Yuma County, Colorado
Photographs |
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Yuma County Pioneers:
Albin DeVaul Mitchell, Wray
In 1880 Quincy, Illinois, "Alvin" is a laborer, 35, born in Ohio,
with Elizabeth 35 in Indiana. Sadie is 18, "Albert" 15, Lizzie May 10, Walter 7,
and Lillie 7.
All the kids were born in Illinois.
May 1905 "Alvin Deval Mitchell, who was a Supreme Court Judge in Illinois before the Chicago fire in 1871, and was supposed by his son, Alvin Deval Mitchell, Jr., to have died twenty-four years ago, has been located in Denver. The father and son met on the corner of Sixteenth and California Streets to-day."
"The son immediately recognised him. 'Your name is Alvin Mitchell and
you are my father.' he said. 'Yes,'answered the father, 'and you are my oldest son.'
When the fire in Chicago in 1871 caused Mr. Mitchell to lose all his money his mind
left him. He became ill, and it was not thought he would recover. He did, however,
and removed to Kansas City, where, with his brother, he engaged in business and
amassed a fortune. Fate was against him, however, and before very long he had
lost his all again. His son moved to New York and took with him his younger brother.
They entered the real estate business there, and prospered.
Meanwhile Alvin Deval Mitchell, bavins; lost his all, took to drink,
and was a homeless wanderer when his son found him to-day.
Last week Alvin Deval Mitchell, Jr. came to Denver and bought some real estate
on Capitol Hill at the price of $173,000. He already possessed considerable
property in Denver and decided to make that city his home.
He telegraphed to Kansas City and ordered that the remains of his mother
and father be sent here for burial. The mother's remains were sent and duly
buried here, but the Kansas City undertaker could not find the father's
remains or any record that he had been buried there. The son telegraphed
an urgent request that further search be msde. Two hours after his telegram
had gone he met his father, who r?w..w'" ntad happy for the rest of his life."
November 5, 1909
November 19, 1909
Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, records have "Albin D. Mitchell, Sr." buried November 10, 1909, age 83.
The gravestone has "Albin DeVaul Mitchell 1820-1909" # 33130454,
with Elizabeth Ann Mitchell 1842-1882 # 33130455.
WALTER
There was a W. H. Mitchell age 30 in a Los Angeles institution in 1900, no place of birth.
Walter H. Mitchell, born April 22, 1873 in Illinois, died of pneumonia January 28, 1919 in Benewah, Idaho. The informant was his wife of Chatville, Idaho.
No burial location was on the death certificate.
Walter Henry Mitchell 1872-1919 is buried in Denver # 33130456.
Minnie Mitchell, 48, born in England, is widowed in 1920 Benewah County, with her widowed father John Reed 81, also born in England. They emigrated in 1879.
LILLIE
Lillie Etta Higson was born November 11, 1874 in Quincy, Illinois to Albin Dl. Mitchell and Elizabeth A. Dixon,
In 1900 Denver, H.T. "Stevens" is 38, Lilly 24, Henry T. 4, and Lilly C. 2.
In 1910 Denver, Henry T. Stephens is 45, born in Missouri, Lilly E. 35 in Illinois. Henry T. 13, Lillian C. 11, Helen M. 9, and John D. 6 were born in Colorado.
In 1920 Denver, Lillie is divorced, 45, with H. Turner 23, Helen M. 18, Lillian C. 21, and John DeVaul Stephens 16.
John DeVaul Stephens 1903-1928 is buried in Denver # 32883811.
Lillie E. Stephens and Henry Turner Stephens divorced in Denver in 1919.
J.E. "Hegson" and "Lillie C. Stephens" married in Arapahoe County on June 30, 1921.
In 1930 Denver, Lilly is 55, born in Illinois, with J. Ernest 59 born in Wisconsin. They have James L. Higson, 26, divorced, born in Colorado.
Ernest is president of an iron foundry, and James works there.
In 1935 she was living at 1115 S. Downing,
and made a contribution of a statue to a Catholic institution in Denver.
She's buried in Denver 1874-1965 # 33130354, with J. Ernest Higson 1871-1951.
Henry T. Stevens married Amanda Galloway on July 21, 1927 in Boulder County.
SADIE
Sadie might be the one, age 28, marrying Jacob A. Olewine in Chicago on September 4, 1892.
ALBIN, Junior
Albin DeVaul Mitchell was born 1864 in Chicago, marrying Lo Sadie Hobson of Payson Illinois, and had Viola Mitchell on August 24, 1899 in Helena, Montana.
Albion, divorced, age 70, married Grace Hoffman of Helena 31, on October 27, 1917.
He's buried in Helena 1845-1938 # 38988886.
FEBRUARY 24, 1938
A. D. MITCHELL HELENA RESIDENT
WAS PROMINENT FIGURE IN BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE
A. D. Mitchell, about 80, well known businessman and real estate operator
of Helena for nearly 50 years, died about 10 o'clock last night at his apartment in the
Mitchell block from an extended illness. He had been in failing health for about
two years. Mr. Mitchell was born in Quincy, Illinois, and came to Helena in 1S90.
He immediately saw great possibilities in the Capital city and still-thriving
mining camp and engaged in various business enterprises for a number of years.
His attention soon turned to real estate and he gradually acquired large property
holdings, including the Mitchell block which he had operated for many years.
He became one of the first automobile dealers in Helena and conducted a
sales agency for a number of years. He had been retired from active business
for the last several years because of advanced age.
Mr. Mitchell commanded some attention about 10 or 12 years ago when he
instituted an action against the defunct Banking Corporation of Montana,
to compel stockholders of the institution to pay liability on the original
$500,000 capitalization of the institution. The capital stock had been reduced
to $250,000 by the directors a short time before the bank closed its doors.
Mitchell contended that the directors knew the bank was insolvent at the time
and that their action was illegal and invalid. Joined by his wife,
he brought the action on his own initiative in behalf of some 1,600 creditors
and prosecuted it to a successful conclusion although the litigation extended
over a period of seven or eight years and became one of the most famous
cases ever tried in district court here. Mitchell was one of the largest
individual depositors of the bank when it closed.
Surviving him are his wife, Mrs. Grace Mitchell;
a daughter, Viola Williams of San Francisco;
a son, Albin D. Mitchell, Jr., of Portland;
a sister, Mrs. J. Ernest Higson of Denver,
and two grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later
July 1938 "Alleging that the mind of A. D. Mitchell was "subjugated"
when his last will and testament was drawn, Viola Williams and Albin D. Mitchell, Jr.
filed suit in district court yesterday seeking to break the will of the Helena man
who died Februarj 23, leaving an estate estimated to be worth approximately $90,000.
The son and daughter were each cut off with $1 in the will while the larger portion
of the estate was willed to the decedent's wife, Grace Mitchell, step-mother of
Viola Williams and Albin D Mitchell, Jr.
Plaintiffs allege that Grace Mitchell "empowered and subjugated decedent's
mind and made him express the will of Grace Mitchell rather than decedent's own."
In his complaint, Albin D. Mitchell, Jr., alleged that "Grace Mitchell frequently
represented to the decedent that his children had no regard for their father
and should not be beneficiaries of the will."
Viola Williams and Albin Mitchell, Jr. each alleged in their complaints,
which were filed together, that "the decedent repeatedly stated to
Viola Williams that Grace Mitchell had been amply provided for during the
life time of the decedent in that she had taken $32,000 of his money from
his safety deposit box in 1935 and had been deeded certain business property
in Helena of a substantial value."
The son and daughter asked that their father's will,
already admitted to probate, be declared void, that the probate be revoked
and that a citation be issued to Grace Mitchell requiring her to appear
and show cause why the "purported will should not be declared void and
invalid."
The estate has not yet been inventoried but its value is estimated
to be about $90,000."
Grace Mitchell dying May 11, 1954, # 121067202 buried in Helena, might be his wife.
Albion III was born in Denver January 28, 1893. He registered for WWI in Helena, Montana, a garage mechanic, married.
Viola married Anthony J. Weller in Utah in 1917,
married Peter Kuhn in Portland Oregon Oregon in 1922, who died in 1925
and then in 1928 Vancouver, Washington married Jace M. Williams.
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