Levinia (West) Mitchell (1806 - 1895)

Born 20 Feb 1806 in Natchez, Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 30 Nov 1895 at age 89 in Nicholson, Pearl River Co., Mississippi, USA

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Glen Fleming [send private message], Robert Davis [send private message], and James Pittman [send private message]

Biography

Levinia West

Name: Levinia /West/^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Source: Year: 1880; Census Place: Yamacraw, Hancock, Mississippi; Roll: 648; Family History Film: 1254648; Page: 289C; Enumeration District: 147; Image: 0120., Birth date: abt 1810 Birth place: Mississippi Residence date: 1880 Residence place: Yamacraw, Hancock, Mississippi, United States.^[6]

Birth

Birth:

Date: 20 FEB 1806

Place: Washington Parish, LA^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

Source: Year: 1880; Census Place: Yamacraw, Hancock, Mississippi; Roll: 648; Family History Film: 1254648; Page: 289C; Enumeration District: 147; Image: 0120..

Death

Death:

Date: 30 NOV 1895

Place: Nicholson, Pearl River Co., Mississippi^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

Residence

Residence:

Date: 1880

Place: Yamacraw, Hancock, Mississippi, United States

Source: Year: 1880; Census Place: Yamacraw, Hancock, Mississippi; Roll: 648; Family History Film: 1254648; Page: 289C; Enumeration District: 147; Image: 0120..

Burial

Burial:

Place: Cedar Grove Baptist Church Cem., Nicholson, Pearl River Co., MS

Marriage

Husband: John M. Mitchell

Wife: Levinia West

Child: John Berry Mitchell

Marriage:

Date: 17 AUG 1826^[17]

Lavinia was born in 1806. She passed away in 1895. Collection of Historical Info on Lavinia West Mitchell

Packet dated 10 Feb 1999. Linda Wright File. Taken from "Next Door to Heaven," by S.G. Thigpen Mr. S.G. Thigpen, “Next Door to Heaven” (Picayune, Miss.: 1965), call number F347.P3 T49 (McCain Library). Copies of books by and about Mr. S.G. Thigpen are available in the Cook and McCain Libraries (University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS) aka: Aunt Vinie; Lavinia ...Aunt Vinie had seven girls. When they married, she gave each one of them a feather mattress. E-mail dated 2 Nov 1998. Ruth Walker File. aka: Viny ...Littleberry's youngest daughter and my gg-gm. It is a colorful background about what a character she was, shrewd, gutsy, small, plain spoken, friend to all, but protective of hers to the point of shooting either soldiers or jayhawkers, draping them over her fence as warning to others. She was a horseback riding, corncob smoking, little woman. ...I saw her skeleton once when her above ground tomb caved in and my father went to fix it and I looked in - a small skeleton and a long hank of coal black hair. Packet dated 5 Nov 1998. Ruth Walker File.

Source: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=billallen47&id=I13388 West, Lavina (b. 17 AUG 1806, d. 30 NOV 1895) Note: [Strahan Family Reunion .FTW] AUNT VINIE Lavina West Mitchell born in Washington Parish La.. Close family ties were important to Sarah Pittman. As her life drew to a close, she made her 10 children promise to hold a reunion on a day in August for the rest of their lives. That deathbed promise is still being honored to this day. Barry Pittman, at a reunion 2 years ago, told a story about his great, great, great Grandmother, Lavina West Mitchell, who lived in Nicholson, Miss. during the Civil War. He talked about the time the federal troops from Gainesville helped themselves to some of Vinie's best cows. Aunt Vinie was a small woman weighing hardly a hundred pounds, but when provoked was easily aroused. She gave the soldiers a tongue lashing and she told them she would make sure every last one of them died. They were all killed in a short time. Some of them are buried near her home which stood just north of where the Cedar Grove Church now is. So many of these troops were waylaid and killed that only larger groups were sent out to forage for supplies. Aunt Vinie's maiden name was Lavina West. She was born on August 17, 1806 and married John M. Mitchell in 1825. Lavinia West Mitchell died at over 90 years of age and was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery. She literally has hundreds of descendants now living in the area. Source Ila Mae Pittman Smith; Book by S.G. Thigpen Corrected by Tom Stevens; By Tom Stevens "Aunt Viny" I think I did Aunt Viny an injustice in the last issue. The 2nd hand stories I took my story from were, I think, a little exaggerated. Try this version: John M. Mitchell and Lavina West Mitchell owned and operated a store in Nicholson. They farmed, raised and sold cattle and bred fine horses. Courthouse records show that Lavina "Aunt Viny" was involved in numerous real estate deals. She was apparently literate, well informed and devout in her belief in God. In 1849, John Mitchell injured his back breaking a unruly filly. He suffered a great deal and spent a great deal of time at a popular "Healing Springs", up Pearl River, north of Joseph Wheat's Plantation and run by the Ott family. He was in such bad shape, he thought he was going to die and made his will. About 1855-56, he was miraculously cured. His back probably slipped back in place. He made it home in time for Amarantha's wedding to Bill (William Green Wheat) Wheat in 1856. (story in following Issue) Louisa Ann Mitchell, Viny's youngest daughter, told her last bit of history just before she died in Dec. 11, 1932. "My sister, Amarantha's husband Bill Wheat, died shortly after he came home from wounds and exposure which he received in Service in the Civil War. My brother, Rutillious, came back limping using a cane so he could walk. He was captured twice in a Yankee prison camp. My brother, Cecellius and his son Rutillous, went off to war and made it home in good shape. My sister Peg's husband Dave Stockstill, also fought, but came home Ok.. They just riddled the body of my sister's, Mary Jane Bennett's Husband with Yankee bullets, but he made it home. I shall never forget My Mothers "Viny's" face during all those awesome years, and how she and papa rallied to help us all. When them Yankee thieves, plunderers and rapists got down along Pearl River, and one tried to force his way through Mama's gate, she shot him dead and hung him over the gate. She came into the house where I was huddled in a corner, muttering, "That's for my son in one of your prison camps and that's for my son-in-law in one of your stinking hospitals. Mama blew her distress horn so Papa would come. Her little gray donkey came running when he heard her horn. Then Mama sat down and started rocking and singing hymns. Her face was white as a sheet. She ask me to get her pipe." After the Civil War, when age was creeping up on Viny, she was seen often riding a small gray donkey named "Cusseta", gentle and easy for a petite lady to mount. She grew and cured her own tobacco and enjoyed her pipe, until she was too old and weak to hold it. Lavinia West Mitchell died at over 90 years of age and was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery. She literally has hundreds of descendants now living in the area.

Source: Five Generations Mitchell by Vivan Davis Bornemann; Source: Ila Mae Pittman Smith http://www.spiers.net/mstree/fam_2527.htm#1

Back to Main Page http://www.spiers.net/mstree/index.htm

Interview with my mother, Imogene Lydia “Jean” Smith Spiers Source: Lance Spiers, May 2010 I remember Mama (Meddie Marie Smith) and my grandma referring to an "Aunt Viney", when I was little - apparently she was referred to as "Aunt Viney" by so many that even her granddaughter and great granddaughter (Mary Jane Ardella Stockstill and Meddie Marie Smith, respectively) also referred to her as "Aunt Viny / Vinie". I don’t know if Mama (Meddie Marie Smith) even knew who she was exactly, since there were so many offspring and families branching out along with the family Bibles, that this info may have gotten "lost".

(Note from Mama Jean: Mama (Meddie Marie Smith) had a tan complexion, blue eyes, and thick, black hair, just like Lavinia West - and was little (petite) like "Aunt Viney" too.) (Added NOTE: The spelling of Lavinia West name has been found to be both "Lavina" and "Lavinia". She was apparently well-known throughout the community and her growing family as "Aunt Vinie or Aunt Viny" - despite the fact that she may not have been their aunt.”)

Lance Spiers May 2010

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S003215 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
2. ↑ Source: #S003214 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
3. ↑ Source: #S003221 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
4. ↑ Source: #S003216 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
5. ↑ Source: #S003219 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
6. ↑ Source: #S003222 Page: Ancestry Family Trees Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12264202&pid=793
7. ↑ Source: #S003215 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
8. ↑ Source: #S003214 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
9. ↑ Source: #S003221 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
10. ↑ Source: #S003216 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
11. ↑ Source: #S003219 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
12. ↑ Source: #S003215 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
13. ↑ Source: #S003214 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
14. ↑ Source: #S003221 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
15. ↑ Source: #S003216 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
16. ↑ Source: #S003219 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-324091305
17. ↑ Source: #S003216 Data: Text: Date of Import: Feb 4, 2000 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12156651&pid=-300921861

See Also:

• Source: S003214 Title: Pittman2.ftw
• Source: S003215 Title: Waguespk.ftw
• Source: S003216 Title: Pittman1.ftw
• Source: S003219 Title: Update2000.FTW
• Source: S003221 Title: Pittman.ftw
• Source: S003222 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: #NS032221

Acknowledgments

• West-8009 was created by James Pittman through the import of Ancestor_tree-Sarah_Mitchell.GED on Oct 13, 2015.
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49883907/lavinia-mitchell

• ancestry.com