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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Sevier County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Dr. B. E. Mitchell, local minister and physician, Chapel Hill, Ark. This much esteemed citizen and successful physician was born in Greene County, N. C, May 20, 1836, and was the second of fourteen children—six sons and eight daughters—nine of whom lived to be grown, born to the union of Rev. Benjamin W. and Mary (Stanley) Mitchell, both natives of Greene County, N. C, the former born in 1812 and the latter in 1817. The father is still living in the neighborhood of his birth, but the wife died in 1882; both Free-Will Baptists for many years, and Mr. Mitchell a minister since soon after the war. Until that time he had been a lawyer of considerable ability, and was at one time sheriff of Sevier County. The paternal grandfather, Etheldred Mitchell, was also born in Greene County, N. C., where he spent all his life, his death occurring about 1834. He was a farmer and lawyer. His wife was also a native of the same county and there died; she was of Irish descent. The maternal grandfather, Barney Stanley, was originally from Sampson County, N. C, and died in that State. He was a trader. His wife, Sallie Pridgin, was also born in North Carolina, and there passed her last days. He was of Irish-Scotch and she of Dutch descent. Dr. B. E. Mitchell was reared principally in a store, and received his education for the most part in Lenoir Institute, being educated for the ministry. At the breaking out of the war, however, he left school and enlisted in the Confederate army as hospital steward, but was afterward made assistant surgeon, which position he filled for about eighteen months in different places. He was severely wounded at Chancellorsville, and was with Stonewall Jackson when he received his fatal wound. He was in the Virginia army all through the war, and surrendered at High Point, N. C, in April, 1865. After this he taught school for a short time, and in December, 1865, was married to Miss Mollie Rouse, a native of Greene County, N. C, and the daughter of Abner and Harriet Rouse, natives also of the same county where Mrs. Rouse still lives. Mr. Rouse is deceased. Mrs. Mitchell died on March 19, 1877, in Pulaski County, Ark., when but twenty-seven years of age, and left two children—a son and daughter. Mr. Mitchell’s second marriage occurred July 16, 1879, in Washington County, to Miss Mollie E. Hicks, a native of Maury County, Ga., and the daughter of Elijah and Elizabeth Hicks, natives, respectively, of Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks were married in the last named State, and her father emigrated from there to Georgia in 1860. The former died in 1882, and the latter in 1857. In 1870 the Doctor came to Lonoke County, Ark., and four years later to Pulaski County, where he remained two years. He then spent a year near Hot Springs, and in 1878 moved to Washington County, thence the next year to Montgomery County, and two years later to Pike County. In 1882 he came to Sevier County, located at Chapel Hill, and there has a good home. He is also the owner of two small farms. He became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at eleven years of age, and in 1860 he was licensed to preach, was ordained a deacon in 1868, and an elder in 1872. He has followed the ministry in connection with the practice of medicine ever since, although for a few years he abandoned professional practice altogether. In 1873 he joined Little Rock Conference, and remained in the same for fourteen years, being stationed at the above mentioned places. Since 1888 his work has been local. In 1888 he was the choice of the straight Democratic ticket for Representative, but was defeated with the rest of that ticket. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1863, demitted from Radiance Lodge No. 132, North Carolina. He has been a member of the Sons of Temperance, and Mrs. Mitchell and the two eldest children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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This family biography is one of 96 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Sevier County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Sevier County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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