Ohio County, West Virginia - Biography of Alexander Mitchell.

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Submitted by Valerie Crook.

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 607-608
Ohio

ALEXANDER MITCHELL was a native son of what is now
the State of West Virginia, and he honored the common-
wealth by his upright life and large and worthy achieve-
ment. From the Wheeling Intelligencer of July 15, 1921,
are taken the following extracts: "News that Col. Alex-
ander Mitchell, for many years a foremost figure in
banking circles of the city, passed away this morning at
the Ohio Valley General Hospital, shortly after midnight,
will be received with profound sorrow throughout this
community. No man was more greatly admired and re-
spected for many fine qualities of mind and heart. Integrity
was synonymous with his name. His life work, the guidance
of the Mutual Savings Bank, which he organized in 1887,
has been a business achievement to which any man could
point with pride. Kindly and unassuming, he counted
friends and admirers by the thousands."

Alexander Mitchell was born on the old homestead farm
of the family on the Bethany Pike, east of Wheeling, and
the date of his nativity was March 19, 1847. He was a
son of Zachariah and Ann (Baird) Mitchell, the latter a
daughter of George Baird, of Washington, Pennsylvania.

Upon the death of his mother, in 1853, Alexander was taken
into the home of his maternal grandfather at Washington,
Pennsylvania, his father having removed to the West. He
gained his early education in the schools at Washington
and in 1867 graduated from Washington and Jefferson
College, at Washington, Pennsylvania. In the same year
he began the study of medicine in the office of his uncle,
Dr. George Baird, at Wheeling, later he held a clerical
position with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and in 1872
he became connected with the National Bank of West Vir-
ginia. In 1879 he became assistant cashier of the Peoples
Bank, and in 1887, assisted by Dr. George Baird, Howard
Hazlett and other substantial citizens, he organized the
Mutual Savings Bank, of which he was the guiding execu-
tive until the time of his death. This was the first savings
bank in West Virginia, and under his able administration
it became one of the great financial institutions of a great
industrial city and state. There is all of consistency in the
following estimate: "Alexander Mitchell typified honesty,
ability and honor in business, and his personality more than
any other factor counted in the bank's wonderful progress.''
He was the father of the Wheeling Clearing House Associa-
tion, which was organized in 1900, and he otherwise did
much to stabilize and advance the general financial interests
of his home city and native state. He was a loyal and
ardent supporter of the principles of the republican party,
but had no desire for political preferment. His fine civic
loyalty was shown, however, in his vigorous and effective
service as a member of the city council, to which he was
first elected in 1887, his final election having occurred in
1907. He held for several terms the office of West Virginia
vice president of the American Bankers Association. He
was an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church, as is
also his widow. Colonel Mitchell was one of the vital and
progressive men who did much for the development of the
"Greater Wheeling," his civic liberality being in evidence
at all times and his influence and co-operation being given
in support of measures and enterprises advanced for the
genera] good of the community.

In 1880 was solemnized the marriage of Colonel Mitchell
and Miss Delia G. Harbour, daughter of the late Joseph
C. Harbour, of Wheeling. Four children survive the honored
husband and father: Baird, who succeeded his father as
executive head of the Mutual Savings Bank; Harbour, who
is vice president of the American Foundry & Construction
Company at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Miss Katharine, who
is secretary of the Mutual Savings Bank; and Alexandra,
who is the wife of Harry Eckhart, of Fort Worth, Texas.