Jeremiah Mize (abt. 1779 - abt. 1811)

Born about 1779 in Lunenburg, Virginia, United States

Husband of Nancy McDonald (Bailey) Mize — married about 1800 in North Carolina, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1811 at about age 32 in Franklin, Georgia, United States

Biography

Jeremiah Mize appears to be the son of John and Keziah Mize, mostly from the process of elimination. This is not proven.

Jeremiah paid taxes in Mecklenburg County in 1800 which indicated he was born about 1779. Jeremiah was born in Lunenburg County Virginia. His family moved to Brunswick County Virginia about 1790, and then moved to Mecklenburg County Virginia about 1795. His father John Mize appears to have died in Mecklenburg County about 1801. Jeremiah appears to have joined his Uncles Henry, Shepherd and James in Union County South Carolina about 1801 and married Nancy Bailey. Jeremiah Mize and Nancy Bailey had their first child, John J. Mize about 1802 in Union County South Carolina. It was a common practice in those days to name your first born son after your father. Their second child who survived past childhood was Thomas Mize who was born about 1808 in Union County South Carolina. Jeremiah Mize and his family appear to have moved to the Jackson or Franklin County area of Georgia about 1810 before the U.S. Census.

Nancy Bailey Mize, the widow of Jeremiah Mize, married James McDonald about 1812 in either Jackson or Franklin County Georgia. Jeremiah Mize must have died sometime before their marriage, probably 1811 or 1812. The Orphans of Jeremiah Mize of Turk’s District in Franklin County won lot 153 in Section 8 in Henry County in the 1821 Georgia Lottery.

There is a family legend that Thomas and John Mize went to live with their Uncle Henry Mize for a time. Henry Mize moved to the northern part Franklin County in 1816. That part of Franklin County became Habersham County Georgia in 1818. If the legend is true that Nancy dropped the boys with Henry Mize after he moved to Georgia, Nancy would have left the boys in the Fall of 1816 or in 1817. Thomas would have been about 11 years old and John was about 15 years old. Since Henry was in Habersham County in 1820, and the boys were in Franklin County in 1820, they must have returned to Franklin County on or before 1820, leaving them with Henry for about 3 years at the most. It is possible she took the boys to Henry in South Carolina and he brought them to Franklin County and returned them to her before 1820.

If Jeremiah is the son of John and Keziah Mize, then Henry would indeed be the boy’s great uncle. Family legends are not always 100% true, but usually based on the truth.