R. Clayton Mitchell Jr.
R. Clayton Mitchell Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 104th Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates | |
| In office 1987–1992 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin L. Cardin |
| Succeeded by | Casper R. Taylor Jr. |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 36th district | |
| In office 1971–1992 | |
| Constituency | Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Talbot Counties, Maryland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 16, 1936 Chestertown, Maryland |
| Died | June 13, 2019 (aged 83) Kent County MD |
| Political party | Democratic |
R. Clayton 'Clay' Mitchell Jr. (April 16, 1936 – June 14, 2019) was an American politician and the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in the United States.[1]
Background
Mitchell was born in Chestertown on Maryland's Eastern Shore in 1936. He served in the United States Army before entering public service in the 1966 elections.[1]
Political career
In the 1966 elections, Mitchell won a seat on the Kent County Commission. Four years later, he won election to the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 36, which spreads across the northern Eastern Shore between the Delaware state line and the Chesapeake Bay. He became chair of the Eastern Shore delegation in 1974, and a decade later took over as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee. In 1987, after the election of the previous Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, Benjamin L. Cardin, to Congress, Mitchell was elected by his colleagues to serve as Speaker. He held the position until his retirement in 1992.[1]
Retirement
After retiring from the House of Delegates, Mitchell continued to be actively involved in his community. He chaired both the Save our Skipjacks Task Force and the Maryland Commission for Celebration 2000. In addition, he was a Director of the Second National Bank of Maryland and a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College.[1] In 2018, the Kent Narrows Bridge on US 50/US 301 was dedicated in his name.[2] Mitchell died on June 14, 2019.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d "R. Clayton Mitchell Jr". Biographical Series. Archives of Maryland. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ^ Combs, Hannah (May 24, 2018). "Kent Narrows Bridge dedicated to R. Clayton Mitchell Jr". Kent County News. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ Kelly, Jacques (June 14, 2019). "R. Clayton Mitchell, former Maryland House Speaker, dies at 83". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 14, 2019.