infant son of randall and rosie mitchell
1916-1916
Life Story
The Infant Son of Randall and Rosie Mitchell (1916)
The brief life of the infant son of Randall and Rosie Beal Mitchell stands as a quiet but deeply poignant chapter in the history of the Mitchell family of Newton County, Mississippi. Though he never had the opportunity to grow into childhood or adulthood, the surviving records preserve his existence and place him within the broader story of a family rooted in the red clay soil of Lawrence and Beat 4.
Birth and Family Background
The child was born on November 8, 1916, in the village of Lawrence, Mississippi, a rural community in Newton County that was home to many interconnected Black farming families during the early twentieth century. He was the son of Randle (Randall) Mitchell, a native of Newton County, and Rosie Beal Mitchell, who was born in neighboring Jasper County.
At the time of his birth, the Mitchell family was already well established in the Lawrence community. Randall and Rosie were raising a large household that would eventually include children such as Glover, David, Wyatt, Randal Jr., Sidney, Arthur, Jimmie Lee, Viola, and others whose lives later stretched from Mississippi to cities such as Detroit and Memphis during the Great Migration.
A Life Measured in Moments
According to the official Mississippi death certificate, the child was stillborn on the very day of his birth. Though his life lasted only moments, his father ensured that his son’s passing was formally recorded, preserving his place within the family’s historical record.
The death certificate was filed on November 9, 1916, by registrar L. P. Price. The document reflects the racial classifications of the Jim Crow South, listing the child’s race as “Blk” (Black), a reminder of the segregated world into which he was born.
Burial at Union Chapel
Following his passing, the infant was laid to rest in the cemetery of Union Chapel Methodist Church in Lawrence, Mississippi. The church cemetery served as a sacred resting place for generations of local Black families and remains an important historical landmark tied to the community’s spiritual and family heritage.
The burial arrangements were handled by Coop Whitehead, a local undertaker in Lawrence who assisted many families in the surrounding rural communities during this era.
Though unnamed in surviving records, the infant son of Randall and Rosie Mitchell remains part of the enduring story of the Mitchell family — a reminder that even the shortest lives leave traces in history and memory.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery
Photos/Albums
Sources
- Mississippi State Board of Health, death certificate for Infant Son Mitchell, stillborn, 8 November 1916, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi; filed 9 November 1916 by L. P. Price; Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Mississippi.
Leave a Reply