122 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



unqualified obedience through that perfect ]ove that 

 casteth out all fear. After some years as instructor, 

 finding his health yielding, he was obliged to relin- 

 quish this favorite pursuit, and become more properly 

 a business man. For a while he was secretary of the 

 Phenix Marine Insurance Company, and then became 

 cashier of the Pacific Bank, which latter trust he faith- 

 fully fulfilled till he removed from the island in 1861. 

 Never, as long as he lived on the island, however, 

 did he throw aside his interest in schools and school 

 children, being president of the trustees of the Cof- 

 fin School even after he had passed the allotted age of 

 man. Also a promoter of general knowledge, he was 

 connected with the first library opened in his native 

 town; and when this collection of books was merged 

 into the library of the Athenaeum, he became one of 

 the trustees, — at the time of the fire in 1846 being 

 president of this institution; and when by this fire the 

 books of the Athenaeum were totally destroyed, dona- 

 tions were made through Mr. Mitchell by his personal 

 friend Hon. Mr. Bowditch towards its reconstruction, 

 — a catalogue of the library of the late Timothy Pick- 

 ering being sent to the former that he might select 

 names of works to the amount of eight or nine hun- 

 dred volumes. This selection was duly made-, and the 

 books were stored at Mr. Mitchell's residence until 

 the new Athenseuni building was in readiness for 

 occupancy 



In this manner was the nucleus of the present valu- 

 able library formed. 



Mr. Mitchell's services were early appreciated from 

 a political point of view. When a young man, in the 



