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During the summer vacation, 1864, while in the seminary, Mitchell saw service in the
army as an agent of the Christian Commission. After taking his theological course in the
theological seminaries in Auburn, New York, and New York City, he entered the ministry
of the Presbyterian Church and went to Syria, with the intention of giving his life to
missionary work under the American Board of Foreign Missions; but ill health due to
chronic dyspepsia, a troublesome affliction during college days, compelled a return to his
native land. Ministerial work in Wisconsin was attempted later, but eventually our classmate
was driven to the abandonment of his chosen profession.
April 3, 1867, Mitchell married Miss Lucy Myers Wright, daughter of Rev. Arthur
Wright, M.D., a missionary at Oroomiah, Persia, and his wife, Catherine Myers. Mrs.
Mitchell was a lady of fine literary and artistic tastes. In 1883, she published a work of
decided merit on the "History of Ancient Sculpture," with numerous illustrations; also a
series of articles upon Greek sculpture, in the Century Magazine. In this work our classmate
was able to give efficient aid in the preparation of the illustrations. Mrs. Mitchell died
March 10, 1888. They had no children.
Our classmate, in being obliged to give up his profession, having wisely reached the
conclusion that his health would be a constant and increasing obstacle to successful labor
in it, chose the occupation of an artist, hoping in this way to find a field suited to his
activity. This has proved the case, and he has attained some degree of proficiency in the
use of his brush. During the large portion of the years since our Class left college, Mitchell
has lived abroad, and is a good type of the cosmopolitan man. He has resided in nearly
every country in Europe except Russia, and in Egypt and Syria.
I am sure the Class will most thoroughly appreciate the concluding section of our old
college associate's story if given in his own words, and I know I voice the unanimous
sentiment in the thought that the concluding words mean the possibility of meeting him at
the coming reunion, after thirty years' sojourn in far countries:
"In the year 1888, I was bereaved by the loss of my wife, and since that event life
has lost a great part of its worth to me; but it has nevertheless been a busy one, and some
have even gone so far as to remark upon my assiduity. I have received no academic honors
or degrees, belonged to no clubs, held no official positions. I have published no books or
pamphlets, with the exception of a series of letters, occasionally, in the New York Times,
reviewing the arch‘ological publications of Germany and Italy. My long sojourn in foreign
countries has brought with it a knowledge of modern languages, and as far as my leisure
would permit, aside from my painting, I have been able to occupy myself to some extent,
although not exhaustively, with the literary productions of the various countries. At present
I am living in Spain, interested in the language of the country, and happen to have just
concluded the first volume of Don Quixote.' The language is difficult and the pronunciation especially so. With regard to my artistic work, the field of art is so broad and
the mastery of all its branches being an impossibility, I have for some time occupied myself
mainly in studying and copying the architectural monuments of the various countries I have
been in, e.g., the temples of Egypt and the Greek temples in southern Italy: namely, those
in Paestum, near Naples, and Girgenti, in Sicily. I have been occupied more recently with
the cathedrals of Italy, Germany, France, and, at present, with those of Spain. During the
short time that I have been in the country, I have copied the fa‡ade of the magnificent
cathedral at Burgos, in northern Spain, and am at present working in the cloister of San
Juan dellos Reyes, at Toledo, one of the glories of Gothic architecture of Spain. I am more
and more impressed by the inexhaustible treasures in art and literature which the ancient
civilizations of the world afford, and I am alternately spurred on by the inspiring influences
which surround me, and depressed by a sense of the utter inadequacy of any efforts. If you
should not see me at the reunion in 1903, I beg you to give my good wishes to the Class.
"Yours cordially,
"S. S. MITCHELL."
Source:
Class of Sixty-Three Williams College Fortieth Year Report, by
the Class Historian, Thomas Todd Printer, Boston, 1903
Mitchell
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