SAMUEL W. MITCHELL, general farmer and well and favorably known citizen of Wilmington Township, who resides on his excellent farm of eighty acres, which is situated. on the east side of the Mercer and New Castle Road, about one-quarter of a mile from New Wilmington, was born April 25, 1842, and is a son of Samuel W. and Catherine (Raney) Mitchell. The earlier members of the Mitchell family lived in Neshannock Township, Lawrence. County, and were prominent farmers. Samuel W. Mitchell the elder, moved to New Castle, where he carried on an undertaking business.

Samuel W. Mitchell resided at New Castle until he was about twenty-five years of age, after the close of his second term of enlistment as a soldier in the Civil War. He was a member of the Twelfth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, during his first enlistment, and of the Second Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, during his second term, serving under James A. Garfield. His service was mainly with General Sherman's forces, and he participated in twenty battles. Mr. Mitchell did not escape some of the dangers of war, as while his company was pursuing General Morgan he was wounded in the right leg.

On May 14, 1870, Mr. Mitchell was married to Lucinda Biddle, and has had five children, namely: Dr. Mitchell, a practitioner at Edenburg, who married Isabella Dinker; Fred, who works at the carpenter's trade; Charles Foster, who is deceased; Samuel, who teaches school, and John W., who is attending Ohio University. Mr. Mitchell and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He came to his present farm in 1906, and has been engaged exclusively in agricultural pursuits since. Before coming here he owned 190 acres in Pulaski Township.