Family Group Sheet
NameSamuel Mitchell
Birthabout 1760-1769, Pennsylvania
Death1840-1849, Bath Co., Kentucky
SpouseRebecca Pettit, 5G Aunt
Birthabt 1767, northern Virginia or southwest Pennsylvania
Deathaft Jun 1860, Bath Co., Kentucky
Father<placeholder> Pettit (~1730-)
Children
SpouseDaniel Varvel
SpouseJohn McClanahan
SpouseWilliam McClanahan
Notes for Samuel Mitchell
By 1850 Rebecca was widowed, so Samuel probably died in the 1840’s. I should check Bath Co. deeds and probate records to see if there was any transfer of property upon his death.
Notes for Rebecca Pettit
Rebecca is known to be Matthew’s sister from his 1818 pension application. See his notes for details.
The pension application gives her name only as “Mrs. Rebecca Mitchell”, but from Bath County census and tax rolls, Samuel was the only Mitchell in Bath Co. of the right generation. All the others were at least 20 years younger.
Finding a death record for Rebecca, or a marriage record for Samuel Mitchell and Rebecca, or land or probate record for some Pettit listing a daughter Rebecca Mitchell, may be our best route to determining who Matthew’s parents were.
The pension application gives her name only as “Mrs. Rebecca Mitchell”, but from Bath County census and tax rolls, Samuel was the only Mitchell in Bath Co. of the right generation. All the others were at least 20 years younger.
Finding a death record for Rebecca, or a marriage record for Samuel Mitchell and Rebecca, or land or probate record for some Pettit listing a daughter Rebecca Mitchell, may be our best route to determining who Matthew’s parents were.
Census
1850 census of Bath Co., Ky, district 2, p. 53, lists as household #718:
William McLanahan, 50, laborer, Ky; Rebecca McLanahan, 40, Ky; Rebecca McLanahan, 10; Ky; Rebecca Mitchell, 70, Pennsylvania.
The age of the elder Rebecca Mitchell in this census is not consistent with the 1830 census, which lists her as 60-69, the 1840 census, which lists her as 70-79, nor the 1860 census, which lists her as 93. She should be about 80 to 83 in 1850.
1860 census of Bath Co lists as household #1719:
William McClanahan, 58, Ky; Rebecca, 48, Ky; Rebecca Mitchell, 93, widowed, born Virginia.
This is almost certainly Matthew’s sister. There aren’t likely to have been two Mrs. Rebecca Mitchells in Bath County who were born in the 1760’s, ambiguously in Pennsylvania or Virginia. (Matthew was from the part of Pennsylvania that borders on what is now the northern panhandle of West Virginia, and appears to have lived in northern Virginia before moving to Kentucky.)
William McLanahan, 50, laborer, Ky; Rebecca McLanahan, 40, Ky; Rebecca McLanahan, 10; Ky; Rebecca Mitchell, 70, Pennsylvania.
The age of the elder Rebecca Mitchell in this census is not consistent with the 1830 census, which lists her as 60-69, the 1840 census, which lists her as 70-79, nor the 1860 census, which lists her as 93. She should be about 80 to 83 in 1850.
1860 census of Bath Co lists as household #1719:
William McClanahan, 58, Ky; Rebecca, 48, Ky; Rebecca Mitchell, 93, widowed, born Virginia.
This is almost certainly Matthew’s sister. There aren’t likely to have been two Mrs. Rebecca Mitchells in Bath County who were born in the 1760’s, ambiguously in Pennsylvania or Virginia. (Matthew was from the part of Pennsylvania that borders on what is now the northern panhandle of West Virginia, and appears to have lived in northern Virginia before moving to Kentucky.)
Notes for Samuel & Rebecca (Family)
Samuel and Rebecca had at least two sons in addition to their three known daughters. Probable sons include Alfred, James, and Samuel Jr.
Census
1820 census of Bath Co., Ky, p. 210 (stamped) / 32 (inked), line 4:
Samuel Mitchell, 1 m < 10, 1 m 10-15, 1 m 45+; 1 f < 10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 16-25, 1 f 45+
The daughter under 10 woud be Rebecca, the one 10-15 would be Nancy, and the one 16-25 would be Rachel. I have not identified the 2 sons. Considering that Samuel and Rebecca were both over 45, there are likely to have been other children who had already left home.
(This is the same page that includes Elisha Sorrell, Joseph Sorrell, and Solomon Staten.)
1830 census of Bath Co., Ky, p. 218, line 18:
Samuel Mitchel, 1 m 15-19, 1 m 60-69, 2 f 15-19, 1 f 40-49, 1 f 60-69.
(The teens are probably children of the woman in her forties, not of Samuel & Rebecca.)
1840 census of Bath Co., Ky, “West of Slate Creek”, p. 7, line 15:
Sam’l Mitchell, 2 m < 5, 1 m 5-9, 1 m 20-29, 1 m 70-79, 1 f 20-29, 1 f 70-79.
(It appears that one of the teens from 1830 married and had 3 children, who are all living with Samuel and Rebecca. Neighbors include James Mitchell Sr. age 50-59 at line 10, and James Mitchell Jr. age 20-29 at line 11.)
Samuel Mitchell, 1 m < 10, 1 m 10-15, 1 m 45+; 1 f < 10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 16-25, 1 f 45+
The daughter under 10 woud be Rebecca, the one 10-15 would be Nancy, and the one 16-25 would be Rachel. I have not identified the 2 sons. Considering that Samuel and Rebecca were both over 45, there are likely to have been other children who had already left home.
(This is the same page that includes Elisha Sorrell, Joseph Sorrell, and Solomon Staten.)
1830 census of Bath Co., Ky, p. 218, line 18:
Samuel Mitchel, 1 m 15-19, 1 m 60-69, 2 f 15-19, 1 f 40-49, 1 f 60-69.
(The teens are probably children of the woman in her forties, not of Samuel & Rebecca.)
1840 census of Bath Co., Ky, “West of Slate Creek”, p. 7, line 15:
Sam’l Mitchell, 2 m < 5, 1 m 5-9, 1 m 20-29, 1 m 70-79, 1 f 20-29, 1 f 70-79.
(It appears that one of the teens from 1830 married and had 3 children, who are all living with Samuel and Rebecca. Neighbors include James Mitchell Sr. age 50-59 at line 10, and James Mitchell Jr. age 20-29 at line 11.)
