Mitchelville, Missouri - Family History in a Ghost Town

Mitchelville is a now extinct town located about five and one-half miles southwest of Bethany, in Harrison County, Missouri. The community, located where a gravel road (now called W 347th Street) extends east from  what is now U. S. Hwy 69. The community was named after an early settler, James MITCHELL. The post office was established in 1865. The Mitchelville School was one mile east.

Mitchelville Church (1999)

(click to enlarge)

The Mitchelville Church sits on the southeast corner of the intersection. Built in 1869, it is the last remaining evidence of the rural community that at one time was home to a store and sawmill. About a quarter mile south of the church is the Burris Cemetery, and across the gravel road north of the church, in the field of the Claude Cox Farm is the remains of the Mitchell Family Cemetery. (In 1974 descendants of James M. MITCHELL collected the surviving markers and placed them in a concrete foundation. It is surrounded by a chainlink fence.

To get to Mitchelville: Travel west from Bethany on U. S. Hwy 136, go south on U. S. Hwy 69 for 2.8 miles to W 347th St. Mitchelville Church is on the east side of the road. The Claude Cox Farm is .2 miles east of the Hwy, the entrance to Burris Cemetery is .3 miles south of Cox Farm on W. 187th Ave.

William and Jacob MITCHELL (relationship unknown) settled in the area in 1838. During that year and 1839 several families settled at different points in the county and the communities were known by the names of some of the more prominent of the first settlers. Communities such as Dunkerson's Grove, Taylor's Grove, Harris' Mill, Foster's Farm, and Allen's Big Spring were common. These localities became known among the people and were used as commonly as the towns and villages.

1876 Map of Mitchelville

(church in blue)

(Click to enlarge)

The site of Mitchelville was along Big Creek in the northern part of newly organized Daviess County. In 1845, Daviess County was divided and Harrison County was formed and Mitchelville was now in southern Harrison County. By this time, Jacob's father, James Mullin MITCHELL had arrived with his family from Indiana. James built a sawmill on Big Creek, west of the church. Other families who called Mitchelville home included Arnold, Burris, Gardner, Noble, Slaughter, and Tilly. John Noble operated the store and was postmaster of Mitchelville from 1869-1888. The church was built on his land.

Mitchelville declined as rapidly as it grew. After 1900, most of the early families had left the area or were buried under the ground of Mitchelville. After 1917, it no longer appeared on maps of the area.

NOTE: James Mullin MITCHELL is the 3rd great-grandfather of my wife, Judy.