GEORGE M. MITCHELL - George M. Mitchell, a thrifty and enterprising farmer residing on section 19, Maxwell township, was born on the farm which is still his home, September 27, 1860, his parents being Charles and Hannah (Miller) Mitchell, both natives of England. His father was born in Northamptonshire, in 1815 and after his marriage continued a resident of that country for some years, his time being devoted to farming. About 1854 he came to the new world, accompanied by his wife and two children. On leaving his native land it was his intention to go to Venezuela, but the colony of which he was a Member divided and he came to the United States. He located in Morgan county, Illinois, where he followed farming for two years and then came to Sangamon county, purchasing the farm in Maxwell township, where his son George now resides. Throughout the remainder of his active business life he engaged in the cultivation of that place, but after the death of his wife, which occ urred in 1900, he went to make his home with a daughter in Waverly. where be passed away in August, 1901.

In their family were eight children. namely: Sarah, wife of Larkin Bovan, of Waverly; John Z., a resident of Republic county, Kansas; William, of Waverly; Lottie, wife of Brad Markee, of Schuyler county, Illinois; Edward, of Sangamon county; Mary, wife of James Cranfield, of Sangamon county; George M.; and Thomas, deceased.

During his boyhood our subject attended the district schools and early acquired an excellent knowledge of farm work. He remained with his father, assisting in the labors of field and meadow until the father's removal to Waverly, when he took charge of the farm. He purchased eighty acres of the place and his father gave him forty acres, so that he now has a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which he has made a number of useful and valuable improvements. In connection with general farming he is engaged in the raising and feeding of stock.

Mr. Mitchell was married in this county January 3, 1884 to Miss Anna Dettmann, who was born in Germany but was reared in this country and is a daughter of Charles and Christie Dettmann. Six children bless this union, namely: Roy E., Ula Belle, Fred J., Merrill R., Omar McKinley and Stella May, all at home.

Mr. Mitchell has always affiliated with the Republican party since casting his first presidential vote for James G. Blaine in 1884, but he takes no active part in politics aside from voting, his time and attention being wholly given to his farming interests.