William S. Mitchell was born to John S. and Eliza Mitchell on January 28, 1842; he was the youngest of four children. Mitchell was working as a clerk in Milwaukee when he enlisted on September 1, 1861; he was given the rank of first lieutenant in Company D of the 1st Regiment Wisconsin Infantry and was promoted to captain on July 3, 1962. Mitchell was killed in action at Chickamauga on September 13, 1863. His family recovered his remains and brought them back to Milwaukee where Mitchell was buried with military honors at Forest Home Cemetery.
