US Congressman. He was born one of nine children (he also had six brothers and two sisters) to John Mutchler and Margaret Mellick Mutchler in Palmer Township, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and attended local public schools before being educated at the distinguished Vanderveer's Academy in Easton, Pennsylvania. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar before commencing to practicing law in Easton, Pennsylvania. He then became Sheriff of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and served in that position from 1854 to 1860. In 1856, he married Louise Cope and they had three children (James was born in 1857, Howard was born in 1859, and William was born in 1867). During the Civil War, he served as a First Lieutenant in Company G, 38th Pennsylvania Militia Volunteers from July 3-August 7, 1863. He also served as Prothonotary (or principal clerk of a court) of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, from 1861 to 1867, Assessor of Internal Revenue from March 1867 to May 1869, and Chairman of the Democratic State Committee of Pennsylvania from 1869 to 1870. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected. A Democrat, he then served Pennsylvania's 8th District (Forty-Fourth Congress) in the United States House of Representatives from 1875 to 1877. While representing the Forty-Fourth Congress, he had also served as Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Interior. He was not a candidate for reelection to the Forty-Fourth Congress in 1876. He then served as a Delegate to the Democratic National Conventions (also on the Resolutions Committee) beginning in 1876. He then ran for another seat in the United States Congress and was elected again. A Democrat, he then served Pennsylvania's 10th District (Forty-Seventh and Forty-Eighth Congresses) in the United States House of Representatives from 1881 to 1885. He was not a candidate for reelection to the Forty-Seventh Congress and Forty-Eighth Congress in 1884. He then ran yet again for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected once more. A Republican, he then served Pennsylvania's 10th District (Fifty-First, Fifty-Second, and Fifty-Third Congresses) from 1889 to 1893. During this time he had also continued his term (from 1876) as a Delegate to the Democratic National Conventions. He passed away while still in office in both the United States Congress and as a Delegate to the Democratic National Conventions on June 23, 1893, at his home in Easton, Pennsylvania, at the age of 61. He had been suffering from ill health for more than a year and his death was the result of heart disease. After his funeral, he was buried in the Easton Cemetery in Easton, Pennsylvania. He had been a lifelong member of the Freemasons and was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Easton, Pennsylvania, and was a Presiding Officer of the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery. His wife Louise passed away at the age of 71, on January 22, 1899, and she was buried with him. After his death, he was succeeded in office by United States Representative and newspaper proprietor Howard Mutchler, who also happened to be his son.