I don't think they had surnames as we use them, (but I am not positive), and many times the name of the original ancestor who arrived in America was "lost". I believe they handed down the family history orally, nothing was written down, and this was left to a certain individual within the tribe. "ROOTS" was a great series to watch if you are interested, I watched it with fascination when it first came out, about 1976 or so. It is based on fact, but I am not sure how much of it is true. Doris

Everyone seems to be looking for Mitchell relatives in the South. I am trying to find a David and Anora (sp?) Neunan Mitchell who had a son David born in 1865 in Rochester, NY. It could be City of Rochester or Rochester, now Accord, in Ulster County. Has anyone come across this family? Thank you. Mardell Mitchell Gitchel

I have done much research on the Mitchell's of Wayne and Johnston County's of NC. I have only found reference to one slave in a Mitchell will dated 1832, Her name was LETTIS, It appears the Mitchell mother died in childbirth, and LETTIS was to wet-nurse the child, and to stay with him until he came of age. In these county's (Wayne and Johnston) when the census started to list everyone as W-B-M. There were some Black Mitchell's and Mitchell's listed as Mullato, on the census. There were also free Black Families living in Wayne County in 1860, according to the census. (Before the War) I have always heard that the larger Quacker areas of Wayne County, paid there farm helpers regardless of there color. (Also before the War) K Mitchell

Not only are there so many Mitchells but the same names appear over and over making it difficult to pinpoint which individual belongs to your family. My quest has been to track down the parents and spouse of my 5th great grandfather, William Mitchell. We have his application for a Revolutionary War pension which tells us he was born in Chester County, PA in 1764, that he enlisted in the militia during the Revolutionary War in Rockingham County, VA. We believe he was married in VA and several of the children were born there. Then he received a couple of land grants for land and eventually settled in Grainger County, TN where they had several more children. I believe his wife died there but we have no records of her name, death or tombstone. He left there about 1815 and did some traveling - Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois before settling in Missouri. We find him in Madison County and later living with his grandson, William Mitchell Wright. His will was probated in this same location. If anyone has any connections to this William Mitchell I would love to hear from you and share information. Conni Mitchell Braun

Will you please contact me offline? Thank you. Conni Mitchell Braun

Hi Conni, My Mitchell slave owner was Spencer Sterling Mitchell (1775 NC- 1849 White County, TN). His father was Arthur Mitchell (1753 VA or Pa - after 1798 SC). Arthur's father was Robert Mitchell (@1735 VA - @1782 NC). I don't know about Mitchell's in Grainger County, but have heard that there are possibly Cameron ancestors there --- so maybe. I'm happy to share. Sandy in Sacramento

Hi Liz, My Mitchell's were in the US in the 1700's. They aren't very easy to trace here either. Living in California, I didn't realize how common the name Mitchell was either until I began researching my family tree. Sandy in Sacramento

AMEN!!!!!!!!

Hello, Do you have any more information about the child William? well now that I think about it the year wouldn't work out... My GG grandfather was born about 1853 we think in KY but he died in 1910 we think In Wilson County, TN. but we have really had no luck researching him have you had any links to Wilson County? Have a great day,

Just putting him out there again. He was born in 1819 possibly Pa. Father may have been John and they came to Belmont County, Ohio. John married Lydia Wilkinson in Washington County Dec 31, 1840 But he lived then in Monroe County. He died in 1869. Lydia moved with the minor children to Grandview Twp. Washington County, Ohio. Lynn

Hello, Lisa. Yes, there were many Mitchells who were slaveholders. Many Mitchells lived in Virginia and raised tobacco and cotton. These crops, as cultivated in the colonies and later, required much manual labor. This was furnished by African slaves. It was the common practice. Some of my Mitchell ancestors from Virginia were planters (thus slave owners). They "wore out the land", and then moved south. Some may have brought their slaves -- I don't have this information. But certainly freed slaves often took their ex-master's surnames. Bill Mitchell BrElyoung@aol.com wrote: > My father was a Mitchell and immigrated to America in the 1920's from > Scotland. His family settled in Chicago. One thing that I have noticed, is > that there are many a Mitchell in America from African American descent. > Please no one take offense, but there seem to be many Mitchell's on this list > from the south that have lived in this country for many generations. I was > wondering if these Mitchell's were slave owners, and thus might explain. > Again, I intend no offense, just curious of the Mitchell surname amongst > African Americans and their history in America. > > Liza > > ==== MITCHELL Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please send an unsubscribe message to: Mitchell-L-request@rootsweb.com. If on digest, substitute a D for the L.

In a message dated 12/7/2002 3:23:47 PM Central Standard Time, ShemyaSandy@aol.com writes: > Slaves often took the surnames of their "owners", or of people they admired. > > There are probably lots of Black Mitchell's because there are lots of > Mitchell's. > Hi Sandy, I find that so interesting. Living in Minnesota most of my life and Illinois part of my life, I have only met 3 other people in my entire life with the surname Mitchell and I am in my 40's. Must not be as common here in the North. I must tell you, researching my family in Scotland is another matter. On top of that my brick wall is William Mitchell of Aberdeen b. Abt. 1828. When I do a search of William Mitchell in Scotland, it is hopeless!!! Liz

There were no real rules to go by. Usually a slave was know by his 1st name and his master's surname. If several slaves had the same name, then the master might even change the name. ----- Original Message ----- From: <BrElyoung@aol.com> To: <MITCHELL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 4:13 PM Subject: Re: [MITCHELL] Mitchell Slave Owners > Please excuse my ignorance, but didn't slaves have their own surnames, or > were they always just known by their first name until freed? > > Liz > > > ==== MITCHELL Mailing List ==== > DO NOT POST NON-GENEALOGICAL MATERIALS TO THIS LIST. > >

Sandy: What was the name of your Mitchell ancestor who owned slaves in TN? Mine were also there in Grainger County. Conni Mitchell Braun

Hi Liza, My ggggrandfather was a Mitchell in TN. He apparently owned slaves. I've heard that his will stipulated his slaves be freed upon his death (1849). One older slave was to stay with Mrs. Mitchell until her death and then could choose which of the Mitchell children he wanted to live with. His name is apparently listed in the family Bible along with the rest of the family. From his age he could have been a child of Mr. Mitchell --- Mrs. Mitchell had another baby that same year so I doubt he was hers. Slaves often took the surnames of their "owners", or of people they admired. There are probably lots of Black Mitchell's because there are lots of Mitchell's. Sandy

That would probably be a reasonably fair assumption. Many ex-slaves took-on the Surnames of their previous masters when they were freed. However, others took on the names of leaders they respected. That is where finding family would get difficult; sometimes siblings had different surnames. Keith ----- Original Message ----- From: <BrElyoung@aol.com> To: <MITCHELL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 3:18 PM Subject: Re: [MITCHELL] Mitchells in the UK > My father was a Mitchell and immigrated to America in the 1920's from > Scotland. His family settled in Chicago. One thing that I have noticed, is > that there are many a Mitchell in America from African American descent. > Please no one take offense, but there seem to be many Mitchell's on this list > from the south that have lived in this country for many generations. I was > wondering if these Mitchell's were slave owners, and thus might explain. > Again, I intend no offense, just curious of the Mitchell surname amongst > African Americans and their history in America. > > Liza > > > ==== MITCHELL Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please send an unsubscribe message to: Mitchell-L-request@rootsweb.com. If on digest, substitute a D for the L. > >

Please excuse my ignorance, but didn't slaves have their own surnames, or were they always just known by their first name until freed? Liz

I have records indicating that my Mitchell ancestors owned slaves. As wrong as it was that was how it was in the south. I have an African-American co-worker with the Mitchell last name. He knows that his ancestors were slaves who took the surname of their owners when they became free. I don't have any information on the slaves mentioned in my ancestors' wills, just that they were given to children as property. Conni Mitchell Braun ----- Original Message ----- From: <BrElyoung@aol.com> To: <MITCHELL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 3:18 PM Subject: Re: [MITCHELL] Mitchells in the UK > My father was a Mitchell and immigrated to America in the 1920's from > Scotland. His family settled in Chicago. One thing that I have noticed, is > that there are many a Mitchell in America from African American descent. > Please no one take offense, but there seem to be many Mitchell's on this list > from the south that have lived in this country for many generations. I was > wondering if these Mitchell's were slave owners, and thus might explain. > Again, I intend no offense, just curious of the Mitchell surname amongst > African Americans and their history in America. > > Liza > > > ==== MITCHELL Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please send an unsubscribe message to: Mitchell-L-request@rootsweb.com. If on digest, substitute a D for the L. >

My father was a Mitchell and immigrated to America in the 1920's from Scotland. His family settled in Chicago. One thing that I have noticed, is that there are many a Mitchell in America from African American descent. Please no one take offense, but there seem to be many Mitchell's on this list from the south that have lived in this country for many generations. I was wondering if these Mitchell's were slave owners, and thus might explain. Again, I intend no offense, just curious of the Mitchell surname amongst African Americans and their history in America. Liza

Am rerunning this again since so much interest in Mitchell's this weekend. Query: John O. Mitchell family John O. Mitchell Resided in Bedford Co. VA. married Eliza ?? Mitchell, she wasborn 1821 and died 10 June 1918 in Bedford, Bedford co. VA. children: 1. James G. Mitchell b. 1856 in Bedford co. VA. d. 1026 Bedford, mar Miss Andrews. 2 children Elizabeth and Frank Mitchell 2. Charles Mitchell mar. Virginia Skinnell 3. Alice Roberta Mitchell b. 1850 d. 1928 mar. to J. Wesley Whorley children: Hubert Whorley, Frank Whorley, Effie Whorley Walker 4. Ida Mitchell mar. William Hodges lived in Dekalb co. MO. 5. Frances (Fanny) Judson Mitchell d. 1935 mar. Robert Cadden Varner. lived in Andrew co. MO. Am interested in corresponding with any descendants of this family. I am connected to Frances Judson Mitchel Varner. ntrump ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com ==== MITCHELL Mailing List ==== DO NOT POST NON-GENEALOGICAL MATERIALS TO THIS LIST. ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com