MITCHELL, Edward, clergyman, born in Coleraine, Ireland, 3 August, 1769; died in Ridgefield, Connecticut, 8 August, 1834. He came to this country in 1791 and settled in New York, where in 1796 he was one of the founders of the Society of United Christian Friends professing a belief in universal salvation, of which organization he continued as pastor until his death. Mr. Mitchell attracted large audiences, and exercised a wide-spread and permanent influence. He is described as a benevolent, cultivated, and genial gentleman, and as a preacher of remarkable eloquence, earnestness, and power. --His son, William, jurist, born in New York city, 21 February, 1801; died in Morristown, New Jersey, 6 October, 1886, was graduated at Columbia in 1820, standing first in his class, and after studying law was admitted to the bar in 1823, and became counsellor in chancery in 1827. In 1849 he was elected a justice of the supreme court of New York, which post he held until 1858. Under the provisions of the law then existing, he became a judge of the court of appeals in 1856, and in 1857 presiding justice of the supreme court. On retiring from the supreme court, Judge Mitchell did not retire from the bench, but by the action of the courts, and of the barr and of suitors, in referring to him cases for hearing and decision, as a referee, he held his court regularly from day to day, and his calendar, like that of other courts, was always full. His reported opinions are marked by breadth and force of reasoning and large learning, which gave them permanent value. The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Columbia in 1863, and he was one of the vice-presidents of the Association of the bar of New York. Judge Mitchell published an edition of "Black-stone's Commentaries " with reference to American cases (New York, 1841). See sketch by Benjamin D. Silliman (printed privately, New York, 1887).