The following provided by Find A Grave contributor, darren smith:
Harry B.Mitchell, often referred to in his adult life as H. B, was born in 1867, the ninth of 13 children at Burnton, the family farm, near Laurencekirk,Scotland. In 1880 his father went bankrupt, lost the farm, and moved with his wife and 11 of their children to America for a fresh start to Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
Although H.B.’s formal education was only through the eighth grade, he self-educated himself the rest of his life. He worked manual jobs in Minnesota to help support the family until he was 13 when he was hired as a laborer or “Gandy Dancer” on the Canadian Pacific Railway traveling to Alberta Canada.
He return to Minnesota and completed a newspaper apprenticeship prior to moving to Montana where he worked as a reporter, editor and ultimately owner of various newspapers in the mining towns of Barker and Neihart and later Great Falls. For a brief time, in 1900 H.B. was the Managing editor of the Great Falls Tribune.
In 1895 he married Mary Greening his sweetheart from Fergus Falls. Together they had four children, Catherine, Fergus, Harriet, who died at nine months, and Hugh. Mary was a leader in her own right as she was the first president Of Montana’s branch of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and an original organizer of Montana’s League of Womens Voters. H.B. was involved in politics his entire adult life. In 1896 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention where he witnessed William Jennings Bryan deliver his cross of “Cross of Gold”. That same year he became a partial owner of the Great Falls Leader. Later he was capital reporter for the Great Falls Tribune and reported on the War of the Copper Barons, William Clark and Montana’s political scandals of the teens.
In 1916 H.B., a liberal Democrat, ran for the house of representatives and was nearly defeated by Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected into Congress. He was encouraged to contest the election on the basis that women were unfit to serve, but he would have nothing to do with such an effort. He had long been a supporter of women’s suffrage in the right to hold office and knew he had lost fair and square.
In 1906 H.B. founded the Ayrshire dairy, 3 miles south of Great Falls. His son Fergus managed the business for many years as H.B. stayed active in the newspaper pursuits and politics. He served three terms as mayor of Great Falls during the time of prohibition. He personally was against prohibition, but as mayor was bound to enforce the law and did so with great respect from law-enforcement community and protesters alike.
In 1933 H.B. was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to chair the civil service commission, the agency which administers the federal workforce that experienced tremendous growth during the new deal and WW2.
He held that position for 18 1/2 years, with a reappointment by President Truman in 1948, making him the second longest continuous Presidential Appointee in US history. President Truman finally allowed H.B. To retire in 1951 at the age of 84, the same year Mary, his wife for 61 years, died.
H.B. Returned to Great Falls where he live for the remainder of his life. In 1950 and 51 he was instrumental in moving the grave sites of his good friend, Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls, and Gibson’s wife Valeria, from the old section of Highland cemetery to their current prominent location in Highland cemetery. In 1951 he delivered the dedication speech at the grave sites relocation.
In 1953 H.B. married Jesse Lincoln, a long time Great Falls family friend and in her own right a respected artist. The two lived in Great Falls until his death in 1955 at the age of 88.
Harry B.Mitchell, often referred to in his adult life as H. B, was born in 1867, the ninth of 13 children at Burnton, the family farm, near Laurencekirk,Scotland. In 1880 his father went bankrupt, lost the farm, and moved with his wife and 11 of their children to America for a fresh start to Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
Although H.B.’s formal education was only through the eighth grade, he self-educated himself the rest of his life. He worked manual jobs in Minnesota to help support the family until he was 13 when he was hired as a laborer or “Gandy Dancer” on the Canadian Pacific Railway traveling to Alberta Canada.
He return to Minnesota and completed a newspaper apprenticeship prior to moving to Montana where he worked as a reporter, editor and ultimately owner of various newspapers in the mining towns of Barker and Neihart and later Great Falls. For a brief time, in 1900 H.B. was the Managing editor of the Great Falls Tribune.
In 1895 he married Mary Greening his sweetheart from Fergus Falls. Together they had four children, Catherine, Fergus, Harriet, who died at nine months, and Hugh. Mary was a leader in her own right as she was the first president Of Montana’s branch of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and an original organizer of Montana’s League of Womens Voters. H.B. was involved in politics his entire adult life. In 1896 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention where he witnessed William Jennings Bryan deliver his cross of “Cross of Gold”. That same year he became a partial owner of the Great Falls Leader. Later he was capital reporter for the Great Falls Tribune and reported on the War of the Copper Barons, William Clark and Montana’s political scandals of the teens.
In 1916 H.B., a liberal Democrat, ran for the house of representatives and was nearly defeated by Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected into Congress. He was encouraged to contest the election on the basis that women were unfit to serve, but he would have nothing to do with such an effort. He had long been a supporter of women’s suffrage in the right to hold office and knew he had lost fair and square.
In 1906 H.B. founded the Ayrshire dairy, 3 miles south of Great Falls. His son Fergus managed the business for many years as H.B. stayed active in the newspaper pursuits and politics. He served three terms as mayor of Great Falls during the time of prohibition. He personally was against prohibition, but as mayor was bound to enforce the law and did so with great respect from law-enforcement community and protesters alike.
In 1933 H.B. was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to chair the civil service commission, the agency which administers the federal workforce that experienced tremendous growth during the new deal and WW2.
He held that position for 18 1/2 years, with a reappointment by President Truman in 1948, making him the second longest continuous Presidential Appointee in US history. President Truman finally allowed H.B. To retire in 1951 at the age of 84, the same year Mary, his wife for 61 years, died.
H.B. Returned to Great Falls where he live for the remainder of his life. In 1950 and 51 he was instrumental in moving the grave sites of his good friend, Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls, and Gibson’s wife Valeria, from the old section of Highland cemetery to their current prominent location in Highland cemetery. In 1951 he delivered the dedication speech at the grave sites relocation.
In 1953 H.B. married Jesse Lincoln, a long time Great Falls family friend and in her own right a respected artist. The two lived in Great Falls until his death in 1955 at the age of 88.
The following provided by Find A Grave contributor, darren smith:
Harry B.Mitchell, often referred to in his adult life as H. B, was born in 1867, the ninth of 13 children at Burnton, the family farm, near Laurencekirk,Scotland. In 1880 his father went bankrupt, lost the farm, and moved with his wife and 11 of their children to America for a fresh start to Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
Although H.B.’s formal education was only through the eighth grade, he self-educated himself the rest of his life. He worked manual jobs in Minnesota to help support the family until he was 13 when he was hired as a laborer or “Gandy Dancer” on the Canadian Pacific Railway traveling to Alberta Canada.
He return to Minnesota and completed a newspaper apprenticeship prior to moving to Montana where he worked as a reporter, editor and ultimately owner of various newspapers in the mining towns of Barker and Neihart and later Great Falls. For a brief time, in 1900 H.B. was the Managing editor of the Great Falls Tribune.
In 1895 he married Mary Greening his sweetheart from Fergus Falls. Together they had four children, Catherine, Fergus, Harriet, who died at nine months, and Hugh. Mary was a leader in her own right as she was the first president Of Montana’s branch of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and an original organizer of Montana’s League of Womens Voters. H.B. was involved in politics his entire adult life. In 1896 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention where he witnessed William Jennings Bryan deliver his cross of “Cross of Gold”. That same year he became a partial owner of the Great Falls Leader. Later he was capital reporter for the Great Falls Tribune and reported on the War of the Copper Barons, William Clark and Montana’s political scandals of the teens.
In 1916 H.B., a liberal Democrat, ran for the house of representatives and was nearly defeated by Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected into Congress. He was encouraged to contest the election on the basis that women were unfit to serve, but he would have nothing to do with such an effort. He had long been a supporter of women’s suffrage in the right to hold office and knew he had lost fair and square.
In 1906 H.B. founded the Ayrshire dairy, 3 miles south of Great Falls. His son Fergus managed the business for many years as H.B. stayed active in the newspaper pursuits and politics. He served three terms as mayor of Great Falls during the time of prohibition. He personally was against prohibition, but as mayor was bound to enforce the law and did so with great respect from law-enforcement community and protesters alike.
In 1933 H.B. was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to chair the civil service commission, the agency which administers the federal workforce that experienced tremendous growth during the new deal and WW2.
He held that position for 18 1/2 years, with a reappointment by President Truman in 1948, making him the second longest continuous Presidential Appointee in US history. President Truman finally allowed H.B. To retire in 1951 at the age of 84, the same year Mary, his wife for 61 years, died.
H.B. Returned to Great Falls where he live for the remainder of his life. In 1950 and 51 he was instrumental in moving the grave sites of his good friend, Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls, and Gibson’s wife Valeria, from the old section of Highland cemetery to their current prominent location in Highland cemetery. In 1951 he delivered the dedication speech at the grave sites relocation.
In 1953 H.B. married Jesse Lincoln, a long time Great Falls family friend and in her own right a respected artist. The two lived in Great Falls until his death in 1955 at the age of 88.
Harry B.Mitchell, often referred to in his adult life as H. B, was born in 1867, the ninth of 13 children at Burnton, the family farm, near Laurencekirk,Scotland. In 1880 his father went bankrupt, lost the farm, and moved with his wife and 11 of their children to America for a fresh start to Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
Although H.B.’s formal education was only through the eighth grade, he self-educated himself the rest of his life. He worked manual jobs in Minnesota to help support the family until he was 13 when he was hired as a laborer or “Gandy Dancer” on the Canadian Pacific Railway traveling to Alberta Canada.
He return to Minnesota and completed a newspaper apprenticeship prior to moving to Montana where he worked as a reporter, editor and ultimately owner of various newspapers in the mining towns of Barker and Neihart and later Great Falls. For a brief time, in 1900 H.B. was the Managing editor of the Great Falls Tribune.
In 1895 he married Mary Greening his sweetheart from Fergus Falls. Together they had four children, Catherine, Fergus, Harriet, who died at nine months, and Hugh. Mary was a leader in her own right as she was the first president Of Montana’s branch of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and an original organizer of Montana’s League of Womens Voters. H.B. was involved in politics his entire adult life. In 1896 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention where he witnessed William Jennings Bryan deliver his cross of “Cross of Gold”. That same year he became a partial owner of the Great Falls Leader. Later he was capital reporter for the Great Falls Tribune and reported on the War of the Copper Barons, William Clark and Montana’s political scandals of the teens.
In 1916 H.B., a liberal Democrat, ran for the house of representatives and was nearly defeated by Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected into Congress. He was encouraged to contest the election on the basis that women were unfit to serve, but he would have nothing to do with such an effort. He had long been a supporter of women’s suffrage in the right to hold office and knew he had lost fair and square.
In 1906 H.B. founded the Ayrshire dairy, 3 miles south of Great Falls. His son Fergus managed the business for many years as H.B. stayed active in the newspaper pursuits and politics. He served three terms as mayor of Great Falls during the time of prohibition. He personally was against prohibition, but as mayor was bound to enforce the law and did so with great respect from law-enforcement community and protesters alike.
In 1933 H.B. was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to chair the civil service commission, the agency which administers the federal workforce that experienced tremendous growth during the new deal and WW2.
He held that position for 18 1/2 years, with a reappointment by President Truman in 1948, making him the second longest continuous Presidential Appointee in US history. President Truman finally allowed H.B. To retire in 1951 at the age of 84, the same year Mary, his wife for 61 years, died.
H.B. Returned to Great Falls where he live for the remainder of his life. In 1950 and 51 he was instrumental in moving the grave sites of his good friend, Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls, and Gibson’s wife Valeria, from the old section of Highland cemetery to their current prominent location in Highland cemetery. In 1951 he delivered the dedication speech at the grave sites relocation.
In 1953 H.B. married Jesse Lincoln, a long time Great Falls family friend and in her own right a respected artist. The two lived in Great Falls until his death in 1955 at the age of 88.
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