Jervay Mitchell

By RAY WYCHE
Staff Writer

Jervay Mitchell sits in his house in the St. James community north of Lake Waccamaw and looks over the fields and forests that have been his home for more than a century.

Mitchell celebrated his 105th birthday Monday. His family and friends had prepared a big celebratory meal in his church, St. James Baptist, Saturday afternoon. About 200 guests assembled but the centenarian-plus was unable to be present.

However, he did attend the worship service at St. James, a few weeks ago and his daughter, Mamie Spaulding, says it was obvious that he understood the sermon since he came out with several “amens” at appropriate times.

Mitchell has trouble talking but he did manage on one occasion during a recent visit to state the obvious: “I’m kind of getting on up in age.”

Mitchell was born in the St. James community and has never moved away.

He purchased a new farm, his present home place, several years ago only a short distance from the acres he had tended for several years.

Mitchell’s wife Mamie died in 1989 at age 84 after 66 years of marriage and 16 children. Ten of his offspring are still living; the firstborn, Avery, is 82 years of age and lives in New Jersey. His youngest. Catherine Spaulding, is 56 and lives in St. James.

Fathers Day, if all his descendants were present, would be a big occasion at Mitchell’s house.

His family tree is a large one: 16 children, 38 grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great -grandchildren.

Mitchell remained active until only a few years ago. At age 99, he was driving his car from St. James to Whiteville, a distance of about 18 miles, a practice that was a source of worry to his daughters who live nearby.

“We finally parked him,” his daughter Mamie Spaulding says, by having someone disconnect the battery cable in his car.

But Mitchell figured out why his vehicle would not run and had someone to reconnect the cable.

Shortly afterwards approaching the age of 100, he decided that perhaps he was a bit old to be driving along the busy highways between his home and Whiteville and this time, on his own, hung up his keys forever.

Throughout his 105 years Mitchell has never suffered any serious health problems.

He underwent prostate surgery a few years ago and made a full recovery.

But the toll of 105 years has put him in a chair and now, for most of his waking hours, he spends his time looking out over his fields.