Charles S. Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Charles Sumner Mitchell (November 13, 1856 – January 9, 1922) was an American newspaper publisher and editor. He was the assistant editor of the St. Cloud Journal-Press from 1881 to 1894, the publisher of the Alexandria Post-News from 1894 to 1920, the editor-in-chief of the Duluth News Tribune
from 1906 to 1920 and of the Washington Herald
from 1920 until his death in 1922. He also served two terms as the president of the Minnesota Editorial Association. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan
where he played college football
as the goalkeeper for the 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team
—the first football team to represent the University of Michigan.
, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, in 1856. His parents, Henry Zehring Mitchell and Elizabeth Ann (Cannon) Mitchell, were both Pennsylvania natives. He moved with his parents as an infant to St. Cloud, Minnesota
, in May 1857. His father operated a store in St. Cloud as a drygoods and clothing merchant and general agent.
Mitchell's early education was in the schools of St. Cloud, Minnesota. He received his preparatory education at Ann Arbor High School.
Mitchell's aunt, Jane Swisshelm
, was a noted journalist, abolitionist, and women's rights advocate who published the first newspaper in St. Cloud, Minnesota—The Saint Cloud Visitor. During Mitchell's childhood, his older brother, William Bell Mitchell (born May 14, 1843), purchased his aunt's printing plant and operated the St. Cloud Press, later known as the St. Cloud Journal-Press.
in the fall of 1876. While at Michigan, he was the founder of the Athletic Association at the university. He played college football
for the 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team
—the first football team to represent the University of Michigan. Mitchell played at the goalkeeper position in the first game played by a Michigan football team, a game against Racine at White Stockings grounds in Chicago
. The game was described at the time as "the finest game of Rugby foot-ball ever played this side of the Alleghanies." While at Michigan, Mitchell was also a member of the Zeta Psi
fraternity, captain of the senior football team, president of the Athletic Association, editor of the Oracle, editor of the Palladium (the University of Michigan yearbook), a member of Gamma Kappa Epsilon, and secretary of the Football Association. Mitchell graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor in Philosophy degree in 1880.
) and the Alexandria Post (Alexandria, Minnesota
). He consolidated the two newspapers into the Alexandria Post News and became its publisher and editor. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Mitchell was living in Alexandria, Minnesota, with his wife, Ella, and their daughter, Elizabeth. His occupation was listed at that time as an editor. He was the publisher of the Alexandria Post-News during its entire run from 1894 to 1920.
Mitchell later became the editor of the Fairbanks, Minnesota
News. From approximately 1906 to 1920, Mitchell was the editor of the Duluth News Tribune
. Under Mitchell's editorship, the Duluth News Tribune was one of the first newspaper to advocate the United States' entry into World War I
. He was also twice elected as the president of the Minnesota Editorial Association.
In 1920, Mitchell accepted the position of editor-in-chief with the Washington Herald
in Washington, D.C.
. They had one daughter, Elizabeth Ann Mitchell (born March 20, 1891). He was later married to Rizpah DeL. Mitchell. They had a daughter (Adade) and a son (Scott).
Mitchell died in January 1922 at his home in Washington, D.C. According to an obituary in The New York Times
, Mitchell's death was due indirectly to a nervous breakdown. Another newspaper attributed his death to "heart trouble following an illness of a few weeks."
Duluth News Tribune
The Duluth News Tribune is a newspaper in Duluth, Minnesota. It is published by Forum Communications, which bought it in 2006 after The McClatchy Company acquired the News Tribunes previous owner, Knight Ridder.The present incarnation of the newspaper is the outcome of the merger and takeover of...
from 1906 to 1920 and of the Washington Herald
Washington Herald
The Washington Herald was an American daily newspaper in Washington, D.C., from October 8, 1906, to January 31, 1939. The Herald merged with the Washington Times on February 1, 1939, to become the Washington Times-Herald, which was purchased and merged with The Washington Post in 1954....
from 1920 until his death in 1922. He also served two terms as the president of the Minnesota Editorial Association. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as the goalkeeper for the 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team
1879 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1879 college football season. The team was the first intercollegiate football squad to represent the University of Michigan. They played two games, winning one and tying the other. In its first intercollegiate...
—the first football team to represent the University of Michigan.
Early years
Mitchell was born in WilkinsburgWilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated...
, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, in 1856. His parents, Henry Zehring Mitchell and Elizabeth Ann (Cannon) Mitchell, were both Pennsylvania natives. He moved with his parents as an infant to St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
, in May 1857. His father operated a store in St. Cloud as a drygoods and clothing merchant and general agent.
Mitchell's early education was in the schools of St. Cloud, Minnesota. He received his preparatory education at Ann Arbor High School.
Mitchell's aunt, Jane Swisshelm
Jane Swisshelm
Jane Grey Cannon Swisshelm was an American journalist, abolitionist, and women's rights advocate.-Life:...
, was a noted journalist, abolitionist, and women's rights advocate who published the first newspaper in St. Cloud, Minnesota—The Saint Cloud Visitor. During Mitchell's childhood, his older brother, William Bell Mitchell (born May 14, 1843), purchased his aunt's printing plant and operated the St. Cloud Press, later known as the St. Cloud Journal-Press.
University of Michigan
Mitchell enrolled in the literary department at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the fall of 1876. While at Michigan, he was the founder of the Athletic Association at the university. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team
1879 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1879 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1879 college football season. The team was the first intercollegiate football squad to represent the University of Michigan. They played two games, winning one and tying the other. In its first intercollegiate...
—the first football team to represent the University of Michigan. Mitchell played at the goalkeeper position in the first game played by a Michigan football team, a game against Racine at White Stockings grounds in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The game was described at the time as "the finest game of Rugby foot-ball ever played this side of the Alleghanies." While at Michigan, Mitchell was also a member of the Zeta Psi
Zeta Psi
The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...
fraternity, captain of the senior football team, president of the Athletic Association, editor of the Oracle, editor of the Palladium (the University of Michigan yearbook), a member of Gamma Kappa Epsilon, and secretary of the Football Association. Mitchell graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor in Philosophy degree in 1880.
Newspaper editor
After graduating from Michigan, Mitchell was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in December 1881. However, he spent his career in the newspaper business rather than as a lawyer. Mitchell began his newspaper career working with his brother at the St. Cloud Journal-Press. He was the assistant editor of the St. Cloud Journal-Pres from 1881 to 1894. In 1894, he purchased the Douglas County News (Douglas County, MinnesotaDouglas County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 32,821 people, 13,276 households, and 9,027 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 16,694 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
) and the Alexandria Post (Alexandria, Minnesota
Alexandria, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,820 people, however the most recent count suggests a population upwards of 10,000, which is displayed on Alexandria's city limits signs. The census lists 4,047 households, and 2,011 families residing in the city. The population density was 992.5 people per...
). He consolidated the two newspapers into the Alexandria Post News and became its publisher and editor. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Mitchell was living in Alexandria, Minnesota, with his wife, Ella, and their daughter, Elizabeth. His occupation was listed at that time as an editor. He was the publisher of the Alexandria Post-News during its entire run from 1894 to 1920.
Mitchell later became the editor of the Fairbanks, Minnesota
Fairbanks, Minnesota
Fairbanks is an unincorporated community in Fairbanks Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located southeast of the city of Hoyt Lakes on County Highway 16.Fairbanks is located within the Superior National Forest...
News. From approximately 1906 to 1920, Mitchell was the editor of the Duluth News Tribune
Duluth News Tribune
The Duluth News Tribune is a newspaper in Duluth, Minnesota. It is published by Forum Communications, which bought it in 2006 after The McClatchy Company acquired the News Tribunes previous owner, Knight Ridder.The present incarnation of the newspaper is the outcome of the merger and takeover of...
. Under Mitchell's editorship, the Duluth News Tribune was one of the first newspaper to advocate the United States' entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was also twice elected as the president of the Minnesota Editorial Association.
In 1920, Mitchell accepted the position of editor-in-chief with the Washington Herald
Washington Herald
The Washington Herald was an American daily newspaper in Washington, D.C., from October 8, 1906, to January 31, 1939. The Herald merged with the Washington Times on February 1, 1939, to become the Washington Times-Herald, which was purchased and merged with The Washington Post in 1954....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Family and death
In August 1884, Mitchell was married to Elora Thompson (born 1864) of Butler, PennsylvaniaButler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. They had one daughter, Elizabeth Ann Mitchell (born March 20, 1891). He was later married to Rizpah DeL. Mitchell. They had a daughter (Adade) and a son (Scott).
Mitchell died in January 1922 at his home in Washington, D.C. According to an obituary in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Mitchell's death was due indirectly to a nervous breakdown. Another newspaper attributed his death to "heart trouble following an illness of a few weeks."