Friday, October 17, 2008

Email to family...

I got a great response back from my email to Jim B. concerning the Mitchell DNA latest results.

Jim M's DNA results came in yesterday and shows a match to me -- although not exact -- but close enough to convince me that indeed we are indeed Mitchell descendants from Shatteen as we have been claiming all these years. So I am a happy camper today! DAD

P.S. Forward my out-bound to Jim B. to Matt w/ a cc to Graham. I wanted Matt to be able to pick up the James Mitchell research should I something unexpectedly happen to me.

In that vain I want to make sure Matt has all my electronic files concerning Amelia County too. So that is my next focus is to gather that info together and pass it off.



-----Original Message-----
From: Jim B.
Sent: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 8:10 am
Subject: RE: Got A DNA Match to Another Amelia Co, VA Mitchell

Ron;

This is great news;

I descend from Thomas son of John, and can give you more info on our family. Per the DAR application for John MITCHELL (m Obedience VAUGHN), John was born in England, and got to Virginia in time to be in the RevWar.

Attached is an outline of the family

Jim

From: Ron Mitchell
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 5:37 AM
To: Jim B.
Subject: Got A DNA Match to Another Amelia Co, VA Mitchell

From Ron Mitchell DNA Kit 15119 Code: B4025


Jim, Just wanted to share some news. I recruited a 2nd cousin with a different grandfather to test. Yesterday I received notice from FamilyTree DNA that his partial results were posted. He has 24 posted with another 13 pending.

But more exciting to me was notification a few weeks ago of another DNA match that is tied to Mitchells in Amelia County.

The match is with Donald Edward Mitchell (Y37) [email removed].

He just recently did the DNA test and his results were posted only about 4 weeks ago. The email address shown is actually that of Donald's mother who is their family genealogist. When his match appeared on my list, I quickly sent out my family history information to that email address and found out that it belongs to Ann Mitchell of Tennessee. I was most pleased that Ann has also traced her ancestry back to Amelia County, VA. I was very familiar with her John Mitchell, 1758-1836, married to Obedience Vaughan. For a time, that couple was one of my candidate parents for our Shatteen C. Mitchell, 1802-1867. Later, Shatteen's parents were proved to be James Mitchell and Mary Ann (Polly) Craddock. I have done some research on John and Obedience in the last few weeks and will attach what I have on them in a Word Document. This information I obtained literally in the last couple of weeks.

This is exactly what I was hoping that the DNA would be able to tell us. Bottom line: While I don't know how we are related to John Mitchell, the DNA testing shows that my James shares a common ancestor with John, possibly father or grandfather. I am very pleased that the DNA testing has paid off for me after many years of waiting for some meaningful results. Have a great week end! -- Ron Mitchell


----------
Attached to the email was a document called Mitchell Outline.doc


Thomas MITCHELL Sr bc1700 England; d 1746 England; mc1727 Mary COLTHERD 1701-1755 England (William+ )
1. Thomas MITCHELL Jr c1727-<1768 England; m 1752 England Jane HETHERINGTON 1732-1810 England

A* John MITCHELL 1763 England-1840 Wd 1836 Montgomery Co, VA; m 1786 Amelia Co, VA Obediance VAUGHAN >1765 Amelia Co, VA->1838 Montgomery Co, VA (James + Ann HILL)
-1769 Amelia; RevWar: Fife Major VA, PNSR-1810s; 1815-24 Botetourt; Montgomery Co, VA
1. Nancy H MITCHELL c1787->1836; m 1807 Amelia Co, VA Robert FOSTER
2. Elizabeth P MITCHELL c1788->1836; m 1808 Amelia Co, VA Levi DEATON, Jr
3* Thomas MITCHELL 1791 Amelia; d c1866; m 1817 Botetourt Co, VA Margaret SNIDER 1800 Botetourt-1882 Roane
-1840-50 Floyd Co, VA PPTL: Thomas MITCHELL
-1850 Floyd Co, VA; Census: Thos MITCHELL 58 farmer b Amelia; Margaret 49 b Roanoke; Susan S 31 b Roanoke; Thomas P 20 farmer b Montgomery (m w/i yr); George W 17 (?19) b Floyd (m w/i yr); Mary O 15; Nancy A 12; Charles F 10; Margaret E 6; all b Floyd [W.Dist#15,p377:#753] [NB Roanoke=1838 fm Botetourt]
-1860 Roane Co, VA; Census: Thomas MITCHELL 68 farmer, RE 1800, PE 150, b VA; Margaret 59; George W 27; Charles F 20; Margaret 17; George W 3; John W 2 [last 2 grandchildren? – see A3E6] [RoxalanaPO,p571,#203]
-1866 Roane Co, WV Will 1 Feb 1866: Thomas MITCHELL: wife Peggy; Sons & Daughters: John A, William V, Granville P, Samuel S; Henry S; James V; Thomas S; Mary C; Nancy W and Margarett E; George W & Charles F executors. Probate 16 May 1866.
A. Granville P MITCHELL b c1818; d aft 1866? remained in Virginia.
B. Susan S MITCHELL b 1819 Botetourt [FL5]; died a spinster at seventy-two years of age.
C. James V MITCHELL b c1821; d aft 1866?; married and remained in Virginia.
D. Henry S MITCHELL b c1822 VA; m Mary HARMON; bought the Doty Tanyard in Spencer, Roane Co, WV
1. Mary MITCHELL m John “Pat” MURPHY, who was Spencer’s best blacksmith, a merchant a few years and died here
2. James M MITCHELL m Mary E. CROUSE from Fayette Co
A. Martin MITCHELL, now (1926) in the motion picture business in Detroit;
B. Wallis MITCHELL;
C. Minnie MITCHELL, a school teacher;
D. Joseph MITCHELL
E. Ruth MITCHELL
F. Daisy MITCHELL 1890-1891 Roane Co, WV
3. Nancy “Nannie” Jane MITCHELL, m 1876 Charles C CLEAVENGER (son of Bailey & )
A. Robert W CLEAVENGER,
B. May CLEAVENGER
C. Bertha CLEAVENGER
D. Carrie (known as “Dock”) CLEAVENGER
E. Nell CLEAVENGER
F. Mason CLEAVENGER
4. Harriett MITCHELL b Floyd Co, VA
5. Julia A MITCHELL b Roanoke Co, VA
E* William Vaughn MITCHELL 1824 Botetourt-1895 Roane Co, WV; m a1844 Ellender “Ellen” UNDERWOOD c1825 Franklin Co, VA-1915 Plant City, OH ; 1850 Floyd Co; 1860 Roane Co
-1850 Floyd Co, VA PPTL: Wm V MITCHELL
-1850 Floyd Co, VA; Census: William MITCHELL 27 laborer b Roanoke; Ellen 25 b Franklin; Elizabeth 5 ; Robt/Roth 3; Lewis 3/12; ch b Floyd
1. Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” MITCHELL b 1845 Floyd Co, VA[FL5]; Spencer; m John HUFF (son of Mose (or Anthony) HUFF),
A. Albert HUFF
2. Robert M MITCHELL b 1847 Floyd Co, VA [FL5]; never married
3. Lewis M MITCHELL b 1850 Floyd Co, VA; m 1877 m Nannie R CONRAD, of Reedy, Wirt Co, WV (Jacob&Abigail)
A. Esther B MITCHELL b 4 Aug 1878.
B. Oakland Kenna MITCHELL b 7 May 1880, who lives at Reedy, in Roane County
C. Rufus MITCHELL lives at Parkersburg, West Virginia
4. James H MITCHELL b 1853
5* Charles Thomas MITCHELL 1854 Roane-1898 Kanawha Co, WV; m 1878 Roane Co, WV Sophia Eunice BUTCHER 1856 Roane Co, VA-1939 Point Pleasant, Mason Co, WV (John )
A. Wilda Vernon “Gid” MITCHELL b 1880 Walton, WV; m 1907 Roane Co Dr. James “Jimmie” Isaac JUSTICE
1. James Vernon JUSTICE 1908-1908 Roane Co, WV
2. Charles Theodore JUSTICE b 1911 Louisville,KY; UPI; m 1936 Greenup Co, KY Ruby JORDAN
A. William Theodore JUSTICE b 1937 Kenova, WV
B. Wilda Sue JUSTICE b 1944 Phoenix, AZ
C. Melissa JUSTICE
3. William Mitchell JUSTICE b 1915 Baltimore, MD; d 1931 Logan
4. Gordon Nolan JUSTICE 1916 Roane Co, WV-1994 Jacksonville, FL; m Helan Dean FLOWERS
A. Jewell Eunice JUSTICE b 1942
B. Icie S. MITCHELL 1882-1884 Roane Co, WV, age 2y 5m 6d
C* Blanche Olive MITCHELL b 1885 Walton, WV; clerk in a Charleston bank; m 1907 Monroe, MI Ira Stump BARTLETT 1869-1919 Spencer, WV
1. James Vincent BARTLETT b 1917 Pt Pleasant; m 1941 Betty Vars BAKER
A. James Vincent BARTLETT, Jr b 1943 Hanover, NH
B. David Mitchell BARTLETT b 1945 Troy, NY
D. Verna Ellen MITCHELL b 1887; m 1904 Spencer, WV Samuel A SIMMONS b 1881 Roane Co, WV
1. Charles Edward SIMMONS 1905-1906
2. Richard Lincoln SIMMONS b 1908 Spencer, WV; m 1932 KY Sarah Elizabeth NEASE b 1912 Charleston, WV
A. Edward Carlton SIMMONS b 1935 Charleston, Kanawha Co, WV
B. Elizabeth Ann SIMMONS b 1938 Charleston, Kanawha Co, WV
E. Clyde Talmage MITCHELL b 1893 Charleston, WV; linotype man, m 1921 Bluefield, WV Daniese HOLROYD
1. Anna Jean MITCHELL b 1929 Logan Co, WV
6. George W MITCHELL 1857
F. John A MITCHELL b c 1825
-1848-50 Floyd Co, VA PPTL: John A MITCHELL
G. Samuel S MITCHELL b c1827; d aft 1866?; remained in Floyd Co, VA, teacher of vocal music; during war, 1861-5, went South
-1848-49 Floyd Co, VA PPTL: Saml S MITCHELL
H. Thomas Pride MITCHELL b 1830 Montgomery [FL5], 1m a1850 Harriett HARMON; 2m Miss COMBS; no child; she died
1. George Washington MITCHELL b 1856, long of lower Harper District, m 1880 Mary S. M. HOPKINS.
A. Hoyt MITCHELL
B. Homer MITCHELL
2. John W MITCHELL b 1857 Floyd Co, VA: went to Oregon and is believed to have died in Portland of that State.
(H) Thomas P MITCHELL 2m 19 Nov 1863 Roane Co, WV Angaline CAMP b 1845 (Waren & Eliza)
-1863 Roane Co, WV; Mar; 19 Nov 1863: Thomas P MITCHELL 34 (Widower) Roane Co, s/o Thomas & Margaret m Angaline CAMP 18 b Giles Co, VA res Roane Co d/o Waren & Eliza
(H) Thomas Pride MITCHELL 3m 6 Jul 1865 Roane Co, WV Nancy EDWARDS (John + Lidia)
-1865 Roane Co, WV Mar 6 Jul 1865: Thomas P MITCHELL 36 (Widower) Roanoke Co, VA res Roane Co s/o Thomas & Margaret m Nancy EDWARDS 30 Mercer Co, res Roane Co, d/o John & Lidia
3. Charles MITCHELL b 1866 m Elizabeth Margaret SANTEE; four sons, two daughters
4. Sarah Jane MITCHELL.
I. George Washington MITCHELL b 1832 Floyd [FL5,R6]; m 3 Mar 1863 Roane Co, WV Sarah GREATHOUSE b 1838 Harrison Co, VA
-1863 Roane Co, WV Mar 3 Mar 1863: George W MITCHELL 31 b Floyd Co, VA res Roane Co, s/o Thomas & Margaret m Sarah GREATHOUSE 24 b Harrison Co, VA, res Roane Co, d/o John & Catharine
1. John S MITCHELL b Jun 1865
2. William MITCHELL b Jun 1867
3. Nancy MITCHELL S b Jun 1869
J. Mary O MITCHELL 1835 Floyd Co, VA[FL5]; d 1881; m 1859 Roane Co, VA Elijah WAGGONER 1834 Lewis Co
-1860 Roane Co, VA; Census: Elijah WAGGONER 25 farmer b Lewis; Mary O 25 b Floyd; [RoxalanaPO,p571,#204]
K. Nancy A MITCHELL 1838 Floyd Co, VA [FL5]; m 1854 Gorden FARLEY b 1835 Logan Co, VA; of Rush Creek
-1860 Roane Co, VA; Census: Gordon FARLEY 26 farmer b Logan; Nancy H 32 b Floyd; Matilda Isabel 7 b Jackson; Margaret M 5 b Jackson; Sarah A 4 b Roane [RoxalanaPO,p571,#206]
1. Matilda Isabel FARLEY 1854 Jackson Co, VA [R6]; d 1873
2. Margaret M FARLEY b 17 Jun 1855 Jackson Co, VA
3. Sarah A FARLEY b 8 Nov 1856 Roane Co, VA
L. Charles F MITCHELL b 1840 [FL5,R6]; died in the Union service of the War of 1861 to 1865.
M. Margeret Elizabeth MITCHELL b 1844 Floyd Co, VA[FL5,R6]; m 1882 Roane Co, WV Elijah WAGGONER b 1834 Lewis Co
4. Martha “Marthy” MITCHELL 1794 Amelia-1860; m 1830 Montgomery Co, VA Enos GOODWIN bc1790 PA
5. Sarah “Sally” MITCHELL c1797/8 Amelia-1882 Tazwell Co, VA; m 1819 Botetourt Nathan DEATON c1799-1867 VA
6. Obediance MITCHELL 1800-1872 Floyd Co, VA; m 1835 Montgomery Co, VA John N BEAMER
7. Fabius L MITCHELL 1803-1863 Floyd Co, VA; m 1835 Botetourt Co, VA Mary Anne STOVER 1815-1887 Floyd Co, VA
-1845-50 Floyd Co, VA PPTL: Flabius L MITCHELL
8. John MITCHELL, Jr c1804-1882; m 1835 Mont Co, VA Lydia CHAPMAN c1811-Floyd Co, VA
-1848-49 Floyd Co, VA PPTL: John MITCHELL (T son)
9. Ellen MITCHELL c1806->1836; m 1835 Mont Co, VA John ROBINSON
10. James V MITCHELL 1808->1836; m 1828 Botetourt Co, VA Rebecca STOVER

Monday, October 6, 2008

To the family...

I scanned an ID card that Mom found recently. It was from a time when I served as a Senate Page in Sacramento one Spring Break. (Back then we called it Easter Vacation). The ID is dated April 1955. I was 14. The photo is a school photo probably taken in Sept 1954. Yes there was a year called 1954.



Sunday, September 28, 2008

Email to Family...

I am loving the New FamilySearch.Org. I was able to look up John Mitchell, 1758-1836, and wife Obedience Vaughan, 1765- on NFS and found a wonderful family group -- 19 children 7 boys and 12 girls. Now there a goal for you kids. Can you beat that? Graham/Angie? I know the Mitchell family is competitive.

Guessing on the 1758 birth date, John must be an older cousin or possibly an uncle to our end-of-line James Mitchell, 1772-1804.

And yes there must be some other LDS genealogist working this Vaughan line because the temple work has been done for all the Mitchell/Vaughan children and she sealed to spouse but no work done for John himself based on the one record I am looking at. The first one I saw for John and Obedience. Her line extends to her paternal and maternal grand parents. All temple work completed for them as well. Interesting.

See isn't NFS great.

Another genealogy victory. I have been working sporadically since we returned from California in early August on piecing together Mike Bradford's (Sue Christiansen Mitchell, ...Bradford -- my sister-in-law's husband) line back to William Bradford, Colonial Governor of Massachusetts, 1621-1633. Almost had it done too. At last think I was close. Now with NFS tool available, I entered Mike's grandfather's name, Samuel Case Bradford into NFS and walla the whole line appeared back to Governor Bradford. Just that fast. Amazing!

I am now feeling some responsibility on learning to handle such a powerful tool. Amy Anderson underscored the need to eliminate duplicates and claim records that pertain to my family as my own. That is a feature of NFS. A lot of it is un-sourced with any specificity and one has to look at the data and determine was I the source of this info in the database. If so there is a procedure to declare that you were the source. This will come in handy when others want to collaborate and discuss research differences.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Email to Matt and Brittany...

I very excited about the new DNA match I have on the Mitchell line. Coming to grips with the James Mitchell issue and his connection to other Mitchell's in Amelia County is the one issue I have set aside until I worked some other issues. I believe now is the time to address this issue as a priority research issue.

Matt, As I recall you have done the most thinking on this one. So maybe we can work together to come to an understanding about the Mitchell Amelia connection.

One strange thought is that with the confirmation through DNA of some relations to John Mitchell that I claim the whole batch as kinfolk and do the temple work for all of them.

Mom, in fact, thinks we may have already done all the Mitchell marriages of record in Amelia County that could have been potentially Shatteen's parents. For example, she believes we already did John and Obedience.

I need to refresh myself on what data we have. I know we have the whole set of early records from Amelia County, including marriages, deeds, wills, & miscellaneous court records. The family went together and got them for me for Christmas one year. In know I have typed notes on them too.

Do you have access to the new Family Search program there in Utah? We are suppose to have it right now. Gee, I wonder if there is any connection of this Mitchell issue coming to the fore right now and the roll-out this week in our area of new Family Search. WOW! Spooky, huh?

Ron
Email to Ann...

I and my father were stuck actually the generation before for 40 or more years with James' son Shatteen C. I will have to look at the material again in Mary Mitchell Clarke's book, Shatteen Coker Mitchell, 1802-1866 but it may include a discussion of John and Obedience as possible parents of James. Years after her book was published Mary Clarke found the settlement of an inheritance suite in Laurens, SC abt 1842 as I recall. In any event a court decided who should get what and it laid out beautifully all the family relationship including Shatteen's parents and siblings. But John and Obedience marriage date made them good candidates to be possibly my Shatteen's parents. There were others in the Amelia County marriage records that see also seem plausible candidates as well. I know there is another older James in Amelia County that could be my James father or grandfather. No documentation that links these people. That is why I am trying the DNA route too.

I just recruited another cousin from a different grandfather than I to take the test. We are awaiting his results. I have another Mitchell cousin from still a different grandfather that I am thinking about recruiting but he lives in Houston and may have more pressing issues on his mind right now with "Ike" and all.

But this is wonderful to have this match with another Mitchell line that can trace its roots back to Amelia County. There are a lot of Mitchell's there back to 1735/1750 or so. Just don't know how they are connected. But with our DNA matches we at least know our two lines are related. Please thank your son for testing.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Email to Jim...

Here is the email that helps explain some recent break-throughs on finding Renny Belew's origins through combining DNA results and use of traditional genealogical information. The DNA matches pointed us to other genealogical researchers who had relevant information that we would have never found otherwise.

Joe and Sam are cousins who are believed to be both direct male-descendants of Peter Belew, son of Giles Belew and Judith Chastain. Judith is daughter of Pierre Chastain, the co-founder of the first French Huguenot settlement in Virginia established in 1700 along the James River, near present day Richmond. Pierre was both governor and physician.

-------------------

To: Joe B.
Subj: Re: From Ron Mitchell abt BELEW Family History

Joe,
Thanks for getting back to me. I sent the same email to Sam, who quickly took me up on the offer to test. So I ordered a DNA kit for him last Monday. He should have received it by now or if not in the next day or two. So you are off the hook. I believe it is sufficient that only one of you need to test.

We (speaking of myself and Helen B. with whom I work closely) have had what we believe to be a significant break through in the last 10 days. This is in part because of the DNA project we initiated about 2 years ago. The essence is that we have had correspondence with two researchers on non-Belew lines that show DNA matches with Renny's direct male descendants. The two lines are Pruett and Farmer. Both have researchers that in recent days have pointed us to Thomas Pruett of Halifax County as the key.

Marcia McClure on the Pruett line identified Thomas Pruett as possibily the common ancestor for the DNA matches. Thomas had a son named Renney reportedly born about 1729. Thomas was married to Mary Chastain, daughter of Estienne Chastain. A "Thomas Pruett" also stood up in court in Amelia County for Judith Chastain, dau of Pierre Chastain, on the charge of having a bastard child. So the Pruett's and Chastains seemed to have a close relationship.

Here are some details of the case.
20 April 1739 - Church Wardens of Raleigh Parish vs. Judith for having bastard child. Amelia Co. VA OB 1, p70. (Thomas Prewitt security for this one). The date 1739 seems a little late vice b. abt 1729 for Renny. One or the other of these years maybe incorrect. Both years are fascinating, however 1729 is one year after Giles Belew reportedly died. 1739 is one year after, according Belew family tradition, Renny Belew was born. In any event, it is fascinating that Judith Chastain and Thomas Prewitt are linked in this way. Who knows how long they were associated with each other.

Seems that Thomas Pruett and his family moved to Halifax County, VA where they show up frequently on the records there starting about 1759. In a set of land transfers, Thomas deeds on the same day in 1759 150 acres to each of three sons, Renney Pruett, Abraham Pruett, and his son John Farmer. Hence, the DNA connection with the Farmer line is also explained.

Marcia claims that Renney Pruett seemed to have disappeared from Halifax County, about 1776, never to be located again. Interesting, our 20 first record of Renney Belue appears in 1767 in Anson County, NC. Anson County, which is due south of Halifax County. Halifax borders NC on its northern border while Anson county borders SC border on its southern border. Renny subsequently moved to the area that is now Union, SC.

Could it be that Renny Prewitt/Pruett and Renny Belue/Belew are in fact the same person? That currently is our working hypothesis. Or could it be Thomas Pruett fathered a child with Judith Chastain Belew, who retained his mother's married name and whose first named was Renny? All very interesting. In any event, the DNA results and matches we have so far are pointing us to Halifax County and adjoining counties in the 1766-1766 period and to the Pruett family as a link to my ancestor Renny Belew's origins. We also believe the Chastain family could be somehow involved.

So I am most anxious to see if Sam's DNA test sheds any more light on this mystery. Won't know until Sam tests and his results are analyzed. Once Sam mails his sample to the Houston headquarters of FamilyTree DNA Co FTNA will sends the sample off to the Arizona lab for analysis. It is anticipated that 6 to 8 weeks will lapse before the results are returned to Sam. I will be notified that the results are in at the same time. Helen's and my experience is that the eight weeks of waiting will seem like an eternity.

I hope my meandering response gives you some idea of the excitement I am currently feeling and great anticipation I and Helen have. Our sense is that we are coming very close to bringing the whole issue of Renny's origins to a close. Have a most wonderful week,

Truly yours,
Ron Mitchell



-----Original Message-----
From: Joe B.
Subject: RE: From Ron Mitchell abt BELEW Family History

Ron, I got your phone messages and just saw this, after returning from a two week trip. This sounds very interesting. I am going through 1,000 emails this morning and will get back to you shortly.

Joe

-----Original Message-----
To: Joe B.
Subject: From Ron Mitchell abt BELEW Family History

Joe,

As background I spoke to you last March about our two Belew lines. As I recall you trace your Belew line back to Solomon Belew, who may be descended from Peter Belew, the only know legitimate son of Giles Belew and Judith Chastain. My line goes back to Renny Belew who settled in Fairforest, Union Co. SC/

We have had a very exciting break through this week.

We believe believe we have strong evidence now that my ancestor Renny Belew’s is connected to Giles and Judith but his biological father being Thomas Pruett, who lived subsequently in Halifax Co, VA. He in fact had a son Renney Pruett, who we believe may have moved south to North Carolina and then to South Carolina where he was known as Renny Belew. This is based on connecting some dots through a DNA surname project.

I am asking you to participate in a Belew DNA surname project at no cost to you.

I want to purchase a DNA testing kit for you this week. I have received some financial support that I have been waiting for that puts the cost to me of the DNA kit into my comfort zone. This is in the form of a deeply discounted price now being offered by the FamilyTree DNA (FTDNA) company and that is valid through the end of August. What I would need from you as your consent to purchase the kit which I would have sent to you. Follow the20directions on the kit and return the kit to the FTDNA company. That is all.

If you have any question please contact me by email or telephone. My telephone number is [removed]. I need to hear from you before I order the kit. The FTDNA offer ends Aug 31st. So I need to hear from you before then.

I would really like to know where Peter and Solomon Belew fit in this whole picture.

I am attaching a file that has three parts. The first part gives you my Mitchell DNA results so you can see what the results look like. Also the second file is the URL to the Ballew DNA Project website. If you click on the area labeled Web Format Printer Friendly version of the matched and no-matched groups, this brings up an enlarged table of DNA results for all the participants in the project. I would hope you would consent to have your results posted in this table. I am curious into what group your results would fall. To me it is worth the money for the kit to know that.

-- Ron

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Email to several genealogy friends...

Some Clarifications:

Edgar Harper Mitchell came to Texas in a huff, possibly because it became clear that the Mitchell plantation in Griffin, GA known as Double Cabins, would be left to his father's third wife -- the city girl that was not much older than some of Shatteen's older children. It was said Edgar mounted his horse in anger and did not stop until he reached eastern Texas.

In fact, Double Cabins was inherited in its entirety by Shatteen C. Mitchell's eldest son, John Henry, 1833-1912. Double Cabins was then left to John Henry's adopted daughter Leonora (Nora) Mitchell, 1867-1938. She married James Walker, 1864-1944. Double Cabins is also known as the Mitchell-Walker Home and today is a bed and breakfast operated by a grandson of James Walker.

I have visited the house my self as well as other Mitchell cousins. The latest that I know of is Nancy M. who stayed at the home last October with her husband Ted. Then Shirley N. visited Double Cabins at the time of the Olympics held in Atlanta, GA. That same day by happenstance, my brother Robert Mitchell also visited Double Cabins. Long story short my brother Robert (Bob) and Shirley were married a year or two later. So Shirley born a Mitchell became a Mitchell once again.

One more tidbit, from the Factual Fiction portion of Mary Mitchell Clarke about Shatteen C. Mitchell, 1802-1866 it mentions the child of his name sake was born after her father died at Winchester, VA. Shatteen C. Mitchell, Jr. was killed at the Battle of Third Winchester, Sept 19th, 1864. His daughter Shatteen C. Mitchell was born Dec 27th 1864 and was affectionately known as Aunt Shattie. She died in Oct 1959. Well within most of our life times and not before she past down what she knew of her Mitchell family so we would know of our rich family heritage. And yes I agree that some may think that I am rather obsessed with this family history stuff. Quilty as charged! - Cousin Ron Mitchell

Monday, August 25, 2008

Email to Family...

All, My great grandfather, as also for some of you, was Edmund or Edgar Harper Mitchell. His father was Shatteen C. Mitchell, 1802-1866, and grand ather was James Cocke Mitchell b abt 1772.

Edgar Harper Mitchell came to Texas in a huff, possibly because it became clear that the Mitchell plantation in Griffin, GA known as Double Cabins, would be left to his father's third wife -- the city girl that was not much older than some of Shatteen's older children. It was said Edgar mounted his horse in anger and did not stop until he reached eastern Texas.

Now Edgar's wife and my grandmother was Margaret Sarah Belew. Her great grandfather was Renny Belue/Belew. Renny settled in Union County, SC in abt 1769. Before that there is a record in Anson County, NC dated 1767 showing him as a witness to a deed transferring land from Thomas Hightower to John Cook.

The data on the Mitchell's was compiled years ago in part by my father, Mary Mitchell Clarke. Interestingly, the daughter of Shatteen's son Shatteen C. Mitchell, Jr was the baby girl that was born after her father was killed in Winchester, VA. She became the family historian on the Mitchell family and was the one that passed information to Mary Clarke for her book and to my father.

Most of my time in recent years has been focused on unraveling the mystery of Renny Belew's origins. There are several published books that quite thoroughly have compiled all known records on various branches of Belews from Rhode Island, to Virginia and the Carolina's. But except the 1766 there is no record of Renny Belew prior to his arrival in Union County,SC. It is like he materialized out of thin air.

Two years ago I thought of using DNA testing as a way to break through this seemingly brick wall. It took a while for me to get started. I shared the idea with Helen Burchamof Tishomingo, MS and whom I had just met via the internet. She encouraged me and together we began locating known living male descendants of Renny and recruiting them to participate in our Belew DNA project. At the same time we discovered the Ballew Family Association had a website where DNA results were posted of Ballew, Belew, or any other variant of that name. We also recruited individuals not know to be Renny Belew's descendants but were from prominent Belew families that we thought Renny might be tied to. The result was several people were tested. To our amazement when the results came back for Renny's descendants we found two matches with Belew's who already had tested and whose results were already posted on the Ballew DNA Project website.

Over time more matches would emerge. As Helen reached out to obtain the paper trails for these individuals, we began to benefit from the research done by these other researches. This past week we heard from two of them, Marcia M. and Jim F., who provided some important information. With this information we know firmly believe we know about Renny origins. This information links him to Judith Chastain and the widow of Giles Belew of Henrico & Goochland Counties, VA. It get's a little complicated but we believe Thomas Pruett may be the biological father. The records of Halifax County show a Thomas Pruett had a son Renny Pruett. Marcia McClure who is descended from Thomas Pruett says that Renny Pruett of Halifax County suddenly no longer appeared in Halifax records which before 1766 for whom there were abundant reference before. Anson County, NC is directly south of Halifax County which is adjacent to the NC border.
It is very possible that Renny Pruett and Renny Belew are in fact the same person. Renny just choosing to go by his mother's married name after leaving Virginia and moving to NC and then to SC.

So the DNA project has paid unexpected dividends and we believe has allowed us a plausible explanation about Renny Belew's origins.

Encouraged by this, I just today (now yesterday) recruited one of our Mitchell cousins to participate in a Mitchell DNA project. By the way, I have had my DNA tested and years ago. Another one or two Mitchell known male descendants of Edgar Harper Mitchell will confirm my own test and be sufficient to create a DNA bench mark for Shatteen and his father James Cocke Mitchell. Over time we may be able to find other descendants of Shatteen to compare with our bench mark. This could help sort out Mitchell's who are related to us from those that are not.

FYI I have attached a document which contains my DNA an explanation of some DNA concepts. Enjoy!

-- Ron Mitchell
Email to Jim...

You mentioned to me that you have the Mary Mitchell Clarke book, Shatteen Coker Mitchell, 1802-1866. Here is an excerpt from it that I pulled out from the part of her book that Mary Clarke called Factual Fiction (see attachment). It is a moving account of some of the events that impacted Shatteen's life. I think it helps to understand our ancestor as a real, breathing person.

I am CC'd several other Mitchell cousins that I may be interested in these materials as well. [I may have already sent these materials to some of you before. My apologies. But it would not hurt to read again.]

We have a rich heritage that we can be justly proud of. Shatteen's story reminds us that life sometimes gets tough. When we feel down, we should take a breath, remember people like our ancestor Shatteen, and count our blessings.

Cousin Ron Mitchell

-------------------

Text from Shatteen Story_2Jan04.doc

Shatteen Coker Mitchell

1850

In a clearing amid the gently rolling hills of Central Georgia stood a stately white plantation house. It was surrounded by a split rail fence that guarded the area against the relentless press of cedar, sycamore, magnolia and elm trees.

Standing on the wide porch extending across the width of the house was a strikingly handsome man with dark hair and neatly trimmed beard. There was an unaffected, commanding quality about him that was admired by men and women alike. To his family, he represented profound wisdom, truth, justice and loving kindness.

Shatteen Coker Mitchell waited for his groom to hitch a horse to his Rockaway carriage and bring it around the graveled driveway to the front of the house. He was going to McDonough to serve as Justice of the Peace of Henry County.

As he waited, Shatteen’s intense blue eyes surveyed the sweeping white fields where slaves and field hands work amid the long rows of cotton. Cotton has flourished in his fertile, red soil, and the fluffy bolls would be processed by cotton gins he manufactured.

His father died shortly after Shatteen was born, leaving him an orphan in the eyes of the law; a fatherless child to be bound out. When old enough, he was apprenticed to a man named Able, who agreed to provide room, board, education and training in the art of “ginning.” At age twenty-two, the year after his apprenticeship ended, he met and married Mahalah and soon moved to Georgia. He bought as much land as he could afford, planted cotton and built his own gins.

Shatteen was proud of Double Cabins. He, and Mahalah’s cousin Dr. John Robert Clark, purchased the property in 1842. The Williams brothers were unable to make the payments on the land, and it was seized by James Head, the Sheriff of Henry County. Shatteen and John Robert Clark were the highest bidders at the Sheriff’s sale held on the steps of the Henry County Courthouse.

At that time, there were two cabins joined by a dogtrot. One cabin was a Trading Post and stagecoach stop that served routes from McDonough to Orchard Hill, Indian Springs to Tuscaloosa, AL, Columbus to Augusta, and New Orleans to New York. The other cabin was an Inn where travelers often slept on the floor on pallets made of old quilts.

As soon as he acquired the property, Shatteen began building his dream house across the road from the cabins and decided to name it Double Cabins.

Double Cabins was a two-story home with columns reaching from the floor to the ceiling of the front porch. It was one of the largest, most elegant homes in the area with much of the furniture designed and built by Shatteen himself.

Shatteen recalled the first time he saw Mahalah Burdett. Mahalah moved to Georgia with her family but was back in South Carolina visiting relatives.

They had always placed great importance on schooling for their children. Shatteen wanted his daughters to have the security of a good education.

In 1837, while living in Jasper County, he helped establish the Farmer’s Academy, a private school in Newton County.

Mahalah had borne him sixteen children, but they had lost four of them. One of the tiny twins died at birth, the other before she was six months old. When George was born two year later, he lived for nine months.

Out in the family cemetery, the dirt was still raw over the grave of their oldest daughter, Mary Ann. She left three small children who were taken to Louisiana by their father.

1860

Shatteen still though of his first wide, Mahalah, who died in 1852. They buried her in the family cemetery at Double Cabins.

In 1853, he married Delila Ann Roan, who was thirty-seven and had never been married. She was the pampered daughter of his late friend and fellow County Commissioner, Leonard Roan. The demanding life of the large plantation and being stepmother to eight children between three and twenty proved too much for her. Delila had not withstood the birth of her child, and both she and the baby died.

In 1855, he married Elizabeth R. Liverman of Augusta, Georgia. She was of a different faith but soon attended the local Methodist Church. He was so pleased that he changed his membership from the Baptist Church to the Methodist.

Elizabeth grew up in the city of Augusta, Georgia and refused to live at Double Cabins, referring to it as “in the country.” In December 1854, Shatteen bought a city lot on Ninth Street between Taylor and College Streets in downtown Griffin and deeded it to his bride-to-be. He built a large boarding house and named it the “Planters Hotel.”

Living in town was a new experience for Shatteen. Even with J.W. Hammil as overseer of slaves at Double Cabins, he made almost daily trips between the plantation and the hotel.

He was a wealthy man, having accumulated approximately two thousand acres of land and numerous slaves. Shatteen, who had worked hard all his life, was beginning to feel his fifty-eight years. There were many demands on his time and energy even though he was no longer active in civic affairs as he had once been. When in Henry County, he was on the Grand Jury in 1838, on the Superior Court Jury 1838-1839, a County Commissioner 1840-1845, and Justice of the Peace in 1849.

After the establishment of Spalding County in December 1851, Double Cabins was no longer in Henry County due to the change in county lines. He had not moved, but found himself living in another county. He served as Justice of the Peace for Spalding County in 1852 and 1853.

1861

Thomas was the first of his sons to enlist in the army. In May, he joined a local company nicknamed “Griffin Light Guards.” Shatteen was upset that Thomas did not wait for a doctor’s commission, but joined as a private. Thomas was detailed to Tyler Station Hospital in Macon, Georgia, fifty-five miles south of Griffin.

The next to go was Shatteen, Jr., who had graduated with honors from the University of Georgia, June 1860, and had been admitted to the bar in Superior Court of Spalding County. After getting married in May, he enlisted in the army as a Lieutenant. He warned the army that he was on his honeymoon and would not report until August 1. The Army felt that the war was more important and dispatched a War Department official to Griffin. The honeymoon ended abruptly, and Shatteen, Jr. reported for duty on June 26.

In July, his oldest son, John Henry, enlisted. He was already married and living in Pike County, Georgia.

Tragedy struck when Shatteen’s second son, William Presley Mitchell, died in August. He moved to Louisiana and was living with his sister, Judith, when he became ill. They buried him in the family cemetery at Double Cabins.

His remaining son, Edmund, was studying law but began to talk about enlisting like his brothers. Edmund, ignoring his father’s objections, enlisted the first of September.

In four months, one of his sons had died and the other four had been enlisted in the army. Three weeks after Edmund left for the war, John Henry was shot in the right leg at Sewells Mountain, Virginia.

In October, Shatteen, Jr. wrote that he was in the hospital at Jackson Depot; in November, he was in the hospital at Blue Sulfa Springs, Virginia.

1862

The war continued.

In August, Shatteen Jr. was in the hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia. Now Shatteen began to wonder if his son’s medical problems had something to do with Chloe’s frequent visits. When hospitalized and temporarily relieved of his duties, he was available to enjoy his wife’s company.

On September 25, John Henry resigned from the army because the wound in his leg injury made it impossible for him to walk more than a mile. Shatteen was relieved that his son was back home with his wife, Rebecca, who would care for him until he recovered from his injury.

In November, Surgeon James Bolton granted Shatteen, Jr. a sixty-day leave. The family was delighted to have him home for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Thomas passed the Medical Board exam in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 3, 1862, but the army failed to promote him to Assistant Surgeon. Thomas, tired of being a doctor for a private’s pay, convinced the army he was too sick to perform his duties and resigned.

1863

On January 28, Shatteen, Jr. reported to Port Royal, Virginia after being absent without leave for twenty-seven days, according to the army.

In March, Edmund Harper Mitchell was a patient in the Atlanta hospital, but recovered by the end of April and was detailed to the Atlanta Military Prison Hospital.

Chloe visited Shatteen, Jr. in Virginia the first of May. It was dangerous to travel, but she was a headstrong, young girl of nineteen and insisted on seeing her husband as often as possible.

Thomas was back in the army June 18 having been appointed Assistant Surgeon by the Secretary of War, retroactive to December 3, 1862. He was placed in charge of the hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee and was paid $110 a month.

News came of a terrible battle being waged Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Shatteen, Jr.’s name appeared on the long lists of casualties. He had been wounded on July 1.

1864

Having recovered from his wounds, Shatteen, Jr. was promoted to Captain of his company on February 17. Edmund was still working in the hospital in Atlanta and Thomas was surviving the situation in Tennessee.

In July, some of Sherman’s men circled Atlanta and raided areas to the south. Word came from Henry County that the Yankees were looting and razing everything in sight, including the courthouse in McDonough where most of the court records were destroyed.

Torment from Sherman’s soldiers was still going on when his daughter-in-law appeared at the door. He was shocked to see Chloe, who had moved to Columbus, Georgia to live with her older sister. Obviously several months pregnant, she had just traveled through enemy lines to reach Griffin.

Shatteen looked into her face, and her eyes told him that something terrible had happened. Chloe handed him a tear-stained letter. A friend had written that Shatteen, Jr. was killed at Winchester, Virginia. He was shot through the heart and died instantly.

Chloe did not receive the letter until two weeks after her husband was killed. Shatteen had received the letter first addressed to “Mrs. S.C. Mitchell, Jr., Griffin, GA.” Since Chloe was living in Columbus, Georgia, he forwarded the letter to her, unaware that the news it contained would change their lives.

Sherman captured Atlanta in November 1864.

Leaving Atlanta in ashes, General Sherman launched southward with 62,000 troops in two wide columns, accompanied by a twenty-five mile long supply train.

Shatteen and his family never forgot the night of November 16, 1864. Word came that General Howard’s Union troops were camped on the Griffin-McDonough Road. By morning, Howard’s men separated into two wings, one moving toward Griffin, the other to Jackson. Double Cabins, located between the two wings, escaped unharmed and stood tall and proud amid the destruction of war.

Chloe had returned to Columbus to be with her sister when the baby was born. Two days after Christmas, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl and named her “Shatteen C. Mitchell” for the father she would never know.


------------------

Text from Shatteen C. Mitchell.doc

SHATTEEN C. MITCHELL FAMILY

SHATTEEN C. MITCHELL b. 1802 Amelia Co. VA d. 1866 Griffin, Spalding Co. GA
Marriages: (1) Mahalah BURDETT m.1824 b. 1805 Edgefield, SC d. 1852 Griffen GA; (2) Delila Ann ROAN m. 1853; (3) Elizabeth R. LIVERMAN m. 1855.
Parents: James C. Mitchell and Mary Ann (Polly) CRADDOCK 1795 Amelia County, Virginia
Siblings: Edmund Harper Mitchell, Thomas, Mariah (See below for more information)

While he was quite young, Shatteen’s parents moved from Virginia to Abbeville, SC. Shatteen eventually settled in Griffin, now Spalding Co., Georgia, where he established a 1000 acre plantation named Double Cabins. The plantation home still is occupied by a descendant of Shatteen’s oldest son, John Henry. The Mitchell-Walker-Holberg house, built in 1842, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is located a few miles northeast of Griffin along Jackson Rd (Rt. 155) near the intersection with N. McDonough Rd. The address is 3335 Jackson Rd. Griffin, GA 30223.

SHATTEEN’S CHILDREN -- Place of birth: Griffin, Georgia
Children with Mahalah BURDETT: Her Parents: Henry Burdett b. 1778 & Nancy Clark b. c. 1784
1. Mary Ann, 1826-1850 m. Meriweather JOHNSON
2. Nancy A., 1827-1867/73 m. Henry MALONE
3. Judith C., 1829-1910 m. William D. KIMBELL
4. Elizabeth L., 1830-1847 m. Howell J. McCLENDON
5. John Henry, 1833-1912 m. Rebecca FREEMAN
6. William Presley, 1834-1861
7. Martha Susan, 1835-1899 m. Dr. Robert RUSSELL
8. Thomas James, 1837-1912 m. Nancy J. Smith (JACKSON)
9. Shatteen C., 1839-1864 m. Chole BARTLETT
10. Edmund H., 1841-1931 m. Margaret Sarah BELEW
11. Mariah Jane, 1843-1843
12. Sarah Elizabeth, 1843-1843
13. Mahallah J., 1845-1881 m. John W. CATES
14. Geo. Washington, 1846-1847
15. Josephine A., 1846-1883
16. Mary Ann, 1849-1930 m. Thomas Russell COOKE

Children with Delia ROAN:
17. Possibily one child, name unknown, born abt 1854.

Children with Elizabeth LIVERMAN:
18. Elizabeth S., 1856-1870
19. Frances Howard, 1857-1932 m. Young Joseph ALLEN
20. James Evans, 1859-1931 m. Mary (Mollie) E. CHAMBERS
21. Lida, abt 1860- abt 1862
22. Milton Daniel, 1862-1930 m. Leila John STEPHENSON

Source: Mary Mitchell Clarke, Shatteen Coker Mitchell, 1802-1866, The Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa, 1991.

JAMES C. MITCHELL AND MARY ANN (POLLY) CRADDOCK FAMILY

James C. Mitchell b. 1772 of Virginia d. 29 May 1804 Prince Edward Co., VA
Mary Ann (Polly) Craddock b. abt 1776, VA
Children:
Edmund Harper Mitchell b. 1796/1800 d. abt 1830
Thomas Mitchell b. abt 1798, VA
Mariah Mitchell b. 1801, VA m. abt 1830 to Samuel Blakely
Shatteen C. Mitchell, b. 1802, Amelia Co., VA d. 1866, Griffin, Spalding Co, GA





ANCESTRY OF MAHALAH BURDETT, WIFE OF SHATTEEN C. MITCHELL OF GRIFFIN, GA

Henry Burdett (b. 1778; d. 1861) father; Nancy Clark (b. 1784; d.1837
Frederick Burdett (b. 1753; d1841) g-father; Mary Ann (b. 1752; d. 1861) g-mother
Thomas Clark (b. 1753; d. 1864) g-father; Priscilla Doyle (b.1753;d.1842) g-mother


My line of descent:

Shatteen C. Mitchell, Sr. & Mahallah Burdett (ggg-parents)

Edmund Harper Mitchell 1841-1931 m. Margaret Sarah BELEW 1868 (gg-parents)

Robert Emmet Mitchell 1873-1913 m. Ollie Edna GRAHAM 1901 (g-parents-
father’s father side)



OTHER COLLATERAL LINES ON MY FATHER’S SIDE

Main Branches/Related surnames Primary Locations

BELEW -- BULLINGTON, CURTIS Union Co. SC; Lawrence Co. TN, late 1700s


BURDETT -- CLARK, DOYLE Laurens, SC; Amelia Co. VA

EDWARDS -- Greenville, SC; Culpeper, VA;
CUELIN, DOWNING, HALL, Amelia Co. VA
McCLANAHAN, NICHOLAS,
SALMON, YOUNG

GRAHAM -- NEWLAND Lee Co. VA

HAMBLIN/HAMBLEN -- DICKINSON, NOBLE Lee Co, VA; Prince Edward, VA; Knoxville, TN

RHEA -- CONLEY Knoxville, TN, of NC

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Several Emails CCed and FWDed...

Dear Family

WOW! Talk about hitting pay dirt with the DNA project. The email from Jim Farmer relates to the DNA results for Renney's direct male descendants. We find that the male descendants of Renny Belew match each others DNA and also to the DNA results from participants with the Farmer, Pruitt, Jackson, and Caldwell surnames. We have found a paper trail from now both the Pruitt and Farmer side that go back to a Thomas Pruitt, who court records show appeared in court with Judith Giles Belew in connection with a hearing in Henrico or Goochland county about her bastard child.

Thomas Pruitt of Halifax County, had a son named Renney Pruitt and one named John Farmer. We are entertaining the idea that Renney Pruitt and Renny Belew may in fact be the same person. Possibly Renny Pruitt chose to adopt his mother's married name as his own when he passed through Anson County, NC and then settled in Union County, SC.

I was hoping that in some unknown way the DNA project might result in some kind of breakthrough. Looks like it did.

Jim F. in his email below notes that the Belues and the Farmers arrived in the Spartanburg area about the same time and my guess is from the same place. Renny Belew and John Farmer may have been raised as brothers or at least half-brothers.

So this is strong evidence that the name Belew came from Giles Belew, husband to Judith Chastain. But is male DNA came from Thomas Pruitt. As Aaron says, the horse jumped the fence or something like that. Giles died in 1728. Judith according to multiple court hearings continue to have children into the 1740s -- five in all.

Isn't family history fun? !! Ron/DAD

-----------------

From: Helen B.
Subj: Fwd: FW: DNA results and the Farmer family

-----------------

From: Jim F.

Marcia,

You and Helen seem to be right on the money. Both Farmer DNA kits are very likely descendants of John Farmer, son of Thomas Pruitt. In the chart below they are entry numbers 9 and 13. I may not have the exact connections figured out, but I now know for certain we are talking about the same Farmers of Spartanburg. This is all new research done this weekend and I haven't even had a chance to share it with the Farmer DNA members that supplied it. But it all pans out very nicely.

I still don't know what the Joel and Shadrack Farmer connection is to this Farmer/Pruitt line. My current guess is that Joel was an uncle to John. While Joel came down early to all the way to South Carolina, it looks like John Farmer-Pruitt made it at least to the Catawba river in North Carolina. I have two possible records for him there. He may have also gone to South Carolina, as you suggest, but his sons ended up in Rutherford North Carolina as you know. I think they arrived in Spartanburg County the same time as the Belues.

I'll send you what I've pieced together. Just let me know if you have any more great ideas on how this all works. You really have done some amazing detective work.

Thanks,

Jim F.

Records of John Farmer son of Thomas Pruitt:

>>>Mecklenburg Co NC Deed Abstracts
Bk 16 p. 8, 2 Oct 1769 [sic] John Farmer to Wm Falkner for L40 89 acres east side fo Catawba R. adj Wm Ramsey and Samuel Seeley also 150 acres adj. Wit. Richard Barry and Thomas Falkner. Recorded 1798.
Bk 16 #731 p.116 John Farmer died without heirs in this country...

>>>1782 Rutherford Tax List
Samuel Farmer

>>>1790 Rutherford Co NC
Nathan 1-4-4-0:

>>>1800 Morgan, Rutherford (alpha order)
Nathan Farmer 0-0-3-0-1=0-2-0-0-1
John Farmer 1-0-0-1-1=0-0-1-0-0
Samuel Farmer 0-2-2-0-1=1-1-1-0-1

>>>1810 Rutherford Co NC
Samuel Farmer 1-1-0-0-1=0
David Farmer 0-0-0-1-0=3-0-1

>>>1810 Spartanburg
Year: 1810; Census Place: , Spartanburg, South Carolina; Roll: 61
William Farmer 01101=002011 page 381
Abner Farmer 20010 = 10010 page 382
Shad Farmer 01301=0101 page e384
Nathan Farmer 2-2-0-0-1 = 2-0-2-0-1 page 385
Thomas Farmer 00210=1001 page 400

>>>1820
--- Spartanburg
Year: 1820; Census Place: Spartanburg, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Roll: M33_120
p238
Joel Farmer 3-0-0-0-1-2=2-0-0-1-0
p278b
Hezekiah Farmer 1-0-0-0-1-0=2-1-1-1-0
David Pruitt
Hezekiah Farmer 1-0-0-1-1-0=1-2-1-2-0
p 279a
Abner Farmer 0-1-0-0-1-0=1-1-0-1-1
Wm Farmer 0-0-0-0-0-1=0-0-0-0-1
David Pruitt
p 279b
Thos Farmer 0-0-0-0-1=0-0-2-1-0-1
p 236
Joel Farmer 1-0-0-0-2-0=1-0-1-0-0
Nathan Farmer 3-1-0-1-0-1=1-2-2-0-1
Wm Farmer 1-0-0-1-1-0=0-0-1-1-0
p 325
Benj Farmer 1-0-0-1-1=3-1-1-1-1=2
---- Pendleton
Josiah Farmer
Mary Farmer





Descendants of John (Pruitt or) Farmer



Generation No. 1

1. John (Pruitt or)2 Farmer (Thomas1 Pruitt) was born about 1730 in Halifax Co VA, and died Bef. 1769 in Tryon or Lincoln Co, NC.

Children of John (Pruitt or) Farmer are:
2 i. Samuel3 Farmer, born about 1750 in Halifax Co VA; died Aft. 1810 in Rutherford Co, NC.
+ 3 ii. Nathan Farmer, born Bef. 1755 in Halifax Co VA; died Aft. 1820 in Spartanburg Co, SC.
+ 4 iii. John Farmer, born Bef. 1755 in Halifax Co VA; died Bef. 1820 in Pendleton Co SC.
5 iv. William Farmer, born about 1760 in Tryon or Lincoln Co, NC; died Aft. 1820 in Spartanburg Co, SC.
+ 6 v. (which) Farmer.

Generation No. 2

3. Nathan3 Farmer (John (Pruitt or)2, Thomas1 Pruitt) was born Bef. 1755 in Halifax Co VA, and died Aft. 1820 in Spartanburg Co, SC.

Child of Nathan Farmer is:
7 i. Nathan4 Farmer, born about 1800 in Rutherford Co, NC.
and many other children who are unknown.
4. John3 Farmer (John (Pruitt or)2, Thomas1 Pruitt) was born Bef. 1755 in Halifax Co VA, and died Bef. 1820 in Pendleton Co SC. He married Mary.

Child of John Farmer and Mary is:
+ 8 i. Josiah4 Farmer, born 1795 in Rutherford Co, NC; died Aft. 1860 in Anderson Co SC.
(thought to be John's son since other men in Rutherford found later in Spartanburg)
6. (which)3 Farmer (John (Pruitt or)2, Thomas1 Pruitt). All of John's sons had sons and only a few can be correctly connected.

Children of (which) Farmer are:
+ 9 i. William4 Farmer, born 1788 in Spartanburg Co, SC; died Aft. 1850 in Habersham Co, GA.
10 ii. Joel Farmer, born 1790 in Spartanburg Co SC; died Aft. 1850 in Spartanburg Co SC. He married Sally; born 1800; died Aft. 1850 in Spartanburg Co SC.

Generation No. 3

8. Josiah4 Farmer (John3, John (Pruitt or)2, Thomas1 Pruitt) was born 1795 in Rutherford Co, NC, and died Aft. 1860 in Anderson Co SC. He married Jemima. She died Bef. 1860 in Anderson Co SC.

Children of Josiah Farmer and Jemima are:
11 i. Josiah5 Farmer, born 1828 in Anderson Co SC.
12 ii. Mary E. Farmer, born 1830 in Anderson Co SC. She married William Faust; born 1827 in SC.
13 iii. John Farmer, born 1834 in Anderson Co SC; died Aft. 1880.
14 iv. William Farmer, born 1836 in Anderson Co SC.
15 v. Rachael J Farmer, born 1838 in Anderson Co SC.

9. William4 Farmer ((which)3, John (Pruitt or)2, Thomas1 Pruitt) was born 1788 in Spartanburg Co, SC, and died Aft. 1850 in Habersham Co, GA. He married Elizabeth Kimbrell, daughter of Robert Kimbrell and Frances. She was born 1795 in Spartanburg Co, SC.

Children of William Farmer and Elizabeth Kimbrell are:
16 i. James5 Farmer, born 25 Jul 1817 in Spartanburg Co, SC. He married Martha; born 1816.
17 ii. (son) Farmer, born Bef. 1820 in Spartanburg Co, SC; died Bef. 1850.
18 iii. (son) Farmer, born Bet. 1820 - 1830; died Bef. 1850.
19 iv. William Farmer, born 10 Jul 1829 in GA.
20 v. Lewis Farmer, born 1831 in GA.

From: rivermet@aol.com [mailto:rivermet@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 2:18 PM
To: Farmer, Jim
Subject: DNA results and the Farmer family

Hi Jim, Helen forwarded your response to me. I generally agree with your assessment of "other" surname matches, but we've got a little different situation here. Tom Prewitt gave land to his son John Farmer in 1759 at the same time that he gave land to sons Renney and Abraham Prewitt. Researchers in the past have given Tom a daughter and married John Farmer to her. There is no evidence that Tom had any daughters. They have also made John a son-in-law in their data, but the abstract clearly says son.

John Farmer sold his land in 1765 -

Halifax Co, VA Deed Book 2 - 28 September 1765 - John Farmer of Halifax Co to James Bates of same for 50 pounds, 100 acres on one of the brs of the south fork of Catawbo Cr...line of John Russell on the northeast, George Elliot on the southeast, Abraham Abney on the south, Reney Prewitt on the southwest and Abraham Prewitt on the northwest... old line of Thomas Prewitt to the beg. All houses, buildings, woods....
Signed: John (+) Farmer
Wit: Dannett Abney, John (+) Ginnens, Thomas (T) Prewitt, Fleming Bates, Jr
Memo. of receipt: 28 September 1765
This deed is not fully proved & the original delivered out.

Dannett Abney and Tom Jr both witnessed the deed from Tom Sr to John.

In 1766, a John Farmer appears as a neighbor listed on a Granville SC deed. Granville at the time was a long strip on the western side of SC. The 1773 deed that you sent below is land actually in Union, SC and the area was called the Fair Forest Settlement. In 1768, Renney BELUE bought land in the Fair Forest Settlement from Daniel Plummer. David Prewitt (a son of Thomas) and Abraham BELLEW bought adjoining properties on Dutchman's Creek, at that time a part of old Tryon Co, NC. All of these properties were close together.

John was the first to appear, then David and Michael Prewitt and the Belue/Bellews, but all were there by 1768.

There are 3 Rev War pensions from Farmers of Union Co. 2 of them state that they were born in Halifax Co, VA. The 3rd was younger and born and raised in Union Co. All 3 were brothers and I believe that Joel was also their brother and a son of John. Joel died before 1832 when the pension statements were made. He certainly could have been a brother to John, but I don't think so.

The John "Lyles" mentioned in your deed was John Liles, husband of Susannah Belue, Renney's oldest daughter.

We are certain that this is where the lines came together. John was probably raised as a Farmer, but for some reason Thomas Prewitt tried to make things right before he died. There is a whole lot more to the story, but why Renney and Abe switch to Belue/Bellew is a mystery. They had been Prewitts in Halifax. Where the name comes from is not a mystery. Renney and Abe, David and Michael Prewitt, we believe, all had the same mother, Judith Chastain Belue/Bellew. Judith was a kinswoman to Tom's wife Mary Chastain Ducre Prewitt. Mary was too old to be the mother of these children, but was still living in 1737. People have tried to kill her off and remarry him, but she was still alive.

Judith was tried 5 times for bastardy between 1829 and 1840. Tom Prewitt posted bond once, Thomas Walker confessed to fathering one of the children. John Farmer may have been a secret until later in Tom Prewitt's life. Judith was not his mother. There also is a Cardwell in our mix. His DNA doesn't match Cardwells but does match Prewitt, Farmer, and Renney's.

The kicker to all of this is that Judith and her husband Giles Bellew supposedly had a son named Peter after Judith's father Pierre. A descendant has been tested and does not match any other Bellews. He should match the lineage of Leonard. Judith might have been messing around from the get go. Giles died c 1729 and some 8 months later was her first trial. Everyone must have been aware that child was not Giles'.

There are a group of participants, I believe all descended from Jacob Bellew of Greenville - and I'm waiting on confirmation of that. I believe that these are descendants of Abraham. They claim an Abraham bc 1745 who was a Tory and died in the War. There is NO evidence that he had a son Jacob, but a lot of evidence that he didn't. These folks do NOT match Renney. My guess.... Abe wasn't Tom's son, so Judith struck again, but randy old Tom didn't have a clue.

I would be glad to send you reports on the families of these guys. As you might expect, Tom's generation is a bit messy! The association with Farmer families continues for several generations.

Marcia M.


-----Original Message-----
From: Helen B.
Subject: Fwd: DNA results


From: Jim F.
Subject: RE: DNA results
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:58:34 -0700

Helen,

It's normally a good idea to think that any matches you have to other families occurred hundreds of years ago in Europe, long before there was a United States. But your family associated with Farmer in South Carolina. So I don't want to disregard the idea that the connection between the two families was here in America, and possibly in South Carolina. Here is what I know so far:

Joel Farmer arrived in the area about 1773.
>>> Anson County, North Carolina, State Land Grant Book 3, page 126, Grant No. 73, file #376, In: Holcomb, BH (1980) North Carolina Land Grants in South Carolina, A Press Inc, Greenville, SC, p. 16.
1775 January 13, Joel Farmer, 200 acres on small branch of Fair Forest called Rocky Creek. Bounded northeast by Hillory Guy, north by Seth Pettypoole, northwest by Thomas Summersall, southwest on James Mitchell, east on John Lyle, and vacant land. Survey certified 5 May 1773; granted 11 August 1774. Quit rent in 2 years. Wm. Wofford, D.S.
The Belues appeared in the area twenty years later, even buying land from Shadrack Farmer son of Joel. But it appears that this Farmer family had already moved on to Spartanburg County.
>>>Union Co SC Deed Book C pgs 346-48:
1 Mar 1794, Shadrick Farmer of Spartanburgh County, planter, and Susan his wife, to Rany Belue of Union County, for 60 pds sterling SC money, 200 acres on a branch of Fairforrest called Rockey Creek in Union County granted to Joel Farmer 11 Aug 1774 and entered in Auditor Generals Office in book M No 13, pg 240, 13 Jan 1775, adj John Lyles's land, Hillery Gay's land, James Mitchell's land. Shadrick Farmer (+) (Seal), Susanna Farmer (X) (Seal). Wit: Jesse Belew, William Weakes, John Vaughn. Proved in Union County by the oath of Jesse Belue 7 Apr 1794 before Thomas Blasingame, J.P. Recorded 7 Apr 1794.
In 1810 Farmers were again living in Union County, including Ezekial and William, but these I thought were part of my line, out of Cumberland County VA, and would have had different DNA. So I don't know where your line crossed the Farmer line enough to create a connection.

Let me do some more research and see what I can figure out. If you will send me the Belue male line on down from the first male, I'll also look for other Farmers that could have connected somehow in other generations.

Thanks,

Jim



From: David F.
Subject: RE: DNA results

I'm going to forward your email to our Colonial Farmer Expert, Jim F.

Dave

From: Helen
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 1:56 PM
To: David F.
Subject: DNA results

David,

I am a descendant of Renny Belue, Sr. of Union Co., SC, b. c1730. d. 1797 S C.. Our DNA participants match William Farmer b. 1788 SC, d. bef. 1851 GA and John Farmer b. SC 1827.

Can you tell me who these Farmers descended from and what is their connection to the Belues.

Any help will be appreciated.

Helen B.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Email to Amy...

I received materials today from my research colleague Helen B. There is a letter to me and a one page copy of a handwritten 1766 deed deeding property from Renney Prewett to another. And a 2nd page showing copies of Prewett's signatures from the deed juxtaposed with a signature of my ancestor Renney Belue from his 1786 will. We have no other writing sample for Renny.

This material was already evaluated by Patricia Duncan Heilpern, AG, Reference Consultant United States and Canada at the FHL in SLC.

I am passing Helen's letter to me dated August 5th below, which I retyped in part. At attachment are two scans of the handwriting/signature enclosures.

August 5, 2008


Ron,

As I told you per phone conversation, my copier will not copy Legal sized documents, so I am printing part of the Renney Prewett Deed that contains his signature and enough writing for the comparison questions we need to know. Also enclosing signatures of Renny Prewett Renney Belue. Prewett’s signature was done in 1766 and Belue’s signature was done in 1786, which is 20 years later and of course with a different pen [and used a different amount of ink].

What we need to know is: Is the handwriting of the deed the same as Renney Prewett’s signature or did a clerk write the deed and Renney Prewett sign it?

Is the handwriting of Renney Prewett and Renny Belue done by the same person?

….

Helen



Monday, May 19, 2008

Email to Matt...

Here is the table of DNA results from the Mitchell yDNA project.

My particular DNA results are shown in group 3, 1st person, the one labeled James b. c. 1772 Amelia Co, VA.


http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/kCIySLjLfYzM7Ac6kferngwFBt4Y7TwZ3yBjBJJs28l9Mk2NEPeMBTBgUPhjbQlxMB8zgl9uvWqrk6zHiASJexQqZ8yaJplq/Mitchell-FTDNA.htm

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Email to Family...

Please find attached a relatively comprehensive list of all adult living Mitchell cousins descended from my Great Grandfather Edmund (Edgar) Harper Mitchell. His immediate children were Alva Mitchell, 1870-1956; Robert Emmett Mitchell, 1873-1913 (my grandfather); Otis Mitchell, 1875-1959; Otis Mitchell, 1875-1959; Luta Mitchell Mings, 1879-1971; and Edgar Mitchell, 1880- abt 1910.

The list has contact information for the living adult descendants and list their children as of April 14, 2008.

Please keep in a safe place. You never know when you may be called upon to become the, or at least one of the, family historians. The attached list will give you a good starting place.

I view the attached document of one of the major accomplishments of my life and the completion of one of my important missions here on earth. Please cherish it.

Some final thoughts. Information on two of the main branches were collected within the last year. The descendants of Alva and their whereabouts were unknown just a year ago to us Mitchells who migrated to California. The information on the Luta's descendants were obtained just a few weeks ago. Margaret Mings Bunnell is the oldest living Mitchell descendant, age 92 who on 12 May 2008 will turn 93. She is lives independently in Dallas, Texas and is a joy to converse with. She is sharp as a tack.

Ron

[List not attached]

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Email to Nancy...

That's so exciting. Looks like you are on a roll. It's very peculiar how things break open all of a sudden. Sometimes I think when we work real hard on researching one line, we get rewarded on another.

I have often felt an urgency to fill the gaps on our near-Mitchell relatives and when I work on that I get help on the distant relatives.

I re-read the item I sent you on Sol obit. I have corrected all the typo's so here it is as another attachment. Please erase what I sent yesterday.

Nancy, hope you don't mind but I'm adding my sons Graham and Matthew on the CC line so they can have Sol Bunnell's obituary info too.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Email from Nancy...

I have made NO progress with Aunt Luta and family. I must confess that I did not work as long as before but just a little every other day or so ..... no luck. Today I received an email from someone who is related to me on my mother's side ..... We have never been able to trace this family past the late 1700's in Italy. In fact, we were thinking it would be fun to go to the village where my great grandfather grew up and search church records, etc. Then this came out of the blue ...... I think I put a query in to either ancestry.com or rootsweb several years ago ... forgot all about it. Anyway, the person that emailed me said he has the direct line back to 1235!!! Yay!!! I am so excited, can't believe it. Now, let's hope that all kinds of good news comes rolling in for all of our lines.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Email to Helen...

Although I became homeless last week and almost no progress has been made to reverse my fortunes in that area, I have had fantastic success on several of my family history projects.

Helen, you will never guess who I got an email from this morning at 12:03 am. Yes, long-lost, not-heard-from Brian Belew. Said he just saw my email of probably four/six months ago asking him to send me the link to his DNA data. He asked what it was that I wanted him to do. My reply went out this am abt 6 am. Maybe this time he will see it sooner rather than later and will follow-thru and email me his link.

Also have had a series of successes related to finding info on my great Aunt Luta Mitchell Mings. Got her obit last week. Also got the obit for her son J. Mitchell Mings with info on his family, none of which I had before. Actually got two obits for him -- one from Tyler, TX where he died while visiting his wife's relatives, the other from Dallas, TX where he lived.

Also physically located in a serious of miraculous and clever detective work. Found her married surname and data on her husband. Got his obit too, which described his surviving family members. So I got a ton of info on people I knew almost nothing about.

As you know I reached out and touched Kaye D. in Kingman, AZ regarding Daniel P.

Only one thing on my list to do. That is to contact William B. of Boulder, CO that is descended from Peter & Solomon Belew.

I also studied the maps of Anson Co and the meanderings of Brown Creek in that county so closely that it is not etched in my mind. I feel that I have been there. I may not need to actually visit there now. I feel that I already have. The main point for me is to definitely place the Thomas Hightower property that Renny and Sarah Belew had been witnessed to its transfer in present day Anson County. I am now convinced, indeed the property described as being along Brown Creek is indeed in Anson County.

So I now feel that I have "finished" my genealogy. My family is sick of me saying that over and over as I was nearing the end.

Of course, there are and will be a few areas I will like to pursue both on my Belew and Mitchell lines but I think I have exhausted almost every avenue of research on these two lines.

Recruitment of William B. of Boulder, CO for the DNA project is still there as in looking my earliest Mitchell (James Mitchell of Amelia Co, VA) are on my "new project" list. Following up with Kaye D. on Daniel P. is there two. But all of these are projects that can be done quite easily.

Ron

Friday, January 11, 2008

Email to Brittany...

You will probably see this first. I was reviewing some material that Matt had found in the Balch Family History Library in Leesburg years ago. I do believe that this material pushes us back another generation on the Mitchell line.

It shows the will of James Mitchell and lists his children, one of whom is James, who I believe is the father of our Shatteen C. Mitchell.

Tell Matt.

You see I am a little slow to getting around to things.

Ron