Jane Mitchel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Mitchel
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Mitchel at age 15
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| Born |
Jane Verner
c. 1820 near Newry, County Down
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| Died | 31 December 1899 (aged 79) Bedford Park, New York
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| Resting place | Woodlawn cemetery, New York |
| Spouse(s) | John Mitchel |
Jane "Jenny" Mitchel (born around 1820 – died December 31, 1899) was an Irish nationalist. She is known for joining her husband, John Mitchel, when he was sent away to the United States. There, during the Civil War, she and her sons supported the Southern states.
Contents
Early Life and Family Beginnings
Jane Verner was born around 1820 near Newry, in County Down, Ireland. She lived with her mother and brother, and Captain James Verner. Captain Verner was an important figure in the Orange Order, a Protestant organization. Even though he raised Jane, he was not her biological father. Jane went to Miss Bryden's School for Young Ladies in Newry.
Meeting and Marrying John Mitchel
Jane met John Mitchel when she was about 15 years old. They tried to run away together in 1836, but James Verner brought her back home. They tried again in 1837 and were married on February 3 at Drumcree Church in County Armagh. After her marriage, Jane was no longer supported by James Verner. She moved in with her husband's family.
In 1839, Jane and John moved to Banbridge, where John worked as a lawyer. They had six children together: three daughters and three sons.
Supporting Irish Nationalism
In October 1845, the family moved to Dublin. John Mitchel became an editor for a newspaper called The Nation. Their home became a meeting place for a group called the Young Irelanders. Jane fully supported her husband's strong belief in Irish independence.
She helped him with his newspaper work. She read other newspapers, collected news clippings, and even wrote anonymously for another paper, the United Irishman. In May 1848, John Mitchel was found guilty of trying to start a rebellion. He was sentenced to be sent away for fourteen years. Jane urged his friends to fight for his release, and she was disappointed when they did not.
Life in Exile and America
Because of her husband's situation, people who supported Irish independence raised money for Jane and her family. For three years, Jane lived in Newry and Dublin. In June 1851, she traveled to Van Diemen's Land (which is now called Tasmania) to join her husband. They settled in a village called Bothwell. Their youngest child, Isabel, was born there in 1853.
Travels and New Homes
Jane and John traveled around Tasmania, visiting other Irish exiles. They became good friends with William Smith O'Brien. When John Mitchel escaped in July 1853, Jane and her children joined him in Sydney, Australia. From there, they sailed to America.
They lived in Brooklyn, New York, from 1853 to 1855. Here, they reconnected with friends who were also Irish exiles. In May 1855, the family moved to a quiet farm in Tucaleechee Cove in the Allegheny Mountains, Tennessee. Jane worried that living in such an isolated place would harm her children's education. So, in September 1856, the family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. In Knoxville, John Mitchel started a newspaper called the Southern Citizen. This newspaper supported the practice of slavery.
The American Civil War Years
In December 1858, the family moved again to Washington, D.C.. Jane supported her husband's views on the Southern cause. However, she had some personal concerns. She stated that she would never want to own slaves herself.
In September 1860, Jane went with her husband to Paris, France. She supported her daughter Henrietta's decision to become a Catholic and join a convent. Jane stayed in Paris and Ireland with her daughters. Meanwhile, her husband and sons helped the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
Without telling her husband, Jane decided to return to America. She heard that her youngest son, William, had died in July 1863 during the Gettysburg Campaign. She sailed with her daughters, Mary and Isabel, as Henrietta had passed away earlier that year. Their ship tried to get past a naval blockade by the Union forces. The ship was attacked, ran aground, and caught fire near the coast of North Carolina. Jane and her daughters were safe, but they lost all their belongings. By December 1863, Jane had joined her husband in Richmond, Virginia. They stayed there for the rest of the Civil War. Their oldest son, John, was killed in action in July 1864.
Later Life and Legacy
After the war, the family moved back to New York. John Mitchel started another newspaper called the Irish Citizen. However, due to a lack of money and her husband's poor health, the family became very poor. Friends like William and John Dillon helped them out in 1873.
Jane became a widow in March 1875 when John Mitchel passed away. She received $30,000 from people who supported Irish nationalism. She used this money to invest in a photolithographic company that she ran with her son, James.
Jane Mitchel died at her home in Bedford Park, New York, on December 31, 1899. She is buried in Woodlawn cemetery in New York. Her grave is marked with a large Celtic cross. Two of her children, James (1840–1908) and Mary (1846–1910), outlived her.
