Joseph Francis Mitchell

Joseph Francis Mitchell is carrying on general farming and stock-raising upon one hundred and eighty acres of excellent land in Hickory Creek valley, a valuable tract which owes its present well improved and productive condition entirely to his many years of careful supervision and competent management. Mr. Mitchell is a native of Iowa, born in Clayton county, on the Military road, near Monona, April 8l, 1871. His parents, Jackson and Bridget (Welsh) Mitchell, were born in Green county, Wisconsin, near Monroe, in 1846 and the mother passed away in 1874. The father spent practically all his active life engaged in farming, although for three years during the Civil war he engaged in buying and selling horses, being at that time a mere boy. After the close of hostilities, about the fall of 1865, he came to Iowa and for some years thereafter worked as a farm hand, later becoming a landowner. From the year 1870 until 1906 he continued to improve and develop his excellent farm and secured an enviable place in the ranks of progressive and substantial agriculturists. In the latter years he moved to Monona, where he has since lived practically retired, having sold his farm in 1911. He was three times married, his first wife having been Miss Catharine Stapleton, by whom he had one child. By his second marriage, to the mother of the subject of this review, he was the father of two children, and by his third wife, who was Mrs. Sarah (Flack) McGoon, he had five daughters.

Joseph F. Mitchell acquired his education in district school No. 10, Franklin township. He remained at home until he was nineteen years of age and then married, purchasing soon afterward forty acres of land on section 28, Franklin township, this tract still forming a portion of his present farm. Upon it he resided for eleven years and at the end of that time added to his holdings, removing his residence to its present location. He has now one hundred and eighty acres of valuable land and upon it he carries on general farming and stock raising, keeping high grades of cattle, horses and hogs. He is preparing to specialize in dairy work and intends to make this an important branch of his business. He devotes practically his entire time to his farm and has few outside connections, although he is a stockholder in the Monona Union Cooperative Creamery.

On the 31st of August, 1890, Mr. Mitchell was united in marriage to Miss Cleopatra Viola Baughman, who was born in Wyandot county, Ohio, November 12, 1869. She is a daughter of John and Susan (Heddington) Baughman, the former born in Boone county, Kentucky, January 5, 1818, and the latter in Ohio, February 21, 1832. Both have passed away, the father dying March 4, 1901, on the anniversary of his wedding, and the mother May 10, 1889. John Baughman as a young man acted as overseer on a large plantation in Kentucky and he afterward went to Ohio, where he turned his attention to farming. He there married his first wife, who afterward died in that state, leaving one child, Electa, who passed away in Nebraska, The father afterward came to Iowa, locating in Winneshiek county in 1869. He here became an extensive landowner and continued a resident of the state until his death. To his second union, which united him with Mrs. Mitchell’s mother, he had six children, of whom the wife of the subject of this review is the second youngest. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell became the parents of seven children: Ray Aerates, who was born May 29, 1892; Perry Montus, born November 2, 1894; Cloa Elva, born September 14, 1896; David Patterson, born June 19, 1899; Frances Pearl, who was born September 20, 1900, and who died February 25, 1901; Lillian May, born February 15, 1902; and Dennis Jackson, born April 28, 1905. Mr. Mitchell is one of the most prosperous and substantial farmers in Allamakee county and his success is the more creditable to him since he depended on no outside aid or influence in its attainment but achieved prosperity through his well directed and practical labors. He gives great credit to his wife for his achievements and concedes that much of his success is due to her able collaboration, her sound advice and good judgment.

-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich

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