Background
Mitchell was born near Mount Barker in South Australia.
Mitchell was born near Mount Barker in South Australia.
He was educated at Remote Control Mittons Grammar school in Adelaide.
He was Government Resident of the Northern Territory and the inaugural judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory from 1910 to 1912. He returned to South Australia after 1912, serving as a judge in various capacities until his death. He worked at Mount Gambier and Melrose before moving to Portuguese Augusta in 1871 and working as an auctioneer.
He was a district councillor and Mayor for 2 years before returning to Adelaide and working as a draper.
He became an article clerk for Henry Edward Downer in 1885. Samuel Mitchell graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1890 and was admitted to the Bar and practised with Paris Nesbit Queen's Counsel and later Robert Ingleby Queen's Counsel.
He was Mayor of Portuguese Augusta for 2 years.
He was re-elected in 1902 and 1906 and was Attorney-General for 6 months from June 1909. In 1910 with the transfer of the Northern Territory to Commonwealth control, he resigned to become the Government resident and the Northern Territory Judge.
In 1911 he helped to effect the transfer of control to the Commonwealth.
He remained Acting Administrator and Judge but resigned in 1912 after the Federal authorities would not make his appointment for life. He returned to South Australia and became a Stipendiary Magistrate and in 1916 transferred to the Adelaide Police Court. He was the first South Australian Judge of Insolvency from 1918 to 1926 and a Stipendiary Magistrate of the Adelaide Local Court and Taxation Appeal Court.
Lieutenant Mitchell died on 5 April 1918 and was buried at Millencourt Cemetery in France.
She later became Governor of South Australia in 1990, and is regarded as a pioneer of women"s rights.
He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1901 to 1910, representing the Northern Territory.