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
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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
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
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.
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
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
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