John Mitchel

John Mitchel (Irish: Seán Mistéal; 3 November 1815 – 20 March 1875) was an Irish nationalist activist, author, and political journalist. Born in Camnish, near Dungiven, County Londonderry, he became a leading member of both Young Ireland and the Irish Confederation. After moving to the United States in the 1850s, he became a pro-slavery editorial voice. Mitchel moved to the Confederate States of America after the outbreak of the American Civil War, and two of his sons died fighting for the Confederate cause. He was elected to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in 1875, but was disqualified because he was a convicted felon. His Jail Journal is one of Irish nationalism's most famous texts.

John Mitchel's father, also John, was educated mainly at the University of Glasgow and became a Presbyterian clergyman. William Dillon, Mitchel's biographer tells that "about the year 1810, he was put in charge of the church at or near Dungiven, in the county of Derry". It was here that he met and married Mary Haslett. In 1819, the Rev. Mitchel was called to Derry, where he remained for some four years, when he received the "call" from both Newry and Armagh. He accepted the call to Newry, and remained there, respected by all classes, until his death in 1840. After her husband's death Mrs Mitchel travelled a good deal. In 1853, when her son escaped from his exile in Van Diemen's Land and went to the United States, she, with her other son and two of her daughters, went there to receive him. She lived in the US for several years then recrossed the Atlantic, and went to live in London. From there she went to Newry, where she remained until her death in 1865.

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