I'm a third-generation Californian by birth. My father's folk came from north-western Virginia (now West Virginia), by way of Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri. Thence to Humboldt County, CA; Placer County, CA; Fresno County, CA; and Sutter County, CA; and finally Napa County, CA (where I was born). My eponymous immigrant ancestor was Rev. John Mitchel (we still spell the name that way), 1762-1840, a Revolutionary War veteran in the Virginia Militia and Colonial Line. He was as the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.

My mother's roots are in 1630s Cambridge, Mass. From thence to the 1850s only involved a few moves: Newtown/Newton, Mass.; Lincoln (carved out of south-eastern Concord), Mass.; Charlestown, NH; Grand Isle County, VT; Siskyou County, CA; Sonoma County, CA. My mother's immigrant ancestor was Richard Park[e]s (1602-1665).

I have traveled extensively in Middlesex County, Mass., western Vermont and eastern Upstate New York (around Lake Champlain), and somewhat less in Lewis and Randolph Counties, WV and Robertson/Nicholas Counties, KY.

I have a PhD in ancient near eastern history and archaeology - and haven't been in that field of work for over 20 years.

I'm a third-generation Californian by birth. My father's folk came from north-western Virginia (now West Virginia), by way of Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri. Thence to Humboldt County, CA; Placer County, CA; Fresno County, CA; and Sutter County, CA; and finally Napa County, CA (where I was born). My eponymous immigrant ancestor was Rev. John Mitchel (we still spell the name that way), 1762-1840, a Revolutionary War veteran in the Virginia Militia and Colonial Line. He was as the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.

My mother's roots are in 1630s Cambridge, Mass. From thence to the 1850s only involved a few moves: Newtown/Newton, Mass.; Lincoln (carved out of south-eastern Concord), Mass.; Charlestown, NH; Grand Isle County, VT; Siskyou County, CA; Sonoma County, CA. My mother's immigrant ancestor was Richard Park[e]s (1602-1665).

I have traveled extensively in Middlesex County, Mass., western Vermont and eastern Upstate New York (around Lake Champlain), and somewhat less in Lewis and Randolph Counties, WV and Robertson/Nicholas Counties, KY.

I have a PhD in ancient near eastern history and archaeology - and haven't been in that field of work for over 20 years.