Jane "Jenny" Mitchel ( – 31 December 1899) was an Irish nationalist who joined her husband, John Mitchel, in exile in the United States where, with their sons, they sided on a pro-slavery platform with the secessionist South in the Civil War. Early life and family Jane Mitchel was born Jane Verner around 1820 near Newry, County Down. At the time she, her brother and her mother Mary Ward were living with Captain James Verner (1777–1847). James Verner was from a prominent Armagh family, and was involved in the Orange Order, going on to become Orange deputy grandmaster of Ireland in 1824. Although James Verner raised Mitchel, she is not believed to be his child. Mitchel attended Miss Bryden's School for Young Ladies in Newry. Mitchel met her husband, John Mitchel, when she was 15. The couple eloped in November 1836, but did not marry as James Verner pursued them to Chester and brought her home to Ireland. They eloped again in 1837, and were married at Drumcree Church, County Armagh on 3 February. At this point Mitchel was disowned by James Verner, and went to live with her in-laws at Dromalane, County Down. They then moved to Banbridge in 1839 where her husband practised law. The couple went on to have six children, three daughters and three sons. The couple moved to Dublin in October 1845 when John Mitchel became the assistant editor of The Nation. They lived at 8 Ontario Terrace, Rathmines, where there were Young Irelanders met. She was a full supporter of her husband's nationalism. She aided in his work with The Nation, reading other newspapers, keeping and filing reference clippings, going on to become and editor and anonymous contributor to the United Irishman from February 1848. John Mitchel was convicted of treason for inciting insurrection in May 1848, and was sentenced to fourteen years' transportation. Mitchel urged his fellow Young Irelanders to fight his removal, and denounced them when they failed to come out in support of him. Exile Due to her standing in the nationalist community, £1,450 was raised to support her and her family. For three years, Mitchel lived in Newry and Dublin, before she joined her husband Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in June 1851, where they settled in the village of Bothwell. Their youngest child, Isabel, was born there in 1853. The Mitchels travelled around the island with her husband, visiting fellow