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Saturday, February 23, 2019

MITCHELL – Descendants of Nutfield Settler John Mitchell

John and Elinor Mitchel's tombstone at Forest Hill Cemetery,
in East Derry, New Hampshire.  From "Find A Grave" by D. J. Goldman


Captain John Mitchell was one of the first sixteen settlers to arrive at Nutfield in April 1719 with Rev. James MacGregor to found the town that became Londonderry, New Hampshire.  He was a surveyor, and his name can be seen on deeds and grants given to early settlers in the 1720s in Londonderry.  He served as selectman, and other town offices.

Captain John Mitchell died 10 August 1776 at age 80 in Londonderry, New Hampshire.  His wife Eleanor (maiden name unknown) died on 16 March 1771 at age 74.  They are buried in Section K, Lot 100 of Forest Hill Cemetery in East Derry, New Hampshire.

There was an unfortunate situation which took place in 1749 during the pastorate of Mr. David MacGregor, son of the first Presbyterian minister, Rev. James MacGregor.  Captain John Mitchell of Londonderry was arrested and imprisoned under suspect of having asked for a ransom of five hundred pounds and threatening the life of Mr. Jotham Odiorne of Portsmouth.  Mr. MacGregor attended the trial in Portsmouth in support of Mitchell, who was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of one thousand pounds.  Mitchell was kept in prison until he was finally acquitted. [See Parker’s History of Londonderry]

Did John Mitchell have children?  Who were his descendants? Or was he childless?   If you know the answer to these questions please comment below or email vrojomit@gmail.com 

Note: There appears to be a John Mitchell, Jr. (about 1713 – 1801) in some of the Londonderry town records, who was also a surveyor.  This John Mitchell, Jr. did some surveying in the Belfast, Maine area, too, where he received lots No. 1, 12, 21, 35, and 51.  John Mitchell lived in Belfast until the revolutionary war broke out, and settled back in Chester, New Hampshire.  [See this link: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-04-02-0233 ]     John Mitchell named his property in Maine and his children in his will filed in Rockingham County probate – son Robert,  granddaughter Margaret, granddaughter Elizabeth, grandson David, grandson John, granddaughter Elizabeth McFarland, daughter Mary Patterson, daughter Elizabeth White, daughter Sarah Heath, daughter Eleanor Wilson, and Hannah Huston.  He names his son Robert Mitchell, sons-in-law William White and Robert Houston executors.  [ PS.  According to the History of Belfast, the first couple married in Belfast, Maine was William Patterson and Mary, daughter of John Mitchell.]

See the website http://dunhamwilcox.net/me/me_bio_wilson.htm  for the Wilson family genealogy, which mentions John Mitchell, Jr. of Belfast, Maine.  John (2) Mitchell, father of Mrs. Eleanor Wilson, was a son of John (1) Mitchell.  The last named was born in Londonderry, Ireland, and arrived in Boston Aug. 4, 1718, with the Scotch Irish immigrants who came that year.  He settled in Londonderry, N.H.  His son John (2) was then five years old and became a joiner by trade.  In 1768 he became the founder of the town of Belfast, Maine, where he cleared up land and engaged in agriculture, and died in 1801.  He took up lots Nos. 1, 12, 21, 35 and 51.  He married in Chester, in 1735, Elizabeth, second daughter of William and Elizabeth Wilson.  Children: John, George, Samuel, Robert, Joshua, Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, Eleanor and Hannah.  The fourth daughter, Eleanor, was born in 1760, and became the wife of Jonathan Wilson…

See also History of the City of Belfast in the State of Maine, Volume 2, by Joseph Williamson, 1913, pages 595 – 597 for more about John Mitchell, Jr. and the founding of the town of Belfast, Maine.

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There was another John Mitchell, born in Ireland, who died in 1749 in Londonderry.  He was married to a woman named Janet (maiden name unknown).  These two men do not appear to be related. Their children born in Nottingham West (now Hudson, New Hampshire):

      1.       Agnes Jane Mitchell, born 5 April 1734, died 18 June 1807 in Amherst, married William Hogg, son of William Hogg and Elizabeth (maiden name unknown).

      2.       Mary Mitchell, born on 13 February 1735, and she married James Houston 7 March 1750/1 in Nottingham West.  James Houston was born 1729 in Londonderry, the son of Samuel Houston and Mary Cargill. 

      3.       John Mitchell, born 6 March 1741, died 21 September 1804 in Clarenceville, Quebec, Canada, buried at Aird, Quebec.  Married to Margaret Hogg on 1 June 1767 in Amherst, New Hampshire.

      4.       William Mitchell, born 25 September 1744 in Nottingham West, died 15 November 1815 in Acworth, New Hampshire.  William married Martha Wallace, born 1739 in Londonderry, the daughter of John Wallace and Janet Lindsey. 

       5.       Elizabeth Mitchell,  born 5 June 1745

       6.       Thomas Mitchell, born 21 March 1747, died on 24 April 1798 in Francestown.  Married Jeaney McInnes, daughter of Hugh McInnes and Martha (maiden name unknown) from Merrimack.

[From the website http://www.bmgen.com/paf/web/mitchell/d1.htm#g1  and vital records]

Click here for links to the sketches of all sixteen first Nutfield settlers: 
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/p/nutfields-first-16-settlers.html 


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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "MITCHELL – Descendants of Nutfield Settler John Mitchell", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 23, 2019, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/02/mitchell-descendants-of-nutfield.html: accessed [access date]).

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