History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

1584

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

affiliated with the Psi Upsilon Greek letter fraternity. Following his
graduation, Mr. Mitchell embarked in the drug business at Bellows Falls,
Vermont, and later went to Glens Falls, New York, but after ten years
spent in that line of business came to the West and for about one year
was engaged in traveling. He came to Manistee in 1878, and here
became purchasing agent for the Buckley & Douglas Lumber Company,
in the following year accepting a like position with the Manistee &
Northeastern Railway Company, with which line he has since been
identified. In I89I he became general passenger agent of this company,
was made general traffic manager in I907, and since that time has been
appointed secretary and vice-president. As a railroad man, Mr. Mitchell
has become known throughout Michigan and is recognized as an operator
of superior capacity and ability. He has thoroughly familiarized himself
with all the details of railroad business and management, and has earned
promotion by hard work and thorough honesty, intelligent effort and
efficient services. He has made a study of what may be termed "the
science of railroading," has a broad knowledge of the principles governing the operations of railroads and all the rules and regulations governing and pertaining to traffic, and is also a man of wide general information. He is a director of the Western Michigan Development Bureau
and of the Manistee Board of Trade, and is widely known in social and
club life, being a director of the Business Men's Club and president of
the exclusive Country Club. In every movement that has been made
for the betterment of Manistee in any way he has been a prominent
factor and no enterprise for the public weal is considered complete until
his name is added to its list of supporters and directors. His election to
the mayoralty, under the commission form of government, occurred
April 6, I9o4, and it may be said that he has given evidence of his intention of conscientiously living up to every promise made by him in his
speech of acceptance. He has taken an independent stand in politics and
has not <allowed himself to be bound down by party ties, but has
endeavored to gather about him men of ability and trustworthiness, who
will be able to bring about favorable innovations and improvements and
to conserve the citizens' best interests.
Mayor Mitchell was married first in I88I, to Miss Anna Flint, of Bellows Falls, Vermont, who died in I903, leaving one child, Marjorie, who
resides with her father. He was married in I905 to Miss Mary W. Lee,
of Toledo. Ohio. Mayor and Mrs. Mitchell are members of the Episcopal
church. He is widely known in fraternal circles and holds prominent
positions in the Masons, the Knights Templar and the Knights of Pythias.
MAX E. NEAL. Of the younger generation of lawyers practicing at
the Manistee bar, none have a brighter future, judging from the past,
than Max E. Neal, who enjoys well-merited recognition and has a large
and representative practice, the splendid character of his abilities giving
every assurance that the future holds for him a distinguished career in
the line of his profession. Mr. Neal has been located at Manistee since
I905 and since that time has been connected with a number of important
cases, all tending to demonstrate talents of an unusual ability.
Mr. Neal was born at Lodi, New York, May 9, I879, and is a son of
John and Helen (Howell) Neal, natives of the Empire State, where the
former was born in I853 and the latter in I855. The family originated
in England, from whence came the parents of George Neal, the grandfather of Max E. Neal, he being a native of New York, where he passed
his life in agricultural pursuits, being known as one of his community's
substantial and highly esteemed citizens. John Neal grew up in the
state of his nativity, early entered upon a successful business career, and