Introduction

Luke Mizell I came to Jamestown Virginia between 1632 and 1635 as an indentured servant. He may have been an orphan in England before this, one of many French Huguenots who fled their home land to escape religious persecution. He gained his freedom around 1640 and married in 1647. He and his wife Deborah had two sons Lawrence born 1651 and Like II born 1660. He died in 1670.

Joseph Henri Mizell was born in France in 1727 and came to Charleston, South Carolina in the 1780s. This was the time leading up to the French Revolution, when there was much unrest at home and incentives to find a new life elsewhere. He brought a wife and seven children to South Carolina.

Generations Summary

Since Luke and Deborah, there have been 14 generations descended to today. Since Joseph Henri, there have been 10 generations. Numerous variations in the spelling of the Mizell name have occurred, and several survive today.

The history of the Mizell family is a history of the South. The early family members lived in Virginia in the 1600s, lived in North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida in the 1700s,

and in the 1800s moved westward into Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and other states.

Some of the early Mizells owned slaves before the civil war, who took the family name when they gained their freedom. African Americans who can trace their ancestors back to the 1800s can gain insights to their early families by looking at the Mizell history.

A Look at the Past / A Look at the Future

The Past

You can get information about the early Mizells at this web site. An increasing number of serious genealogists are researching the Mizell name, both to find their own ancestors as well as to understand the lives of spouses.

Many early ancestors were solid contributors to their pioneering communities, and there is a great heritage to be proud of. Like all families with many, many generations, the Mizells have people who were notorious for various reasons. There is much to learn if you care to invest some effort.

There are many versions about how and where the early Mizells came to the New World. The history of the family presented here seems to be supported by more evidence that any other version. There is certainly more to add about the family’s early years in the New World.

The Future

There are more people today working to research the history of the Mizell name in all its variations, AND to research the spouses. There are indeed many generations to investigate.

Thanks to all of your submissions, suggestions and tips, this web-site is going to get better in the months ahead.

In the months ahead, we hope to have a Family Tree Maker (FTM) File available for download from this site. Initially it will be the first several generations, but there could be 8,000 to 10,000 Mizells and perhaps another 40,000 people from spouses families by sometime in 2008. How’s that for a group project?

A Family History Book will be published for the 2008 reunion AND a CD issued with the latest FTM data. There is a lot we can accomplish together.

[Dot]Com vs. [Dot]Info

Why isn’t this site Mizell[dot]com? This simple answer is this is not a “commercial” web site!

We live in the Information Age, and this web site is dedicated to information. So Mizell[dot]info is it!