Judge John Winship Mitchell

Notes:

"Judge John Mitchell Dies On Mexico Vacation"...SAN AUGUSTINE TRIBUNE Vol XC, San Augustine, Texas Thursday July 15, 1999 (page 1)

State District Judge John W. Mitchell, who grew up in the shadow of County Courthouse and the State Capitol, died in a swimming accident Tuesday afternoon while vacationing on the West Coast of Mexico.

Judge Mitchell, of San Augustine, the sitting Judge of the 273rd District Court, which serves San Augustine, Sabine and Shelby Counties, and his family were vacationing at a popular Mexico West Coast resort when the accident occurred. They were accompanied by two friends of their teen-age children.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Wyman Roberts Funeral Home in San Augustine. It was not known at mid-day Wednesday when his body would be released from Mexico.

Judge Mitchell's brother, District Attorney Charles Mitchell, and Mrs. Mitchell, were enroute to Dallas DFW Airport Wednesday afternoon to meet Judge Mitchell's family, who were flying home and were returning to San Augustine Wednesday night.

Funeral plans will be announced from Wyman Roberts Funeral Home.

Judge Mitchell was born into a family of jurists and statesmen. His grandfather, Judge W. C. Ramsey was County Judge and District Judge. His uncle, and former law partner Gov. Ben Ramsey was Lieutenant Governor of the State longer than any other man at that time, and served as State Representative, State Senator and Railroad Commissioner in a career covering nearly 50 years.

Judge Mitchell was a graduate of San Augustine High School (Note: he was Valedictorian in 1965), graduate of the University of Texas School of Law (1972), practiced law with his uncles, Ben Ramsey and C.S. Ramsey, succeeded his uncle C.S. Ramsey as San Augustine City Attorney, was appointed and later elected County Attorney; was appointed to the State District Judgeship 273rd District to succeed Judge J.L. Smith of San Augustine and has been elected to two successive terms on the State bench.

Judge Mitchell's Court sat for regular semi-annual terms in the three counties jurisdiction, and held numerous special settings in each county.

In addition to his full load as a jurist, Judge Mitchell was a devoted family man, devoting much time to his children at school and extra-curricular activities, and was devotedly attentive to his aging parents, Lou Ramsey Mitchell and the late Rudy Mitchell. He was supporter of the 4-H and FFA and FHA programs and was a visible buyer at the annual (auction).

In a follow-up article dated Thursday, July 22, the Tribune reported that: "Funeral services for Judge Mitchell were held Saturday, July 17 at 11:00 o'clock at Christ Church Episcopal in San Augustine with burial in the San Augustine City Cemetery, Father Reginald Milburn Church's (conducting) services for the burial of the dead. Some 100 family and friends gathered inside the historic church building while over 500 friends gathered on the shaded lawn for the services. The Texas Department of Public Safety provided an Honor Guard for the services and they were joined by local and visiting police officers, sheriff's officers and officials from the three counties of the 273rd District. A flag folding ritual by the DPS team at the Cemetery presented the Casket Covering Texas Flag to Judge Mitchell's mother, Lurette Ramsey Mitchell at the end of the service. Judge Mitchell is survived by his wife, Lucy Meyer Mitchell; son Jody Mitchell, daughter Ginny Mitchell all of San Augustine.......

Pallbearers were family members, Pierre M. Stine, Ben S. Ramsey, Gray B. Jolink, William C. Ramsey, C. Fred Meyer, John P. Seale, Kenneth B. Meyer, Joseph F. Meyer IV. Honorary Pallbearers were the Go-Texan Committee, of which he formerly served as Ambassador, Mike Adams, Vic Ettridge, Roger Holt, Billy Archer, Jamie Doherty, Dan Fussel, Jack Nichols, Norrell Thomas, Richard Hardy, Rod McLerran, Jimmy C. Morris, "Raggy" Stripling.

Judge Mitchell's service to the County and State is varied, and he served the Democratic Party as County Party Chairman for eight years, 1978 through 1985, an elective party office. He served the City of San Augustine for 16 years as city attorney, 1973 through 1989 and served the County of San Augustine as County Attorney for three years (1989-1992) before being appointed to the State District Court bench (in September 1992. He was) elected as the Democratic Candidate in 1994 and 1998. "

This article included other professional and civic organizations that Judge Mitchell was active in, too numerous to list. It also included 15 or so pictures related to Judge Mitchell, highlighting his judicial and civic activism. A related article entitled "You're a Young Old Timer....if You Remember" pointed out that "too often we take those we see every day for granted and I'm afraid that's what we did to John Mitchell. I'm afraid we saw him every day and failed to recognize his greatness..." Finally, a related pictorial shows the various buildings around San Augustine that flew their flags at half-mast on the day of the funeral in Judge Mitchell's honor.

The announcement of Judge's Mitchell's accidental death was at around the same time as the announcement of the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr. in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard.

John married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

Obituary from the SAN AUGUSTINE TRIBUNE dated 27 August 1998 (page 1)

Funeral Services for Rudy Mitchell

Luther Burton (Rudy) Mitchell, 91, died Wednesday, August 19, 1998 at Twin Lakes Care Center in San Augustine. Funeral services were held Friday, August 21 at Christ Church Episcopal with Rev. Earl Sheffield officiating. Burial was in the San Augustine City cemetery, with Wyman Roberts Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Mitchell was born in Sabine County on January 31, 1907, son of Jesse James Mitchell and Mary Beulah Fuller Mitchell. After graduating from San Augustine Hight School, he briefly attended the University of Texas. Before returning home to work, he was married to Emma Lurette Ramsey Mitchell on December 16, 1933.

He served in the United States Army during World War II, and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Many years ago he was a cotton buyer in the county. As a cattleman and timber grower, Mr. Mitchell was active in the Soil and Water Conservation Service for over 40 years and was Chairman of the Board for many years. He was a member of Christ Church Episcopal in San Augustine, where he served in various capacities for over 50 years.

Rudy never met a stranger and he loved to dance. His last waltz was with Lurette, his bride of 64 years, on his 90th birthday.

Survivors include his wife, Lurette Mitchell; his sons and daughters-in-law, John and Lucy Mitchell and Charles and Barbara Mitchell; and his grandchildren, Jody, Ginny, and Janie Mitchell, all of San Augustine. He was survived by one brother Theron Mitchell of Roseburg, Oregon, and three sisters, Kathryn Hart of Bedford, Texas, Opal Richardson of Salinas, California, and Dorris White of Dyersburg, Tennessee. One brother, Troy Mitchell, and two sisters, Ruby Baggett and Addie Mae Fussell, preceded him in death.

Pallbearers were dear friends Stone Haynes and George Martin, grandson Jody Mitchell, cousin Manse (Buzzy) Mitchell, and nephews Ron Mitchell, Ben S. Ramsey, William C. Ramsey, and Pierre M. Stine.

Memorials may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 85, San Augustine, Texas 75972.

Luther married Emma Lurette Ramsey in Dec 1933 in Newton, Newton County, Texas. Emma (daughter of Judge William Charles Ramsey and Emma T. Jenkins) was born on 30 Jan 1911 in San Augustine County, Texas; died on 25 Nov 2009 in San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas; was buried on 28 Nov 2009 in San Augustine City Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

SAN AUGUSTINE TRIBUNE Thursday January 13, 2000

Memory Walk Brick--This is one of the 650 engraved bricks that will make up the San Augustine Garden Club's "Memory Walk" on the Southwest part of the Courthouse lawn. This brick was on the top of the stack when the Garden Club received the shipment this past week. This particular brick is in honor of Lurette Mitchell, an elementary teacher for over 40 years, most of those years spent in the San Augustine Schools. Mrs. Mitchell now resides at Twin Lakes Care Center.

The May 10, 2007 issue of the San Augustine Tribune featured a photo of a Teacher's Reception held at the Twin Lakes Center. Lurette Mitchell was pictured, and it was noted that she taught for 47 years mostly 2nd grade, starting out in a one-room school in the Harmony Community, later teaching in San Augustine.

The Sabine County Reporter
December 2, 2009, Page 14

Emma Lurette Ramsey Mitchell

Mrs. Emma Lurette Ramsey Mitchell, 98, of San Augustine, died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009 in San Augustine.

Mrs. Mitchell was born Jan. 30, 1911, in San Augustine County to Judge W. C. Ramsey and Emma Jenkins Ramsey. She was a teacher for the San Augustine Independent School District and a member of the Christ Church Episcopal, San Augustine.

Mrs. Mitchell was preceded in death by her husband, L. B. "Rudy" Mitchell; son, Judge John W. Mitchell; brothers, William Thomas, Smith, Ben and George Ramsey; and sisters, Addie Laura Ramsey, Mary Belle Ramsey Ledford, and Letitia Ramsey Stine.

Survivors: son, Charles Mitchell and wife Barbara; daughter-in-law, Lucy Mitchell; grandchildren, Sarah Jane "Janie" Mitchell, John Joseph "Jody" Mitchell and wife Sarah, and Emma Virginia "Ginny" Mitchell.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 28, at Christ Episcopal Church in San Augustine with Rev. Dorothy Gremillion officiating. Burial was at San Augustine City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Church, Episcopal, P. O. Box 85, San Augustine, Texas 75972.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, December 2009)

The December 3, 2009 issue of the San Augustine Tribune ran a similar obituary.

Notes:

Married:
Luther (Red) Mitchell and Lurette Ramsey were married at Newton, Texas.

San Augustine Tribune, Thursday, May 4, 2006
Decade of the Great Depression 1933 by Harry P. Noble p 10

Jessie married Beulah Mary Fuller on 24 Dec 1905 in Sabine County, Texas. Beulah (daughter of John William Fuller and Alice C. Boyett) was born on 5 Sep 1885 in Texas; died on 23 Sep 1959 in San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in Rosevine Cemetery, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name: Beulah Mary Mitchell
Death Date: 23 Sep 1959
Death Place: San Augustine, San Augustine, Texas
Gender: Female
Race: White
Death Age: 74 years 18 days
Estimated Birth Date:
Birth Date: 05 Sep 1885
Birthplace: Texas
Marital Status: Widowed
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: John Fuller
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Alice Boyette
Mother's Birthplace:
Occupation: Housewife
Place of Residence: San Augustine, San Augustine, Texas
Cemetery: Rosevine
Burial Place: Rosevine, Sabine Co, Texas
Burial Date: 25 Sep 1959
Additional Relatives: X
Film Number: 2115990
Digital Film Number: 4166180
Image Number: 175
Reference Number: cn 58167
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976

Notes:

Sam Ramsey emailed, in January 2012, that the "Birth date of William Charles Ramsey was December 20, 1868 in Rural Burkville-Newton County, Texas. Died January 23, 1930 in San Augustine, Texas. Source: The Genealogy of Benjamin F. Ramsey (1837-1913), his father."

"KILLED BY LIGHTNING: Mr. W. C. Ramsey left the city Tuesday afternoon hurriedly in an effort to reach the train in Nacogdoches, having just received the awful news that his brother Frank, who lives near Cisco in Eastland county, had been killed and another brother, Eddy, seriously injured.
It seems the young men had just finished planting potatoes and had sat down at the end of the row reviewing the work while the little thunder cloud passed away. Frank and Eddy Ramsey are well known to the people of the southern portion of the county and we seriously regret the awful accident, and sympathize with their many relatives. San Augustine Visitor."

(Research):

Census Listings:

1920 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, JP One, San Augustine Town
Enumerated 14 Jan 1920
SD 326 ED 176 Sheet 11A
Ramsey, William C Head M W 51 M Tx Ga Ga Lawyer General Practice
Ramsey, Emma T Wf F W 40 M Tx Ga Ga
Ramsey, Smith C Son M W 17 S Tx Tx Tx
Ramsey, Ben T Son M W 16 S Tx Tx Tx
Ramsey, Letitia H Dtr F W 11 S Tx Tx Tx
Ramsey, Lurette E Dtr F W 9 S Tx Tx Tx
Ramsey, Mary B Dtr F W 7 S Tx Tx Tx
Ramsey, George W Son M W 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Ramsey, Thomas E Son M W 6/12 S Tx Tx Tx

William married Emma T. Jenkins on 27 May 1900 in Newton County, Texas. Emma was born about 1880 in Texas; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

On her Gedcom, Barbara Dore notes that the last name might instead be GENKINS, and that she was born in Alabama, not Texas.

James married Jane B. Ellison on 31 Jan 1880 in Sabine County, Texas. Jane was born on 15 May 1858 in Texas; died on 9 Jul 1954; was buried in Rosevine Cemetery, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Barbara Yancey Dore has her as the daughter of Mancill ELLISON and Minerva HORTON.

Notes:

According to the 1880 Sabine County census, at age 22, John was a farmer and the head of a household consisting of himself, his 16 year old sister Frances, his 13 and 10 year old brothers Charlie and Joseph, and a older female relative, Nancy Howard, age 50, from Arkansas. His brothers James and Alkony had already left home. At the time of the 1900 Sabine County census, he was listed as William.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Pr. 6
Enumerated 9 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 70 Sheets 6A and 6B
98-98
Fuller, William Hd W M Mar 1858 42 M 19 Ga Ga Ga Farmer
Fuller, Alice Wf W F Jan 1865 35 M19 5/5 Ala ALa Ala
Fuller, Etta Dau W F Sept 1881 18 S Tx Ga Ala
Fuller, Arthur Son W M Jan 1883 17 s Tx Ga Ala
Fuller, Beulah Dau W F Sept 1885 14 S Tx G Ala
Fuller, Ola Dau W F Apr 1888 12 S Tx Ga Ala
Fuller, Claudie Son W M Nov 1893 6 S Tx Ga Ala

1910 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Pr 6
Enumerated 11 May 1910
SD 2 ED 133 Sheet 32A
208-208
Fuller, Alice Head F W 45 Wed 5/5 Ala Ala Ala
Fuller, Claude Son M W 16 S Tx Ga Alag

John married Alice C. Boyett on 8 Dec 1880 in Sabine County, Texas. Alice (daughter of Henry Denson Boyett and Mary Jane Buckley) was born in Jan 1865 in Alabama; died after 1910. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to the 1910 Sabine County Census, she was the mother of 5 children, all of whom were still living. Only Claude was still at home in 1910.