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Note: (Notes from Betty Carter) The following federal censuses and tax lists were found for Levi Mitchell: 1815 Ashe County, NC Tax List: Levi Mitchell Owned 200 acres Value $100 Located on Little River. 1822 Lawrence Co., IN Tax List: Levi Mitchell 1830 Fed. Census Lawrence Co., IN, p. 162: Levi Mitchell Males 1 0-5 years (Elijah), 2 5-10 years (Thomas & Robert), 1 15-20 years (Abraham), 1 40-50 years (Levi) Females 2 0-5 years (Eliz. & Hannah), 2 10-15 years (Rebeckah & Malinda), 1 15-20 years (Lucy), 1 30-40 years (Seliah) 1840 Fed. Census Lawrence Co., IN, p. 240: Levi Mitchell Males 2 5-10 years (Levi & Aaron), 1 10-15 years (Elijah), 1 15-20 (Thomas or Robert), 1 50-60 years (Levi) Females 1 5-10 years (Hannah), 1 10-15 years (Eliz), 1 20-30 years (Rebeckah), 1 40-50 years (Seliah) Note: Lucy, Malinda, and Abraham Davis are married. Neither Robert nor Thomas are married but only one was shown living at home. 1850 Fed. Census Pleasant Twp., Lawrence Co., IN, p. 450: Levi Mitchell age 62 b. NC and Celia age 58 b. VA were shown with children Elizabeth age 22 b. IN, Hannah age 21 b. IN, Levi D. age 18 b. IN, and Aaron age 15 b. IN. Also living with them was Enoch Davis age 5 b. IN. Note: In the censuses Seliah's name was spelled Celia. On her tombstone and in the will of Levi her name was spelled Seliah. Enoch Davis was the son of Seliah's deceased brother Enoch. For more information about Enoch's family see Aaron Davis and wife Jane Mitchell, sister of Levi. 1860 Fed. Census Shawswick Twp., Lawrence Co., IN, p. 716: Celia Mitchell age 68 b. VA was shown with Enoch Davis age 16 b. IN and Rebecca Mitchell age 40 b. IN. Note: Levi died in 1852 and this census showed Seliah as a widow. Seliah's nephew Enoch Davis was still living with her. Rebecca Mitchell was Rebecca King the widow of Jacob Mitchell. Jacob was the son of Levi's brother Isaac Mitchell. Some of Rebecca and Jacob's children were married and others were working at farms nearby. The Life of Levi Mitchell and Wife Seliah Davis: The first record found for Levi Mitchell was the 1815 Tax List for Ashe Co., NC about three years after Levi and Seliah got married. Seliah was a Quaker and Levi was a Baptist. Seliah was disowned by the Quakers for marrying Levi. (Source: "Davis - A Quaker Family" by Eleanor M. Davis, Gateway Press, Inc., 1985) Disownment usually took place at the next monthly meeting following whenever the cause for the disownment occurred. Seliah was disowned 29 Jan. 1812 by the Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting, Grayson County, Virginia so they probably got married the last part of Dec. 1811. The Monthly Meeting where the Davises went was located on Chestnut Creek. Chestnut Creek began in Alleghany County and ran across the NC-VA border into Virginia. Seliah's parents owned land on Chestnut Creek in Virginia. The Little River on which Levi lived emptied into Chestnut Creek. Abraham, the father of Levi, probably married them in the Little River Primitive Baptist Church. Levi joined the church the first meeting in 1817 by experience. Levi along with his parents got a letter of dismission from the Little River Primitive Baptist Church at the church meeting the first Saturday of October 1817. (Source: Microfilm of the Little River Primitive Baptist Church records) Levi and Seliah migrated to Lawrence Co., IN at that time with their two daughters and one son as part of a group of people living in the Ashe Co.-Grayson Co. area that migrated to Lawrence Co., IN. Seliah's parents also came. In Lawrence County Levi was a farmer and at one time became the owner of the grist mill in Avoca but he sold it after a short time to Dr. Bridwell (Source: James M. Gurthie's book "Thirty-Three Years in the History of Lawrence Co., IN". Levi was active in the Salt Creek Baptist Church and was shown as one of its first messengers in 1819 when it was constituted. Levi and Seliah had one daughter, Nancy, die just a few months after arriving in Lawrence County. Another daughter, Rebeckah, was born shortly after arriving in Indiana. The census showed her birth in Indiana. Levi's estate was settled in 1852 with heirs given as Abram D. Mitchell; Joseph J. Hanna, husband of Lucy Hanna; Rebecca McDonald; Ezra Hanna, husband of Melinda Hanna; Thomas Mitchell, Robert Mitchell, Elijah Mitchell; Elizabeth Mitchell; Levi Mitchell; and Aaron Mitchell. In the final distribution of Levi's estate it appears that Seliah got $150.00 plus $559.24 then she got 1/3 of the remainder of the estate which amounted to $259.60. It appears that Levi had loaned Robert, Elijah, and Abraham money with outstanding note balances - these were settled in the estate settlement. It was noted that Abraham was in Illinois. The children got varying amounts. Thomas Mitchell signed a statement that he received $45 of J.T. Hanna and Ezra Hanna administrators of the estate of Levi Mitchell, deceased dated August the 21 1852. Levi and Seliah are both buried in the Mitchell Cemetery which is located in Marshall Twp., Lawrence Co., IN. The cemetery in 1989 could not be recognized as a cemetery. A neighbor of the cemetery told me that the owners of the land tore the tombstones out and piled them along the fence. The tombstones have either been hauled off or it appears many broken up and used for step stones. The cemetery is located on a small knoll and was overgrown with weeds and bushes. Where the graves were could not be determined. Fortunately someone recorded the information on the tombstones before the stones were destroyed and the information can be found in the Bedford Library. (More Notes from Betty Carter) Since writing the above, Elder John Ray Mitchell a descendant of Preston Mitchell and Mary Jane Mosier called me with a story about what had happened to the tombstone of Seliah Mitchell. It seems a Mitchell descendant was visiting the cemetery and saw all the torn up stones with Seliah's being unbroken. He took it home with him. After he died his wife wanted to sell their farm and did not know what to do with Seliah's stone. Elder John Ray took the stone home and later on to Montana. Elder John Ray Mitchell saw my Mitchell file on the internet and realized that I was a descendant of Seliah. He called me and ask if I would like the stone. Yes, I certainly would like the tombstone of my great, great grandmother. Elder John Ray crated it up and sent the stone to me. The stone is in good condition and readable which is remarkable given its age and travels. I live in the foothills of the Diablo Mountains and the stone is resting under a big pine tree overlooking the Santa Clara Valley in California. It's a long way from the knoll in Lawrence Co., IN but it's a peaceful setting with deer and other small creatures wandering around. U.S. Bureau of Land Management Land Patent: Document Number: 2472 Title Transfer Issue Date: 12/8/1831 Acres Purchased: 80 acres State: Indiana County: Lawrence U.S. Bureau of Land Management Land Patent: Document Number: 27189 Title Transfer Issue Date: 10/1/1840 Acres Purchased: 40 acres State: Indiana County: Lawrence
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