ohio Mount Vernon is a city in Knox County, Ohio, United States. It is located northeast of Columbus. The population was 16,990 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Knox County. History The community was platted in 1805, and named after Mo ...

References

External links

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, William 19th-century births 1890 deaths Year of birth uncertain North Dakota Superintendents of Public Instruction People from Mount Vernon, Ohio 19th-century American educators Schoolteachers from Ohio People of Ohio in the American Civil War Educators from North Dakota

Biography

See also

References

External links