(.', ().."' -{. " f2^' +l -l o >r. ,- t.. flt l' . TOFfl [A[Tg of" .i,,rr - /' u7-C\,., 7J-l-r' !'4r J -,.' -l1rrr11,lr:r..r':. '.t'o - TOMI MtltlfClHtlE]LIL O]F ]t-]Ht]E SO]L]E]D7\]D .If SS O Mt ]E O ]F ]Ht ]E 7\NC ]ESII-O ]RSS 7\N ]D ]D ]E sS tC ]E N ]D?\NI| sS olF II]HIOIMIT\sS ]F]IN]DILIEY M ]ITC]HIIE]L]L olF S olledlad'11'o,wrnLs]hr \p, llos,\rngeltes tCounrrnrry rCaLlttilorrmiiaL lRtclhard lF. Mt [rr,clhellll 06,. sl ra OY TFIE, SITE OF TOM X,IITCFI}]LL'S HOIUE, R,\NCH 'I'his picturc rvas rakcn somc vclrs aftcr thc rnnch had bccn sold to a dcvclopcr rvho hacl no inrcrcst in kccpinq it maintaincd. 'I'hc victorian housc rvhich rvas dcstrotcd br thc ncrv orvncrs antl thc oid adobc rvhich rvas motcd to Ncrvhall bl thc Santa (llarita \hllcv Historical Socictl can bc sccn in rhc picturc pccking through thc trccs. TCIM ^END MARTHA MMCHilLL ABour r 8rB TOi\,I N{ITCHELI, OF THE, SOLEDAD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The task of putting together this history of Tom N{itchell and his many ancestors rvould have been totallf impossible fot this rvritet to do alone. I'nvas constandy amazed bv the generosrry of the mant- people u,ho provided me assistance in gathering information for this project. I am deeply indebted to all the wonderfrrl people that f<rllow: Mv late cousins Thomas and Albert Mitchell for getting me started on our Mitchell famil-1 history and making me ptomise to finish the project. Genealogists Janice Cloud and NIary Leigh Johnston, both rvonderfirl teachers and guides, from the Santa Barbara Counq, Genealogical Societl who managed to get me pointed in the right direction. Professor Emeritus, Richard Oglesby, former Chair of the Department of History and Dean of Instructional Development The Universiw of California, Santa Barbara for his ^t pro fes sional advice and continued encouragement. Cousin Dadeen Helvel,' Zollinger rvho desen es special thanks for locating relatives u'ho had answers we had been seeking for over twenq, years. Oousins Karil Henneberger and Lee Baker for presening and sharing the dian, family pictures and correspondence of Tom N'Iitchell's sister, Nlan Elizabeth N{itchell and her daughter, Bettie Elgin Gilmer. Elgin relative, Frank Bumpas, of Burleson Coun$, Texas rvho located the final resting place of our elusir.e ancestor, John C. Nlitchell, the rvriter's gaeat grandfather. Cousins Irvin and Barbara Jarrell for shadng theit informadon, documents and photographs of James Wilson l\{itchell and his family. In-in and Barbara also did carefullv documented research on our familr' rn North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas ar'd at the LDS Librarv in Salt Lake Ciq,. Cousin, Judge Nlell-in \)(/hitaker of Palestine, Texas for sharing his reseatch on the Richard \W4ritaker family of North Carolina. Carter cousin, Vernon T"pp, guardian of the Carter Cemetery in Fayette Coun$,, Tennessee fot copies of Carter family documents including cemeterv and Bible records. Mrs. Hubert H. Hunt of Salem, Arkansas, author of Tbe lf,4titaker Fanifi z1 Goodly Heitage for her information on the Carter f"-ily and het good wishes for our project. \Vhitaket cousins Jayne and Dick Boggp, Napenille, Illinois fot sharing some of their research on Whitaker and Bourchiet lines. James Elgin, of W'ichita, Kansas, genealogist and author tracing our Elgin in-laws rvho shared information on the origins of the Elgin familv. Mable N{acCall and the helpful ladies of the Layland Museum, Clebume, Texas for providing pivotal information conceming James \W'ilson Mitchell, Tom Nlitchell's older brother, and assistins my further research during mv visit to the libran and the Johnson County Recorder's Office in Clebume. Francis Roi and her Query Committee of the Halifax County, North Carolina Genealogical Society who pror.ided valuable information which enabled ttacing our \Whitaker ancestors in Noth Carolina, \rirgrnia and England. NIrs. Bernice Catgill, Historian of Favette Countl, Tennessee, u,ho pror-ided much needed informadon about Tom N,Iitchell's father, John C. ivlitchell, while he lived in Fayette Counrl and his subsequent move to Texas. Carter famil1, genealogist, Dale NI. Crawford, who shared his tesearch on the Carter family in colonial America. N{ark Wilborn for sharing information concerning his Branch and Flewellen ancestors who had li'i-ed on the land John C. Mitchell and N{artha Carter purchased in 1820 in Robertson Countl , Tennessee. N{r. Donalv E. Brice, Head Reference Specialist, Texas State Librarl- and Archives rvho consistendy provided trulv outstanding sen ice and support for our research. Miss N[argaret Cook, Curator, N{anuscripts and Rare Books, Ead Grey Swem Llbrury, College of William and Nlary for her most gracious assistance in locatingCury familr documents. Frank D. Gatton, Assistant State Records Adrninistrator, North Carolina Departrnent of Cultural Resources, Division of Archir.,es and History who went far out of his rvay to insure I .I'ON,T NTITCHELL OF- THE SOLEDAI) teceived documcnts critical to our North Carolina research. Bill and Batbara Dunfee of Huntington, \7est Virgrnia for aflicles about the "other" Nlitchell family in Bedford County, Yirginia. Ellen A. Wandrei, Director of the Bedfotd Ci.y*/Counq' NIuseum, Bedford Virgrrta fot her search of records for our N{itchell familv in Bedford and adjacent Counties. N{olly Brown and Ruth Baket, Libraq, Associates of the ,\ustin, Texas Historl, Center. Barbara TulI Dehle of the San Antonio, Texas Genealogical and Historical Sociew. Shirle,v Tomlin of The Tennessee Confetence of the Llnited l\{ethodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee. N,Irs. Sam G. Cook from the Albert Sydney Johnston Chapter No. 105 of The United Daughters of Confederacy in T'exas for pror.iding us information about Tom Mitchell's niece, Bettie Elgin Gilmer. I can truly say that rvhile doing the teseatch for this book that I never encountered a librarian that didn't do his or her best to find the information I was seeking. I wish to thank the folloving libraries and their staffs u'ho contributed so much to our efforts. The Tennessee State Libraq, and Archi.i,es in Nashville; The Gotham-l\{cBane Llbtary, Springfreld, Tennessee; lTilliamson Coun$ Librar1,, Franklin, Tennessee; The Virgtnia State Libraq' and Archir.es Richmond, Vkginia; The Libran'of the tlniversiw of Califomia, Santa Barbara; The Santa Barban Countv Genealogicalllbnry, Santa Barbara; The Santa Batbara Public Library; I'he Latter Dal' Saints Family Historr, Libtaries of Santa Batbata and Los -I'he Angeles, Cahfornia; 'I'he Los Angeles Public l,ibrar,v; Sons of The Revolution Librarv*, Glendale, California; The lr{clennan County I-ibra-q,'Waco, Texas; The Special Collections of Baylor Universitv Ijbran, Waco Texas; T'he San Antonio Public Libraq,, Texas; The Daughters of The Republic of Texas Research Library', The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas; The Texas Medical Association Archir.es, Austin, 'I'cxas; The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, 'Waco, Texas; Pioneet Hall and Ranger N{useum, San Antonio, 1'exas; The Daup;hters of The -\merican Revolution Library Washington, DC. Others that I met or with whom I cortesponded that conttibuted to our effort: Ntitchell Keves of Sadlersr.ille, Tennessee who is the present ow-ner of James N4itchell's Family cemeterv- in Robertson Counqv. Ann Chilton, Virginia researchet-author, Roanoke, Vtginia; Cousin Orphelia S. Nliller, Nfableton, Georgia; Cousin Virgmia Sells, Louisville, Kentuc\,; Whitaker cousifl, Karin Cor.ington. In England: The helpfril staff of the Society of Genealogist LibraS' in London. IVr. Rav Barker l\{anager fot The National Trust of Beningbrough Ha[ East Riditg York, r.','hich was ofle of the last homes of our Bourchiet aflcestors and relatives. He gave the writer a personal tour of the estate on his day off and rvhen the estate was closed to the public. 'I'hc friendlv, efficient staff of the Citl' Librarr of York who found the rvriter a quiet corner and delir,ered all their Bourchier fu-ily frles to his table. I\{rs. Thom, Librarian, and IMr. Jones, Assistant Librarian, of Grar,'s Inn Librarr', London. The staff of The Royal Porttait Gallery, London. Last, but certainly not least, ate allmy cousins rvho are descendants of Tom lvlitchell and his siblings who carefullr. gathered the genealogical information about their families and permitted me to include it in this book. INTRODUCTION My intetest i, -y family's historl began as a childhood curiosity that rvas stimulated bv listening to the recollections of my elders at family gatherings. As I became older mv curiosi6- increased. Irinalh- persuaded bv the urglngs of my late cousins, Albert and Tomml' \,'[itchell, "to write it all down" I succumbed and set about discovering the roots of our Nlitchell familv in earnest. This effort has led me back through America's histon- to its first colonists and bevond to Norman England. It has been an extremely interesting leaming exPerlence. I rvas quite surprised to find ancestors rvho had signed the English Nfagna Carta in 1216. Other ancestors w-ere descended from the Kings of England. NIanv others had held important positions in the English Government. I learned of Jabez \Mhitaker who was an officer of the London Companv of Virginia that established the Jamestown Colonr. rn Virginia. He rvas our ancestor through Tom Nfitchell's mother's family. He came to Amedca n 1619. His older brodrer, the Re.i,erend \ff4ritaker Alexander Whitaker had come to Jamestorvn in 1609. Alexander converted the Indian princess, Pocahontas, to the Christian Faith and had baptized her. I discovered Colonel Miles Carv, who came to Virginia n 1642. He rvas an ancestor of the Presidents Harrison and other eminent \rirginians.