Individual Details
William Starr Mitchell Jr.
(5 Jun 1907 - 25 Nov 1981)
Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, Arkansas, Thursday, November 26, 1981, Page 1 & 10A: Civic Leader, Lawyer In State, Dies at 74. William Starr (Will) Mitchell, aged 74, of 5412 Hawthorne Road, a lawyer who was a leader in community and legal affairs and a member of a prominent Arkansas family, died Wednesday. Mr. Mitchell's community work included serving o, from 1956 to 1958, as chairman of the speakers bureau of the Executive Committee of the Good Government Committee, which was organized to change the Little Rock government from the mayor-council form to the city manager-Board of Directors system.
In 1959, during the Little Rock school desegregation crisis, he was campaign chairman of the committee to Stop This Outrageous Purge (STOP). STOP, a citizens group, led the successful campaign to stop the dismissal of 41 public school teachers, principals and clerks by three members of the School Board and to recall those three Board members and save three anti-purge members. STOP laid the foundation for the reopening of the Little Rock high schools, which had been closed by Governor Orval E. Faubus.
Headed State Bar
Mr. Mitchell was president of the Arkansas Bar Association in 1960-61 and was a founder of the Arkansas Bar Foundation. He was a former president of the Pulaski County Bar Association, a former chairman of the state Justice Building Commission, and had served on the state Board of Law Examiners.
Mr. Mitchell was born June 5, 1907, in Little Rock, son of William Starr and Frances Emily Roots Mitchell. His father, who died in 1947, was affiliated with the Democrat Printing and Lithographing Company and also had been with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Mr. Mitchell's grandfather was James Mitchell, who was editor of the Gazette from 1876 until 1878, when he retired. A few months later James Mitchell, associated with W. D. Blocher, purchased the Arkansas Democrat. Blocher died in 1879 and James Mitchell continued as editor and owner of the newspaper until his death in 1902. James Mitchell also had served as Little Rock postmaster from 1893-97. James Mitchell's wife was Elizabeth Latta, daughter of John and Jane Starr Latta, prominent residents of South Carolina who moved to Arkansas in the 1830s.
Mr. Mitchell's mother was a daughter of Col. Logan holt Roots, a native of Illinois who served on Gen. William T. Sherman's staff during the Civil War and who was assigned to Arkansas in 1865. Col. Roots later purchased a cotton plantation, served as president of the Merchants National Bank, and was affiliated with numerous other businesses. He also was a United States representative, serving in the 40th and 41st Congresses. Fort Roots in North Little Rock, a former military post and now a Veterans Administration Medical Center, is named in his honor.
Mr. Mitchell attended public schools in Little Rock and was graduated from Little Rock High School in 1924. In 1925, he enrolled in the Culver Military Academy in Indiana and later entered Princeton University, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1929. He began his legal studies at the University of Arkansas school of Lawn, then entered Yale University, where he received and L.L.B. degree in 1933.
Joined Law Firm
After being admitted to the Arkansas bar, he began his legal career as an associate in the law firm of Rose, Hemingway, Cantrell and Longborough in Little Rock. He was a professor of Medical jurisprudence at the University of Arkansas Medical School from 1934 to 1937. In 1938 he became an associate in the firm of Moore, Burrow and Chowning and in 1948 became a partner in the Moore, Burrow, Chowning and Mitchell firm. He was a partner in the firm of Mitchell and Lowry at the time of his death. From 1957 to 1962 he was a member of the executive committee of the Arkansas Bar Association and was committee chairman from 1957 to 1958. In 1954, Mr. Mitchell was president of the Pulaski County Bar Association. He was also a member of the American Bar Association. Mr. Mitchell was a member of the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Bar Foundation from 1958 to 1962 and Chairman in 1960. He had served on the Board of Trustees of the former Arkansas Law School in Little Rock and was vice president from 1960 to 1963.
Law Consultant
Mr. Mitchell had been in charge of compiling a digest of banking and commercial laws of Arkansas for the Banking Law Journal's "Encyclopedia of Banking and Commercial Laws" and was the state's commercial law consultant for the Boston College Industrial and Commercial Law Review. Mr. Mitchell was president of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce in 1963, and had served on the New Industries and Education Committees, the Board of Directors and as vice president. He had been a member of the Boards of the Pulaski County Chapter of the American Red cross, the Visiting Nurses Association and the Family Service Agency.
He was a leader of the former Community Chest and Council of Greater Little Rock, serving on the Board of Directors and as Council chairman in 1951. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Union National Bank.
Was Episcopalian
A prominent Episcopalian, Mr. Mitchell was chancellor of the Diocese of Arkansas from 1955 to 1964, and was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the Parish Vestry.
He was a member of the Tiger Inn Club at Princeton University, had served as president of the Princeton Alumni Association of Arkansas and was a member of kappa Sigma fraternity at the University of Arkansas and the Country Club of Little Rock. He was a former member of the XV Club.
During World War II, Mr. Mitchell was a major in the Army, then continued his service in military intelligence with the Army Reserve until he retired in 1960 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 1938, Mr. Mitchell was married to the former Virginia Rollwage Grobmyer, a native of Forest City.
Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Virginia Grobmyer Mitchell; a son, James Edward Mitchell of Augusta, Me., a lawyer and probate judge, three daughters, Mrs. Robert D. Ross, Virginia Starr Mitchell and Marilyn Elizabeth Mitchell of Little Rock, and seven grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral by Very Rev. Joel W. Pugh. Burial will be in Little Rock by Ruebel Funeral Home.
In 1959, during the Little Rock school desegregation crisis, he was campaign chairman of the committee to Stop This Outrageous Purge (STOP). STOP, a citizens group, led the successful campaign to stop the dismissal of 41 public school teachers, principals and clerks by three members of the School Board and to recall those three Board members and save three anti-purge members. STOP laid the foundation for the reopening of the Little Rock high schools, which had been closed by Governor Orval E. Faubus.
Headed State Bar
Mr. Mitchell was president of the Arkansas Bar Association in 1960-61 and was a founder of the Arkansas Bar Foundation. He was a former president of the Pulaski County Bar Association, a former chairman of the state Justice Building Commission, and had served on the state Board of Law Examiners.
Mr. Mitchell was born June 5, 1907, in Little Rock, son of William Starr and Frances Emily Roots Mitchell. His father, who died in 1947, was affiliated with the Democrat Printing and Lithographing Company and also had been with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Mr. Mitchell's grandfather was James Mitchell, who was editor of the Gazette from 1876 until 1878, when he retired. A few months later James Mitchell, associated with W. D. Blocher, purchased the Arkansas Democrat. Blocher died in 1879 and James Mitchell continued as editor and owner of the newspaper until his death in 1902. James Mitchell also had served as Little Rock postmaster from 1893-97. James Mitchell's wife was Elizabeth Latta, daughter of John and Jane Starr Latta, prominent residents of South Carolina who moved to Arkansas in the 1830s.
Mr. Mitchell's mother was a daughter of Col. Logan holt Roots, a native of Illinois who served on Gen. William T. Sherman's staff during the Civil War and who was assigned to Arkansas in 1865. Col. Roots later purchased a cotton plantation, served as president of the Merchants National Bank, and was affiliated with numerous other businesses. He also was a United States representative, serving in the 40th and 41st Congresses. Fort Roots in North Little Rock, a former military post and now a Veterans Administration Medical Center, is named in his honor.
Mr. Mitchell attended public schools in Little Rock and was graduated from Little Rock High School in 1924. In 1925, he enrolled in the Culver Military Academy in Indiana and later entered Princeton University, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1929. He began his legal studies at the University of Arkansas school of Lawn, then entered Yale University, where he received and L.L.B. degree in 1933.
Joined Law Firm
After being admitted to the Arkansas bar, he began his legal career as an associate in the law firm of Rose, Hemingway, Cantrell and Longborough in Little Rock. He was a professor of Medical jurisprudence at the University of Arkansas Medical School from 1934 to 1937. In 1938 he became an associate in the firm of Moore, Burrow and Chowning and in 1948 became a partner in the Moore, Burrow, Chowning and Mitchell firm. He was a partner in the firm of Mitchell and Lowry at the time of his death. From 1957 to 1962 he was a member of the executive committee of the Arkansas Bar Association and was committee chairman from 1957 to 1958. In 1954, Mr. Mitchell was president of the Pulaski County Bar Association. He was also a member of the American Bar Association. Mr. Mitchell was a member of the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Bar Foundation from 1958 to 1962 and Chairman in 1960. He had served on the Board of Trustees of the former Arkansas Law School in Little Rock and was vice president from 1960 to 1963.
Law Consultant
Mr. Mitchell had been in charge of compiling a digest of banking and commercial laws of Arkansas for the Banking Law Journal's "Encyclopedia of Banking and Commercial Laws" and was the state's commercial law consultant for the Boston College Industrial and Commercial Law Review. Mr. Mitchell was president of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce in 1963, and had served on the New Industries and Education Committees, the Board of Directors and as vice president. He had been a member of the Boards of the Pulaski County Chapter of the American Red cross, the Visiting Nurses Association and the Family Service Agency.
He was a leader of the former Community Chest and Council of Greater Little Rock, serving on the Board of Directors and as Council chairman in 1951. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Union National Bank.
Was Episcopalian
A prominent Episcopalian, Mr. Mitchell was chancellor of the Diocese of Arkansas from 1955 to 1964, and was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the Parish Vestry.
He was a member of the Tiger Inn Club at Princeton University, had served as president of the Princeton Alumni Association of Arkansas and was a member of kappa Sigma fraternity at the University of Arkansas and the Country Club of Little Rock. He was a former member of the XV Club.
During World War II, Mr. Mitchell was a major in the Army, then continued his service in military intelligence with the Army Reserve until he retired in 1960 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 1938, Mr. Mitchell was married to the former Virginia Rollwage Grobmyer, a native of Forest City.
Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Virginia Grobmyer Mitchell; a son, James Edward Mitchell of Augusta, Me., a lawyer and probate judge, three daughters, Mrs. Robert D. Ross, Virginia Starr Mitchell and Marilyn Elizabeth Mitchell of Little Rock, and seven grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral by Very Rev. Joel W. Pugh. Burial will be in Little Rock by Ruebel Funeral Home.
Events
| Birth | 5 Jun 1907 | Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas |  | ||
| Residence | 1910 | Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas | | ||
| Residence | 1920 | Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas | | ||
| Marriage | 26 Feb 1938 | Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas - Virginia Rollwage Grobmyer | | ||
| Death | 25 Nov 1981 | Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas | | ||
| Burial | Oakland Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas | |
Families
| Spouse | Virginia Rollwage Grobmyer (1913 - 2005) |
Endnotes
1. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
2. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
3. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
4. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
5. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006), Database online..
6. Find A Grave.