Mitchell, Nathaniel, 1753-1814

Nathaniel Mitchell (1753 – February 21, 1814) was an American lawyer and politician from 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.

Born in Sussex County, Mitchell engaged in agricultural pursuits before serving as 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." 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. Following William Grayson's promotion to brigadier-general, Mitchell led his regiment in the attack at the Battle of Monmouth. In 1779 he was brigade major on General Peter Muhlenburg's staff in the tidewater Virginia. When British General Benedict Arnold attacked Richmond, Virginia, Mitchell was defending Petersburg, Virginia when he was captured in May 1781; he was held prisoner until after the Battle of Yorktown.

Mitchell 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 1805 until 1808.

Mitchell served in the Delaware House of Representatives from 1809 to 1810 and in the Delaware Senate from 1810 to 1813. He died at his home at Laurel. Mitchell 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.