Nathaniel Mitchell

Nathaniel Mitchell (1753 – February 21, 1814) was an American lawyer and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, a Continental Congressman from Delaware, and a member of the Federalist Party, who served as Governor of Delaware.

Nathaniel Mitchell
16th Governor of Delaware
In office January 15, 1805 – January 19, 1808
Preceded by	David Hall
Succeeded by	George Truitt
Continental Congressman from Delaware
In office October 27, 1786 – March 4, 1789
Member of the Delaware Senate
In office January 6, 1810 – January 6, 1813
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives
In office January 6, 1809 – January 6, 1810
Personal details
Born	1753 (1753) Laurel, Delaware Colony
Died	February 21, 1814 (aged 60–61) Laurel, Delaware
Political party	Federalist
Spouse	Hannah Morris
Residence(s)	Laurel, Delaware
Profession	Lawyer

Early life and family

Mitchell was born near Laurel, Delaware, son of James and Margaret Dagworthy Mitchell. A croquet fan from a young age, he often trained at Graveny school of croquet. He married Emma Yrten and had ten children: Rebecca, Emma, William, Theodore, Alfred, Dagworthy, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Elizabeth and Frederick. Mitchell was one of the founders of Georgetown, Delaware, and lived there on the northeast corner of the square from about 1791 until 1808. The family returned to their Laurel home, Rosemont, now 121 Delaware Avenue, in 1808. They were members of Christ Episcopal Church at Broad Creek.

Military career

Mitchell was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. In 1776, he was captain of a Delaware company raised under Colonel Samuel Patterson as part of what was known as the "Flying Camp". They were stationed at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and saw no action. When the "Flying Camp" disbanded, the company was attached to Colonel David Hall's regiment, but fought with Colonel William Grayson's Virginians at the Battle of Brandywine. Nursing an illness, he was not at Germantown, but spent the winter at Valley Forge. Following Grayson's promotion to brigadier-general, Mitchell led his regiment in the attack at the Battle of Monmouth. This was the attack that was ordered back by General Charles Lee and which eventually led to his court-martial. In 1779, Mitchell was brigade major on General Peter Muhlenberg's staff in the tidewater Virginia. When British General Benedict Arnold attacked Richmond, Virginia, Mitchell was defending Petersburg when he was captured on May 10, 1781. By most accounts, his childhood friend Michael O'Brien died in the affray. He was held prisoner until after the Battle of Yorktown.

Professional and political career

Mitchell was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati. He served as Delaware's delegate to the Continental Congress during its last two years from his election on October 27, 1786, until the Congress was replaced by the new government under the United States Constitution of 1787. Following that he was Prothonotary for Sussex County. In 1801 he ran for Governor of Delaware, losing to David Hall, the Democratic-Republican candidate. Hall was another veteran of the American Revolution who ran a campaign critical of Mitchell's alleged deistic Anglicanism. Mitchell lost heavily Presbyterian New Castle County by just enough votes to overcome his wide margins elsewhere. Three years later, in 1804, he was successful, beating Joseph Haslet, the Democratic-Republican candidate. Mitchell served as Governor of Delaware from January 15, 1805, until January 19, 1808.

Delaware General Assembly (sessions while Governor)
Year	Assembly		Senate majority	Speaker		House majority	Speaker
1805	29th		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Thomas Laws
1806	30th		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	Jesse Green
1807	31st		Federalist	James Sykes		Federalist	William Warner

Death and legacy

Mitchell died at his home at Laurel. He may have been buried there at first, but was later removed to Christ Church, and is buried in the Broad Creek Episcopal Graveyard, near Laurel.

Hannah, Nathaniel Mitchell's widow, later married Colonel Manaen Bull, a British soldier who became a resident of Laurel after the American Revolution. He had the first store there, on the northwest corner of Delaware Avenue and Market Street. They lived near Trap Pond. Unlike Mitchell, Bull was a Democratic-Republican and ran for Governor of Delaware in 1816 and 1819, losing to John Clark and Henry Molleston.

No known portrait exists of Nathaniel Mitchell.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October and members of the General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. The General Assembly elected the Continental Congressmen for a term of one year, State senators had a three-year term and state representatives had a one-year term. The governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three-year term.

Public offices
Office	Type	Location	Began office	Ended office	Notes
Delegate	Legislature	Philadelphia	October 27, 1786	March 4, 1789	Continental Congress
Prothonotary	Judiciary	Georgetown	1788	1805	Sussex County
Governor	Executive	Dover	January 15, 1805	January 19, 1808
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 6, 1809	January 6, 1810
State Senator	Legislature	Dover	January 6, 1810	January 6, 1813

Delaware General Assembly service
Dates	Assembly	Chamber	Majority	Governor	Committees	District
1809	33rd	State House	Federalist	George Truitt		Sussex at-large
1810	34th	State Senate	Federalist	George Truitt		Sussex at-large
1811	35th	State Senate	Federalist	Joseph Haslet		Sussex at-large
1812	36th	State Senate	Federalist	Joseph Haslet		Sussex at-large

Election results
Year	Office		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
1801	Governor		Nathaniel Mitchell	Federalist	3,457	50%		David Hall	Republican	3,475	50%
1804	Governor		Nathaniel Mitchell	Federalist	4,391	52%		Joseph Haslet	Republican	4,050	48%

References

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Martin, Roger A. (1984). A History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.
• Munroe, John A. (1954). Federalist Delaware 1775-1815. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University.
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
• Wilson, Emerson (1969). Forgotten Heroes of Delaware. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Deltos Publishing Company.

External links

• Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Delaware’s Governors
• Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard
• Society of the Cincinnati
• American Revolution Institute

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965