Draft:Joseph Mitchell (Mauchline)

The Very Rev. Joseph Mitchell (20th July 1859 - 18th March 1931) was a minister in Mauchline Old Parish Church and  who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1929.

Life
Joseph Mitchell was born in Kinnarid Fishing Station in Angus in 1859, the younger son of Joseph Mitchell, a salmon fisher and gamekeeper, and Janet Millar. He received his early education at Craig Public School

He attended the United College of St Andrews University from 1878 to 1882, and then was a divinity student at St Mary's College also in St Andrews. In 1916 he recieved an honorary Doctor of Divinity from St Andrews. He was an athlete as well as a scholar, winning the cup for the mile.

After four years as Assistant Minister at St Mary's, Dundee (Church of Scotland), he was called to the parish of Mauchline in September 1980. While the minister for Mauchline he was active in many community activities including the musical association and the Mauchline Harriers running club as well as local government. He was minister in Mauchline for 40 years.

His most distinguished service was with the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland where he worked to bring about the reunion of the United Free Church of Scotland with the main Church of Scotland. He was the Moderator of the Church of Scotland when the final Act of Union was passed on October 2nd, 1929.

He retired from the ministry in 1930 and moved to Bridge-of-Allan where he passed away after a short illness in 1931.

Family
Joseph Mitchell married Helen Lister of Bridge-of-Allan in 1896. They had one son, Joseph Lister Mitchell. Helen died in 1921. In 1924 Dr. Mitchell married Jane (Jean) Robertson of Dundee.