George A. Mitchell (January 8, 1824 – August 5, 1878) was an American businessman, merchant, railwayman, lumber baron, and real estate developer.

In the 1870s he bought 2,000 acres (810 ha) of land in Michigan, divided and sold it in lots, and established the village of Clam Lake.

[1][2] In 1861, at the beginning of the American Civil War, the army made Mitchell a paymaster based in St. Louis, Missouri.

[5] In this capacity Mitchell was put in charge at Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, at different times.

In 1870, Mitchell and Innes traveled along part of the proposed right of way route from Big Rapids to Fife Lake, Michigan, scouting it out.

He wanted the railroad route to run there because he was planning the development of a new town, Clam Lake (early Cadillac).

[4] He divided the land into lots of various sizes and started selling them to develop the village at Clam Lake into a potential town with businesses.

[12] He took up the business of lumbering in Cadillac, and constructed three sawmills with high production capabilities that produced millions of board feet each year.

[1] Mitchell was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in his early life; when he moved to Michigan he was associated with the Presbyterian congregation at Cadillac.

[14] In 1847, Mitchell married Miss Marietta L. Wilkins, who had been born in Greene County, New York, in 1827.

[16] Mitchell was thrown from a horse and buggy on August 5, 1878, and fatally injured by falling onto a tree stump not yet cleared from the street.