Mitchell County was created from Baker county December 21, 1857.  There is some controversy over who the county is named for.  The Act creating the county indicated it was named for General Henry Mitchell who was a State Senator from Warren County, President of the Senate, a Presidential elector and Commander of the Georgia troops after the Revolutionary War.  However, the widely held view among historians is that the county was named for General David B. Mitchell, who was twice Governor of Georgia.