Gordon Keith Mitchell -- Victim of a Horse Riding Accident

 

Gordon Mitchell

Gordon Keith Mitchell was born August 14, 1963 in Caldwell County, Kentucky, the oldest of three children born to Willard Barkley Mitchell and Janie Marilyn Williams Mitchell.  Gordon’s father, Willard, was a native of Caldwell County who died in an automobile accident when Gordon was two years old.  His mother, Janie, was a native of Trigg County, Kentucky and a descendant of Starkie T. Bridges.  Gordon’s siblings were Gregory Lynn Mitchell, born in 1964 and married Melissa Tara Fuller and Willard Barkley Mitchell, Jr., born in 1965.  He also had two half-siblings, Melissa Jo Oliver, born in 1970 and married Michael Jay Lefan; and Michael Oliver and a foster brother, Gary Houha.

Gordon lived in Trigg County and on June 12, 1993, he married Martha Jane Boren.  Martha was born December 18, 1967 in Shelbyville, Kentucky, the daughter of James Howard and Katherine Leola Stewart Boren. James Howard was a native of Woodlawn, Tennessee who had moved to Caldwell County, Kentucky.  Gordon and Martha were the parents of one child, a daughter, Megan Cheyenne Mitchell who was born in 1999.  Gordon and Martha were divorced in 2002.  Martha died on August 10, 2004 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Gordon and Martha were the owners and operators of the Cadiz Family Restaurant in Cadiz.  Gordon left the operation of the restaurant to become the farm manager for the Garrett Farms in Trigg County.  Gordon served as the president of the Kentucky Junior Rodeo Association.

In May of 2010 Gordan ran for Trigg County Sheriff in the Republican primary against one other candidate while two other candidates ran against each other in the Democrat primary.  The local newspaper endorsed Gordon’s opponent in the race and he lost the election by a vote of 736 to 261.

On August 30, 2010, around 10:00 a.m. in the morning, Gordon was at the Garrett Farm and was riding a horse near the intersection of Montgomery Church Road and Barefield Road when he was involved in a horseback-riding accident.  He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by the Trigg County Coroner.

Gordon died at the age of 47.  He was buried in the Canton Baptist Church Cemetery in Canton, Kentucky.

 Gordon Mitchell tombstone

Back of Gordon Mitchell tombstone

LINEAGE: (Gordon Keith Mitchell was the son of Willard Barkley and Janie Marilyn Williams Mitchell and the grandson of Sanford Frazier and Lillie Mae Gresham Williams.  Sanford was the third child of George Raymond and Ida Elizabeth Hargrove Williams.  Ida Elizabeth was the first child of Jefferson and Ida Bridges Hargrove.  Ida was the third child of Starkie T. and Elizabeth Lawrence Bridges.  Starkie was the second child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)