HENRY CLAY MITCHELL, M. D. The high calling of the medical profession
summons to its service the finest qualities of human character, absolute
integrity, comprehensive human sympathy and a diligent devotion to science.
That Dr. Henry Clay Mitchell has distinguished himself in his profession is
due both to the large measure in which he possesses these attributes and to
his signal ability in the field of surgery.
Henry Clay Mitchell was
born in Corinth, Illinois, July 31, 1855, the son of Samuel Minton and
Martha Ann (Harrison) Mitchell. His father was one of the first and most
widely known physicians and surgeons of Southern Illinois, having come to
this state in the year of its admission to the Union, 1818. He was a
graduate of the Medical College of Louisville, Kentucky, and of Rush Medical
College of Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Henry C. Mitchell, the son of Dr.
Samuel Mitchell, was educated primarily in the public schools. He then
attended Northwestern University, finishing his course in the medical
department in 1879. He at once began the practice of his profession, and for
eight years was located at Corinth, Illinois. In 1887 Dr. Mitchell removed
to Carbondale and took up practice there. He has been local, district and
later division surgeon for the Illinois Central Railroad for many years, and
in line of his profession is a member of the American Association of ican
Academy of Railway Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the Illinois
State Medical Society, Southern Illinois Medical Association and Jackson
County Medical Society. He is ex-president of the Southern Illinois and
State Medical Associations, and has been counselor for the Illinois State
Medical Society for the past twelve years. Of late years Dr. Mitchell has
given up a considerable portion of his large general practice and devoted
himself largely to office consultation and surgery.
Aside from his
profession Dr. Mitchell has imported financial interests. Together with Mr.
F. T. Joyner he organized the Jackson State Bank and served as its president
for a period of six years. He was also one of the organizers and a member of
the directorate of both the Carbondale and the Marion building and loan
associations. For six years he was treasurer of the Southern Illinois Normal
University. Politically Dr. Mitchell is an adherent to Republican
principles, and he has served three terms as a member of the board of
aldermen of his city.
Dr. Mitchell first married Miss Alma F.
Roberts, of Corinth, Illinois. She died in 1886, leaving one son, Edward
Clay Mitchell, who is now a physician, practicing in Memphis, Tennessee. The
present wife of Dr. Mitchell was formerly Miss Adella Brownlow Goodall. of
Marion, Illinois. Dr. and Mrs. Mitchell are the parents of four children.
John Minton Mitchell is now a student in the medical department of the
Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois. Jennie Alma Mitchell, a
graduate of the Southern Illinois Normal University, is now a student at the
Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio. The two younger daughters Sarah
Scates Mitchell and Adella Goodall Mitchell, are attending the Southern
Illinois Normal University.
The Mitchell family are members of the
First Methodist Episcopal church of Carbondale, and Dr. Mitchell serves the
church as a member of its board of trustees. Fraternally he is a Mason and a
Knight Templar, being a member of Centralia Commandery, and he has been
chairman of the committee on Lodges Under Dispensation of the Grand Lodge of
Illinois Masons for sixteen years.
Extracted 16 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 1064-1065.