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.

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.

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

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

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