Robert Mitchell (June 22, 1826June 21, 1899) was an American medical doctor, farmer, and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician. He served one term in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

, representing Marquette County, and was a

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

surgeon throughout the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

Background

Mitchell was born in

Moravia, New York Moravia is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,626 at the 2010 census. The town of Moravia contains a village also called Moravia. The town is in the Finger Lakes region, south of Auburn. History Moravia wa ...

, on June 22, 1826; he graduated from

Geneva Medical College Geneva Medical College was founded on September 15, 1834, in Geneva, New York, as a separate department (college) of Geneva College, currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In 1871, the medical school was transferred to Syracuse ...

in 1845, and the

University of Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 18 ...

in 1850, and became a physician and farmer.

In Wisconsin; the war and after

Mitchell moved to Wisconsin in 1857, having spent some months in

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and three years in

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, and went into

medical practice Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

in Portage City. During the

, Mitchell was the assistant surgeon of the 10th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment for two years, and was at the Battles of Perryville and Stone River; then became surgeon of the 27th Wisconsin Volunteers, and was at the

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, and at the siege of

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. After the war, Mitchell resumed practice in Portage. He married Abby Briggs in 1867. They moved to

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in Marquette County in 1869, and he became a full-time farmer for some time. They returned to Portage in 1893.

Public office

Mitchell served as chairman of the

town board A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

in the

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of Douglass. In 1874, he was elected to represent Marquette County in the Assembly's 1875 session, receiving 776 votes to 654 for

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Neil Dimond (Democratic incumbent William Murphy was not a candidate for re-election). He was assigned to the

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s on the

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(which he chaired) and medical societies; and to the joint committee on

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. Mitchell was defeated when he ran for re-election to the 1876 Assembly, with 507 votes to 673 for Democrat

B. Frank Goodell Benjamin Franklin "Dad" Goodell (July 12, 1843 – December 10, 1924) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Goodell was born on July 12, 1843, in Monroe Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio. After his father died, he and his mother ...

. He ran once more for the Assembly, seeking election as a Democrat for the 1879 session, but lost with 718 votes to 953 for James W. Murphy (also a Democrat) and 69 votes for Greenbacker O. C. Pomeroy. Mitchell spent many years on the Board of Examining Surgeons for the United States Pension Department in Portage, retaining that position through several changes of national government. He died in Portage on June 21, 1899."Dr. Robert Mitchell" in ''Men of the Early Day at the Winnebago Portage''. Portage: The Daily Democrat, Printers: 1903; pages 28-29.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Robert 1826 births 1899 deaths Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly People from Portage, Wisconsin People from Marquette County, Wisconsin People from Moravia, New York People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Union Army surgeons Physicians from Wisconsin University at Buffalo alumni Wisconsin Democrats Wisconsin Republicans Geneva Medical College alumni 19th-century American politicians