Alexander Mitchell (politician)

Alexander Mitchell

Alexander Mitchell (born October 18, 1817 in Ellon , Aberdeenshire , Scotland , †  April 19, 1887 in New York City ) was an American politician . Between 1871 and 1875 he represented the state of Wisconsin in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Alexander Mitchell grew up in his Scottish homeland and attended public schools there. He also attended a business school and studied law. He later became a bank clerk. In 1839 he emigrated to the United States, where he settled in Milwaukee. In his new home he worked in the banking and railway industries. Soon he became one of the wealthiest citizens of Wisconsin. Between 1864 and 1887, also during his time as Congressman, he was President of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad .

Politically, Mitchell was a member of the Democratic Party . In 1868 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress . In the congressional election of 1870 he was then elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the first constituency of Wisconsin , where he succeeded Republican Halbert E. Paine on March 4, 1871 . After a re-election in 1872 in the fourth district, he was able to complete two terms in Congress until March 3, 1875. In the fourth district he succeeded Charles A. Eldredge .

In 1874 Mitchell declined to run again. In 1877 he turned down his candidacy for governor of Wisconsin. In the years that followed, Mitchell continued his successful business career. He died on April 19, 1887 while visiting New York. Alexander Mitchell was the father of John L. Mitchell (1842-1904), who between 1891 and 1898 represented the state of Wisconsin in both houses of Congress.

Web links

• Alexander Mitchell in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Alexander Mitchell in the database of Find a Grave (English)