Newman Ridge Gang

Sunday June 23, 2002

Left to right:

Betty Griffith, Konnie Hoover, Tari Adams, Phillip Roberts, Penny Ferguson, Jack Goins, Kathleen McGowan.

"Early on Sunday morning, seven Melungeons piled into a minivan and trundled up Newman's Ridge into the heart of Tennessee's Melungeon country. The sycamores were draped with mistletoe, and many of the houses along the way had small plots of tobacco growing. Sitting at the wheel, Jack Goins joked that the switchbacks were so sharp that "you meet yourself coming back," while others made wisecracks about whose outlaw ancestors killed whose.
This was why they had come to the reunion—to see the valleys and hilltops their forebears had farmed, to share lore and take pictures of each other in front of gravestones and crumbling cabins. Others may have looked to DNA for identity, but to this group of Melungeons, a summer morning in the sweet air of Hancock County was more meaningful than any pattern of genetic blips.
In the valley below Newman's Ridge, the Melungeons clambered out and headed for the little whitewashed Primitive Baptist Church. Seven Gibson, who can trace his roots through several major Melungeon families, was preaching. In front of the church, a fountain collected the springwater that ran off the razorback hills above. It was little more than a low stone trough with a roof and a spigot, but the sign above it read: "This water will satisfy the thirst of your body. Only Jesus can satisfy the thirst of your soul."
Goins passed out some Styrofoam cups, and each of the Melungeons drank in turn."( Kathleen McGowan, reporter, was along on this trip from Rogersville, Tennessee. Kathleen McGowan wrote the above in her article on the Melungeons concerning their DNA in the May  2003 issue of Discover Magazine beginning page 58.)


We took HWY 70 to Kyles Ford, then east up the Clinch River and turned on Fishers Valley road, crossed the North Fork of Clinch River and visited near the home of Paul and Kate Hurd, which was originally the home of my 5th generation grandparents Zachariah and Aggy Sizemore Minor.  We passed Walnut Grove Church and drove on to the farm where I was born, then we drove toward Sneedville and crossed  Newman Ridge near Seven Gibson's home, where we took this picture. We then drove down Newman Ridge into Vardy Valley.   Jack Goins

UPDATE ON STONY CREEK CHURCH MINUTES

In the summer of 1992 I was searching for old church records in the Palmer Room of the library in Kingsport, Tn., because my 5th great, grandfather Zephaniah Goins Joined Blackwater Church via letter from another church recorded in the minutes of Blackwater Church.


I found a book containing the minutes of the old Stony Creek Church located in Fort Blackmore Virginia 1801-1814. I didn’t find grandpa’s name, but I did find the word *Melungin* which to date is the oldest written record of this word. I first wrote about this in Families of Hawkins County, Tennessee and in the Gowen Research Foundation Newsletter 1994.


This book was perhaps the first book of Stony Creek Baptist Church and was in the possession of Scott Boatright whose grandfather was once a minister of this church. The handwriting is very good and the ink has lasted well. Copied August , 1966 by Emory Hamilton, Wise Virginia, with a copy filed in the archive of Southwest Virginia Historical Society at Clinch Valley College. Notice this date 1966 which was before the outdoor drama Walk toward the sunset, before the internet, at this time frame Melungeon was a forgotten word. At this time the word used in Wise County to describe tri-racial people was Ramp.


Book 1 ends with July 1811, Book 2 starts with what seems to be the Nov.meeting 1812, was copied at the same time by Emory Hamilton, copied from Hamilton copy in 1970 by Bobbie Baldwin.


Book 2 transcribed by Bobbie Baldwin became an issue with one person on her Melungeon blog and website, simply because it no longer fit her new agenda, while in the past she praised the find. Only The part involving the word Melungin simply because she did not want the oldest written record to be involved with the Newman Ridge, Blackwater, settlement who were recorded in these minutes as some of the first members beginning 1801.  The word Melungin was recorded in 1813 book 2 by Emory Hamilton who placed a copy in the library at Clinch Valley College in Wise Virginia, which is now the University of Virginia at Wise.


Emory L. Hamilton (1913-1991) was a historian and educator in Wise,County Virginia. The collection contains books, photographs, articles written by Mr.Hamilton, and personal letters pertaining to the history and genealogy of Southwest Virginia the word melungin was transcribed from original by Hamilton in 1966.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/scott/church/stonycrk.txt

I learned from this trip that a lady named Garnell Marshall of St. Paul,Virginia had all 4 of these books for sale I purchased 3 of them, but before I bought these I ask her if they were from the original books and she said yes. This removed the possibility of an error in transcribing the book by Baldwin. This first known written reference to the word "Melungin" is recorded on 26 September 1813, page 37 in minute Book two of Stony Creek Church by Baldwin and Page 40 in Garnell Marshall Stony Creek Church minutes. The record reads: Brother Kilgore, Moderator

          “Then came forward Sister Kitchen and complained to the church against
           Susanna Stallard for saying she harbored them Melungins."


Thomas Gibson family was  originally from Louisa County, Virginia, and Orange County, North Carolina, moved to Wilkes County from the Flat River circa 1770. Most of the Collins left Orange County in 1767. This family moved to Fort Blackmore, Virginia before 1800. And joined Stony Creek Church as recorded in the minutes:

     
Feb. 26, 1802 Church came to order, Thomas Gibson excommunicated, Sister Vina Gibson obtained a letter of dis-mission by letter of recommendation from  Blackwater Church, sister Mary Gibson obtained a letter of dismission.


July 1802 Ruebin Gibson, Fanny Gibson, Henry Gibson, Thomas Gibson Jr, Vina Gibson, Judith Moore, Fanny Gibson, received by experience.

Charles Gibson and his wife Mary were received by experience at Stony Creek Church 26 June 1802.194

In 1802 Some of these Melungeon  families had left for Blackwater, as per the following request: Sept. 25, 1804 Ruebin Gibson excluded from membership of this church he lives down at Blackwater, and has our letter of dismission and keeps it, and has joined another church. In those days people traveled several miles for  church meetings which were held once a month. Some folks stayed all night on their long journey, which seems to be the disturbance caused between two ladies of this church when one accused the other of harboring the Melungins.

This first known written reference to the word "Melungeon" is recorded on 26 September 1813, page 37 in minute Book two of Stony Creek Church: Church set in love. Brother Oaks, Moderator.

“Then came forward Sister Kitchen and complained to the church against Susanna Stallard for saying she harbored them Melungins."

Sister Kitchens used the given name Susanna in her complaint filed with the church, rather than the nickname Sook, for Susanna Stallard as used by the church clerk in her testimony:
“Sister Sook said she was hurt with her for believing her child, and not believing her,and she won’t talk to her to get satisfaction, and both is " pigedish," one against the other. Sister Sook lays it down and the church forgives her." Interpreting the above church record, I believe the church forgave Susanna Stallard (Sister Sook) for saying Sister Kitchens was harboring Melungins and possibly agreed it was her child who spread the rumor. They could not solve this because they were "pigedish" (Pig Headed, an old expression for stubborn.) The way this word "Melungin" was used in these minutes, suggest it was a common known word at Stony Creek Church in 1813 because no other explanations were given.


Studying the Stony Creek Church Minutes,tax records, and oral history from this area the word "Melungin" used in this church record appears to apply to one group who had moved away. Although several Melungeons, were excommunicated from Stony Creek Baptist Church, this act does not prove they were discriminated against by white members, because whites were also excommunicated for the same reasons.


The first member excommunicated was William Nolen on October 23, 1802. In these first minutes of Stony Creek Church, the Thomas Gibson family, who joined in 1802, were excommunicated a few months later. In almost every case the reason given was drunk, rowdy and fighting. Why were they fighting? Was it because of their dark complection and were not socially accepted by neighbors in the Fort Blackmore area? This was a church that accepted blacks as members, and voted to give them equal rights in the church, and they accepted the Melungeons as long as their behavior was according to church bylaws which was very strict.
         
Stony Creek Church records point to the Thomas Gibson family as the ones who were returning from Blackwater for meetings at Stony Creek Church. This family is later classified as Melungeon on Newman Ridge. Former members from this family may have been the ones referred to in the 1813 church minutes as "Melungins." Valentine Collins, who joined in 1801 and  moved his letter to Blackwater Church. He may have also returned to visit friends at Stony Creek.

In 1755 The Thomas Gibson family, Thomas Collins family, Moses Riddle family and William Bollen family had adjoining farms on the Flat River in North Carolina. According to family tradition, some of the Collins and Gibsons in Virginia claimed Portugese and Indian blood. In the 1740s these two families lived near the Pamunkey River, then moved to the Flat River in Orange County, North Carolina, before migrating to the New River. According to church minutes, most of the Thomas Gibson Sr. family had moved to the Blackwater Tennessee area before 1813. Valentine Collins probably migrated with the Thomas Gibson family from Ashe County, North Carolina. According to a Dec. 1801 church record, Valentine Collins joined Stony Creek Church. He and his wife received a letter of dismission 23 April 1803, and on the same day Charles Gibson and his wife received a letter of  “dismission”(dismissal), but Charles later returned to Stony Creek Church and he was excommunicated on 25 January 1806. Most of these members of Stony Creek Church migrated from the New River.

“Aug.1807 Valentine Collins' case laid over. Sept: Valentine Collins neglected to hear the church, non-fellowship with him and will inform the church on Black Water. Isaac Denton, Wm Goodson, Harden Williams to write a letter to that church”.

Valentine Collins was a member of Stony Creek and Blackwater Baptist Church. He may have gone to Cumberland County, Kentucky with Micajer Bunch, or Joseph and Isaac Riddle, sons of Tory Captain William Riddle. Valentine Collins was on the move. He didn't stay long as a member of Clear Fork Baptist Church, but came back to Hawkins County where he is listed on the 1810 tax list.

 “State of Tennessee, Hawkins County vs Valentine Collins, Benjamin Collins, Jordan Gibson and Charles Gibson on a plea of debt by merchant John M. Preston May 1,1811”-Then on the 14th day of June 1811 they were summoned to Rogersville to pay John M. Preston eight pounds and thirteen shillings on beef cattle by the first day of August next. Valentine Collins owed 2 pounds 15 shillings, Benjamin Collins 1 pound 18 shillings, Jordan Gibson 1 pound 16 shillings and Charles Gibson 2 pound, 4 shillings totaling 8 pounds, 13 shillings.

Valentine Collins is on a delinquent tax list in Claiborne County 1812. “ Thomas Gibson, Sherod Gibson and Valentine Collins.”  It appears they moved there from Hawkins and then moved from Claiborne owing taxes. According to a descendants Y-DNA test, Valentine Collins was E1b1a. He was obviously white enough to be listed white in most records. He was a member of Stony Creek, Blackwater and Clear Fork Baptist Churches. Valentine Collins obviously left descendants in Hancock County, proven by the FTDNA Family Finder test.

“ James Williams allowed to keep the horse which was pro-vided by this church and Beaver Creek Church for the use of paying Bro Bunch to Bro John Lee, and making Bro Bunch’’s coffin. Letter of dismission to Anne Lee and Wm Bond and his wife.”

The Melungeons actually told us where they come from. Charles Gibson was probably the oldest Melungeon on Newman Ridge when he filed his pension at Rogersville on 19 Jan.1839. Application # R3995 he gave his age as 92 (b. 1747), but according to a tax record in Orange County, NC. He was more than 100 yrs old. He gave his place of birth as Louisa County, Virginia. He enlisted near Salisbury, North Carolina. Benjamin Collins, Jonathan Gibson, and Jordan Gibson swear that Charles Gibson is reputed to be a Revolutionary War soldier in their neighborhood. Charles Gibson and wife Mary, believed to be the daughter of Moses and Mary Riddle, lived on Newman Ridge. Now we know for a fact this Gibson family came from the Pamunkey River. How about the Collins, Bunch and the rest of these ole pioneers who were labeled Melungeons? Who was in this group, and who was the head and source of the Newman Ridge Melungeons?

Hanover County was formed from New Kent County, Virginia in 1723. These Hanover County land records show the relationship of the head Melungeon families. In 1724 Paul Bunch was granted land on both sides of the Haw River. In 1728 Gilbert Gibson was granted 400 acres on the South side of the South Anna River adjacent to Col. Meriwhether. In 1728 John Bunch was granted 400 acres (Same as above location). Paul Bunch, son of John Bunch Sr., and Gedion Gibson, probably his cousin, moved from the Pamunkey River area to the Roanoke River sometime in the 1720's.


“When Gedion Gibson migrated to South Carolina it caused a disturbance in Craven County. Governor Robert Johnson of South Carolina summoned Gedion Gibson and his family to explain their presence in the area, and after meeting them reported “I have had them before me in council and upon examination find that they are not Negroes nor slaves but free people, that the father of them here is named Gedion Gibson and his father was also free. I have been informed by a person who has lived in Virginia that this Gibson has lived there several years in good repute and by his papers that he has produced before me that his transactions there have been very regular. That he has for several years paid taxes for two tracks of land and has seven Negroes of his own. That he is a carpenter by trade and is come hither for the support of his family. I have in consideration of his wife being a white woman and several white women capable of working and being serviceable in the country permitted him to settle in this Country”.


“In 1743 land on the Pamunkey River was granted to Gilbert Gibson, Thomas Gibson, and Thomas Collins, (Saint Frederick's Parish record)”.  Deeds of sale entered in this story prove the above land was on the Pamunkey River. These land entries and property transactions suggest that the older Bunch, Gibson and Collins families were related.

 According to land and tax records, the Melungeons were dark complected when they arrived in North Carolina. The 1754-55 Orange County, North Carolina tax records list them “mulatto” Also, land records such as this Orange County, North Carolina Land Grant. “1761- 700 acres to Thomas Collins on Dials Creek of the Flat River. Chain bearers: George Gibson and Paul Collins (Mulattoes)”.  We know by the Melungeon Y-DNA study this mulatto label most likely meant they were mixed African and European.

The Saponi had a settlement near Hillsboro, North Carolina. Post Revolutionary Pleasant Grove region Jeramiah Bunch, George Gibson, and Henry Bunch receive land Grants in 1785 along the Eno River just east of  Hillsboro, North Carolina. These related families had adjoining land on the Pamunkey River in Virginia in early 1700. “29 Oct 1751- Grant to William Churton, 640 acres on south side of Flat River joining John Collins on the Rocky Branch. Grant is for a warrant issued to Thomas Gibson (#3775).” “1752 250 acres to Thomas Gibson on the Flat River.”

“28 Oct 1752 640 acres to Joseph Collins on the south west side of the Flat River in St. John’’s Parish, Witness-Thomas Collins and James Lilkemper”.

William Bolen, Thomas Collins, and Moses Riddle lost their improvements to John Brown’’s survey as previously stated. ““Warrant 26 Dec 1760. 700 acres includes Bolins, Ridles & Collins impovements. Surveyed 13 April 1761" “John Brown Survey 13 April 1761 698 acres on Flat River joins Thomas Gibson, Chainbearers Moses Riddle, Charles Gibson”.

The 1755 Orange County, North Carolina tax lists identify the Melungeons as mulatto or other than white also confirms Calloway Collins statement to Dromgoole in 1790. Last paragraph page 746 “The original Collins people were Indian there is no doubt about that, and they lived as Indians lived until the first white settlers appeared among them”. From a close analysis of this story published in the Arena in 1891 it appears that Dromgoole added the tribe Cherokee, especially if she is quoting Calloway Collins which appears to be a direct quote from him, he says they were living as Indians in Virginia. This eliminates the Cherokee Indians as the Indian Tribe because the Pamunkey River was near the home of Chief Powhatan.

Not all these inter related families migrated to the New River and Newman Ridge ; Caswell County was formed from the Northern Part of Orange in 1777 it included part of the Flat River such as Rocky Branch and the following where in the new County; John Collins, Obadiah Collins 1, Middleston Collins (Millington) Martin Collins and Paul Collins.

Person County NC was formed in 1791 from the northeast area of Caswell County and the rocky branch area of the Flat River was in Person County. Roxboro is the county seat. Many of the dark skin settlers who remained became known as the Person County, Indians and they were so recognized and had their own Indian school.1790 census of Burke County North Carolina-Major Gibson, Wilborn Gibson, Stephen Gibson, Isom Gibson, Joseph Gibson, David Gibson, Wm. Gibson, Harmon Gibson.

With the help of family members and researchers, the author began this search for the Indian ancestors described by Grandpa Harrison Goins in 1950. his Indian ancestor was from his great grandma Aggy Sizemore Minor, descendants from her father George Sizemore was Q haplogroup, Native American. I talked with all the old timers in our family, gathered information from church, tax, census, court and land records. This combined documentation, and family history convinced me that our Goins family descended from Virginia’s Northern Neck, but even more convincing is the fact that our northern neck Goins foreparents were referred to as mulatto in 1724, approximately 290 years ago. Entries of mulatto, and as I later learned from the Goins FTDNA project they were African E1b1a. These findings establish this Going family as an unidentified mixture of African and European in 1724.

NEWMAN RIDGE

According to my source Newman Ridge took its name from one of the Long Hunters, named Walter Newman. There are no Newman's  recorded in the area of Hancock County beginning say 1810 up to and including censuses 1830 through 1900.  Newman Ridge  extends through Hancock County west of Sneedville and east of Kyles Ford a distance of 28 Miles in which the eastern part of Newman Ridge extends about 7 miles into Lee County, Virginia. When the old authors, historians wrote about the Newman Ridge Melungeons they did not mean to infer they all lived on the Ridge, that was describing an area which included Kyles Ford, Fishers Valley, Flower Gap, Panther Creek (Old name was Buffalo Creek),  the North Fork of Blackwater Creek in which most of it was in Lee County and the South Fork of Blackwater Creek which took in Vardy Valley  and part of Snake Hollow. You will find the Melungeons were members (1803) of the Mulberry Gap church which was across Powell Mountain. 

My research begins in this area tracing the migration of the historical Melungeons.  I know by my own research there are millions of blood relatives who never came to Newman Ridge, then we have the descendants of the historical Melungeons. Just in the Newman Ridge area in 1830 we are looking at approximately 30 families who were labeled Melungeon by historians, those families had parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc,etc. I know from research that part of the children from these families migrated to Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina and into what is now West Virginia, while others went on to middle Tennessee. Several children split off before the others left for Newman Ridge. This is proven through court records, tax records, land grants, deeds, wills and  Revolutionary war pension applications. And is the reason we formed the Melungeon Families DNA project is to find those kinfolks;

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/familiesofinterest/default.aspx 

Micajer Bunch was recognized by William Groshe and others as one of the first Melungeons in the area 1789, his land entry was near Kyles Ford in Tennessee but he signed the petition 1793 to form Lee County, VA. Also Buck Gibson first land entry was on Blackwater Lee County, Va. very near the line, these folks were next door neighbors although they lived in Tennessee and Virginia. This was not a small area, neither was it a small group and some left early into KY, such as Micager Bunch who migrated to Cumberland County, Kentucky in 1799.

(Tax list form Virginia State Library. At Richmond)
Lee County, Virginia tax list. 17th March 1795.
Drury Bunch (1 horse)
Micajah Bunch (1 horse)
Torel Bunch (1 horse)
Clem Bunch (no horses)
1797 Lee County, VA  tax list  Micajer Bunch, Isreal Bunch, Solomon Bunch, Claiborn Bunch, Jesee Bowlin,  Zachariah Goins, he was son of John and Elizabeth Goins, of Henry County, Virginia.    Jack Goins

MAYBE MELUNGEON

<>Note- I wrote this article in 2004, The Core Melungeon DNA Project was formed with Family Tree DNA on July 25, 2005. The DNA test results, especially the ones I matched on the Y-Test and on the Family Finder Test, has removed the word maybe, so the old authors who listed my older Goins family Melungeon were correct.  I will add there are no Melungeons today, only descendants and many thousand cousins confirmed by said DNA test.]  

This story deals with some unanswered questions on the Historical Melungeons.  When and where did this name begin and who was the most likely source?  The answer to these questions is based on opinions from my research.  Some of my direct line ancestors were entwined in this history and some in my Goins family were among the first settlers in the Clinch area.   Authors listed them as Melungeon because of various tax, court and census records.  To set this story in its correct perspective the Melungeons were designated by census and tax enumerators, courts, and some of their white neighbors as free persons of color, or mulatto.

The First Melungeons 

Who were the first Melungeons in the Newman Ridge/Blackwater area?  Was it the following?

“Micajer Bunch, Isreal Bunch, Solomon Bunch, Claiborn Bunch, Jessee Bowlin, Zachariah Goins (note:  son of John and Elizabeth of Henry County, Virginia). (1797 Lee County Virginia Tax Records VA. state library) 

The above were all listed “white” in 1797.  In an 1800 tax list all the Bunches except Sol were gone, also included in this tax list are:  Jesee Boling, Zach Goins (free man of color), two John Collins, Jacob and Daniel Collins. (1800 Lee Co., Va. Tax list) 

At this time Virginia claimed most of the land on the North side of Clinch River for tax purposes.  Some whose land was on the north side of Clinch River in Hawkins County actually signed the petition to form Lee County, Virginia. 

Did this unknown term ‘Melungeon’ inspire people to research them, and if there is still a mystery, is it---why this name Melungeon?

Basically I find Melungeon research the same as family research if ones goal is to determine if you are a Melungeon descendant, or in some way related to the historical Melungeons,  also if the researcher wants to know who the historical Melungeons were and why they were designated Melungeon.  First we need to know the history of our families and also the history of the Melungeon.

Several researchers, authors etc.,  who were interested in solving this mystery have started with a theory, but could not tie it to known Melungeons.  This problem is why Melungeon family genealogy may eventually solve many of these unanswered questions.

Melungeon families can be traced back in history by written records because of the mulatto, free man of color designation.  Head Melungeon families are listed on tax and land records by this method, but the researcher must be able to properly identify them because only a small percentage of the ones so labeled were Melungeon. 

If a researcher discovers some of their progenitors were labeled fpc/mulatto this may become a real challenge to tie them into the historical known Melungeons. The researcher may have to decide on “Maybe Melungeon.”   The mulatto identification was first established in colonial Virginia, which is also the first hint of discrimination against people of mixed ancestry.

“Be it enacted and declared, and it is hereby enacted and declared, that the child of an Indian and the child, grand child, or great grand child, of a Negro shall be deemed, accounted, held and taken to be a mulatto. Source:  Henning’s Statutes at large, vol 3, pp 250-251, 252.” 

 Their Names

      

My first unanswered question is, why the name Melungeon? Or was it Melungin, or malengin?  Theories range from the French word mélange meaning mixture to a host of others too numerous to name.       

Who were the Melungeons not remembered?  Sneedville Attorney Lewis Jarvis  names several Melungeons:  Vardy Collins, Shepard Gibson, Benjamin Collins, Solomon Collins, Paul Bunch and the Goodman chiefs.  Jarvis later names James Collins, John Bolin and Mike Bolin and some others not remembered.  Obviously there are more not remembered than named, so the best we can do is search the census, tax and court records for this FPC label.  Jarvis also stated they were given this name Melungeon by their white neighbors who lived here among them because of the color of their skin.

(Attorney Lewis Jarvis, Sneedville Times 4/17/1903 Hancock County, TN and it’s people Volumes 1 and 2.)

Lewis Jarvis was a captain in the Union Army Co E 8th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War and was intimately acquainted with several in my immediate family including Sizemore’s, Goins, Minor and Lawson.  Capt. Jarvis was the commanding officer who gave Stokley Lawson his fatal three-day leave to return home. Stokely along with 5 other men were captured by Rebel Soldiers led by a Captain Surgenor,  and as the stories go either hung in Rebel Hollow, or shot near Fort Blackmore. 

                                             The Term 'Melungeon"

Unanswered question #2- Where, when and by whom were they given this name Melungeon?  Lewis Shepard the attorney who won a case in 1872 Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee Chancery Court for a Melungeon girl, http://web.archive.org/web/20090527134836/http://jgoins.com/Hamilton_case.htm   who was being denied her rightful inheritance wrote:

“The term Melungeon is an East Tennessee provincialism;  it was coined by the people of that county to apply to these people.”  (Memoirs of Judge Lewis Shepard, 1915 page 88).

Studying Lewis Shepard Memoirs of that Chattanooga trial, his arguments on behalf of his client resembled a tribe, rather than a nickname given to them by their white neighbors, but more important this was 1872, 18 years before Dromgoole.  Where did Shepard get this Ancient Carthage argument?  His story was they were ancient Phoenicians who, after Carthage fell to the Romans, they immigrated across the straits to Gibraltar and settled in Portugal.  We are right back to the Portuguese, did this Moors/Portuguese Melungeons story originate from a story told to John Sevier, by a Gibson?      

  

Much has been written concerning a John Sevier letter and encounter with the Melungeons.  The earliest known reference to the purported John Sevier encounter was in a letter to the Nashville Daily American on Monday, September 15, 1890.    By Dan W. Baird:

"At the time when John Sevier attempted to organize the “State of Franklin" there were living in the mountain section of East Tennessee a colony of dark-skinned people, evidently of African or Moorish descent, who did not affiliate either with the white, the Indian or the Negro race. They called themselves "Malungeons" and claimed to be of Portuguese descent."

Baird’s letter was in response to two articles written by Will Allen Dromgoole.  Dromgoole used this information in her Arena articles without referencing where the information came from and Baird provided no reference for his information.  If you will read both the letter and Dromgoole's articles, notice that neither writer claimed John Sevier actually wrote a letter.  Thus the possibility exists that this story was handed down orally and eventually put in writing.

The problem I see with this encounter as written is when Sevier attempted to organize the State of Franklin the Melungeons named by Lewis Jarvis and William P. Groshe were not in East Tennessee.

According to documentation, Sevier’s encounter with the Melungeons must have been when he undertook the survey of Hawkins County in 1802, which included what is today Hancock County.  Therefore not finding a letter written by Sevier does not prove he did not see, or describe the Melungeons, because in his survey of Hawkins County he stayed in the heart of Melungeon country and spent the night with a Gibson who was most likely a Melungeon Gibson considering Sevier’s location was in Blackwater Valley. 

Excerpts from the diary of John Sevier Mon. Nov. 1802:   “Mr. Fish went on to Hawkins C. H. Self and Genl. Rutledge crossed Clinch (?) Mountain at Loonys Thur. 25 Rained Lay at Robers Fry. 26 Clear day.  We all sit out from Robert's crossed Newman's Ridge & lodged all night on black water creek at Gibsons...”

In Lewis Shepards argument in the trial of the celebrated Melungeon case, his Phoenicians escaped to Portugal, this may have been from part of Shakespeare’s celebrated play Othello, The Moor of Venus.  Shepard took them back to Portugal and the Moors, and maybe a similar exotic argument was used by John Netherland.  Perhaps John Sevier in oral conversations handed down his encounter with the Melungeons.  In 1802 Sevier goes to Blackwater and stayed the night at Gibson’s.  The Gibson he spent the night with in 1802 on Blackwater was not Shepard, but maybe Rubin.  A Rubin and John Gibson did sign the petition to organize the state of Franklin. 

“Rubin, Fanny, Henry, Thomas Jr, Vina, Fanny and Mary Gibson all joined Stony Creek Church 23 July 1802.   “Sept 25, 1804 Ruben Gibson excluded from membership of this church he lives down at Blackwater, and has our letter of (dismission) and keeps it, and has joined another church”  (Stony Creek Church minutes)

This may be why the first time you find the word Melungin in writing it’s in the Stony Creek Church minutes.  The first minute’s show several that were later enumerated in Hawkins County as FPC including Charles Gibson and it also shows them returning from Blackwater to Stony Creek to attend church meetings. 

Examining Records

Examining other historical documents, the Melungeon claimed their origin was Portuguese who later mixed with other nationalities.  Lewis Jarvis was born 1828, at least 50 years after some named historical Melungeons were born.  The word Melungeon, Melungin is found in writing in 1813, so his information was not first hand in regard to who, or when they were given this name Melungeon.  Although Jarvis stated he knew Vardy Collins and some others.

 

Another problem question is, does this Melungeon label apply to all the free colored families in Hawkins County, or only the ones who settled in the part that became Hancock County in 1844?  This old witness separates them, but not by counties.

  “In the last decade there has been a deep interest manifested by educators, the church and the ethnologist, in what is known as the “mountain people,” many thousands of whom are scattered over parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.”  But there is also another people who have lived in the mountains, principally in the Clinch mountains, of eastern Tennessee for more than a century; separate and distinct from all others, whose ancestry is shrouded in mystery - the mystery of obscurity. They have lived their simple pastoral life and for more than a hundred years so quietly and obscurely that their name is unknown to many.”  They are the Melungeons -their very name is a corruption of some foreign word unknown to them or to the few have given them any study. They have had no poet or seer to preserve their history.” (Statement by Eliza Haskell who’s father John Netherland won their freedom for them.) 

Unless an old record is located which contradicts these older documents we can correctly say by research the correct identification as described by witnesses in the days of the Melungeons:

“They were the families designated as free colored, free man (person) of color and mulatto who moved into Hawkins/Hancock Tennessee and the lower western part of Lee/Scott Counties, Virginia beginning 1790’s.”
 http://www.jogg.info/72/files/Estes.htm

The oldest documents on the Melungeons is also centered on these interlocking families, such as the unnamed author in Litrel Living age, the 1848-49  visit to Mineral Springs and Vardy Collins hotel, and also describing the gorge where the Melungeons lived.  Vardy Collins was called the chief cook and bottle washer of the Melungeons. Then 50 years later another writer came to the same location and interviewed Vardy Collins grandchild and great grandchildren. 

“On Friday forenoon, July 2, (1897) the writer (C.H, Humble) and Rev. Joseph Hamilton, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, started in a hack from Cumberland Gap, Tenn., for Beatty Collins’, chief of the Melungeons, in Blackwater Valley, Hancock County, Tenn. (Womens Board of Home Missions, The Presbyterian Church U.S.A.  Home Mission Monthly page 85 MELUNGEONS Footprints from the past).  

Some researchers have ignored both these old visitation accounts and cast them aside as to be taken as a grain of salt cast into the wind, or as color writers who should be ignored. My advice is to ignore any researcher who tells you this because every document must be carefully examined, because they are as scarce as hen’s teeth.  If the researcher rejects these two documents they are left with Dromgoole (1890) as the only written source prior to 1900 who actually identified some of the head Melungeon families. For an example we have:

#1-1813 Stony Creek Church record one lady accusing the other of housing the Melungins(not identified) 

#2-1840 Brownlows Whig, "an inprudent Malungeon from Washington Cty, a scoundrel who is half Negro and half white, (not Identified)and who has actually been speaking in Sullivan,in reply to combs.

#3-Edward Guerrant Diary: July 2, 1863 "Came on to Mr. Horton's for dinner, found him in a tornado furious against Virginians, who fed his grass and & c, and in ecstatic panegyrics of all Kentuckians "all of whom were interesting gentlemen and no "malungens" (1/2 b & 1/2 w)

Here is the message I get from these first three records.
1-A Melungeon was held in very low standing, one you should not keep in your home.
2- A Melungeon was half Indian and half white and thus should be ignored.
3-Melungeon was half black and half white.  Also, Mr. Horton’s conclusion that the Kentucky soldiers took care of his crops etc, was because they had no Melungeons in their army?      

Only three written documents to Dromgoole not counting the 1872 Shepard trial because I have not found, nor have I seen any of those actual court records in Shepard’s 1872 trial, only his S.L. Shepard Memoirs, Chattanooga, 1915, or Bairds article, which was in response to Dromgoole.  This is all the written pre Dromgoole article I have, I’m sure there must be more.  How did the writer in the 1848 article know where to come? And for that matter how did Dromgoole know where to come? Must have been by oral conversations.

Other historians/authors later identified the same people as the 1848 and 1897 articles, or else they used Dromgoole to establish that the Melungeons were free persons of color, but this begs another question, which free persons of color were Melungeons?  Eliza Haskell, William L. Worden, Henry Price, Sandra Keys Ivey, and many, many others too numerous to name, all had one thing in common-- they wrote about and investigated the known historical Melungeons of the Blackwater/Newman Ridge area.  Jesse Stuart “Daughter of the Legend” was indirectly pointing to these same interlocking families.  

Were They Portuguese 

I recommend you read Saundra Keyes Ivey Dissertation, she stayed in Sneedville and interviewed many Melungeon descendants as well as taking part in their outdoor drama, Walk Toward the Sunset.  Her research was outstanding.  Here is her opinion on the correspondent in the 1848 Littel’s Living Age article.  Quote:  “There seems to be no reason for this writer to have invented this detail,  “The Melungeons carefully preserved the “Legend of their history.” This “Legend” according to the writer, included an original descent from Portuguese adventures and later intermarriages with Indians, Negroes, and whites.”  (Saundra Keys Ivey PhD Dissertation, Indiana University.)

Most pre 1900 Melungeon records point to a Spanish/Portuguese heritage that later married Indians.  

” They deeply resent the name Melungeon given to them by the whites, but proudly call themselves Portuguese.”  (Dr. Swan Burnett: The Melungeons Oct 1889 in American Anthropologist),

Notice in the 1848-9 visit to Mineral Springs and Vardy Collins, they were first Portuguese, but in the 1897 visit to the same place and an interview with Vardy Collins grandson they were not mixed, but pure. Why this Indian heritage by Calloway Collins as recorded by Dromgool?

Last paragraph page 747 the Arena, this was after the move to Newman Ridge, quoting Dromgoole:  “there was no mixture of blood. They claimed to be Indians and no man disputed it.”

Why did the Melungeons nationality change?  One possibility was this mixing with Indians and Europeans as described in the 1848-9 article finally rooted out their original Portuguese ancestor after another fifty years.

A good example of this change is evident in my own family whereas Grandpa Goins talked about his Indian ancestors and never mentioned Portuguese, but his sister talked about her Portuguese ancestors.  No doubt by the time the Melungeons arrived on Blackwater they were more Indian than Portuguese. An old adage is if momma was Cherokee, baby was Cherokee, if momma brought the Indian into the family, they identified as their mother’s culture did.  

“The Melungeons have a tradition of a Portuguese ship mutiny, with the successful mutineer beaching the vessel on the North Carolina coast, then their retreat towards the mountains.”  (Eliza Haskell daughter of John Netherland 1912 Arkansas Gazette.)

According to witnesses named in this article John Netherland was the defense attorney in the illegal voting trials held in Rogersville 1846-48 this above statement by his daughter may have been a hint on the argument presented by John Netherland in those trials, but Dr. Swan Burnette had this to say about them in 1889:    

“The matter was finally carried before a jury and the question decided by an examination of the feet.  One, I believe, was found to be sufficiently flat-footed to deprive him of aright of suffrage.  The others, four or five in number, were considered as having sufficient white blood to allow them a vote.  Col. John Netherland, a lawyer of considerable local prominence defended them.”  (Dr.Swan Burnette 1889)

The 1834 revised Constitution of Tennessee specifically disfranchised Indians, mustees, and mulattoes.  The illegal voting charges and trials of known Melungeon families in Rogersville proves they did not escape this discrimination.  After two separate juries ruled Wiatt Collins and Zachariah Minor not guilty the state dropped the charges on Solomon, Levi, Ezekial, and Andrew Collins and later dropped charges on Lewis Minor.  The answer to why the charges were dropped is simple, they were brothers and cousins.  Why try Lewis Minor after his brother Zachariah was found not guilty by a Jury?  Evidence points to a probable pre trial deal between their lawyer and the state prosecutor on who was to be tried.

Swan Burnette wrote, “one was found guilty.”  Ambrose Hopkins was charged at the same time as Vardy and the others, and found guilty by a Jury on June 1, 1849.  Court records now show three illegal voting cases tried by juries in Hawkins County, Tennessee.  The grand Jury charges were identical for Vardy Collins and Ambrose Hopkins. If a pre trial agreement based on kinship is correct, Hopkins was not related to the Collins and Minors.  (Credit: Dr. David Jones, Orlando Florida)

The above charges stemmed from an election held in 1845, looking at the 3rd District voters in 1843 the only one charged in 1846 for illegal voting who voted in the 1843 election was Ambrose Hopkins. 

Again we find the old witness correct.  Burnette’s information was no doubt second hand but finding this case proves he was correct by his quote:  “One was found Guilty and the others were sufficiently white enough.”  Was he correct in the flat foot method used to free or convict those tried?  Also, did John Netherland present the ship wrecked Portuguese story as told by his daughter Eliza? 

Zachariah Minor told his children he was Portuguese/Indian which leaves little doubt the argument presented at the trial was Portuguese because Indians were automatically eliminated from voting by the 1834 constitution. Looking at the possibility that the Sevier encounter was known at this time (Sat.Jan 29,1848),  “they appeared to be of African or Moorish descent.” Perhaps their argument was Moors from Portugal, what ever it was the following Jury ruled “Not Guilty”.  Thomas Dodson, John Isenberg, Mitchael Baugh, WM Rowan, James Miller, Meridith Lawson, George Wright, William Long, Jos R Johnson, WM Lee, Jacob Arnott and John Manis.

The 1880 census of Hancock County, Tennessee adds credence to this defense because both my Goins and Minors were actually enumerated as Portuguese written in the first column where race is designated by a letter, thus Portuguese with the label W for white written over Portuguese.

1880 federal census of district 4 Hancock County, Tennessee, enumerator was James A. Doughty, June 1, 1880.  Evidently both my Goins and Minor family told this census person they were Portuguese and he wrote Portugee in race column, but later wrote the initial W real dark over this Portuguese maybe because he noticed the 1880 census did not list Portuguese. 

On page 2 in my book “Melungeons And Other Pioneer families is a photo of the log house I grew up in and grandpa Goins sitting on the front porch. This house was built near the end of the Civil War.  Dad purchased the place in 1944 and grandpa died there in 1954.  Ironically, another Goins died there in 1895.  “11 Dec 1895 Lewis Goans, an aged and well known citizen of our county, died at the residence of Harris Bell on Cave Ridge near town Tuesday night after an illness of about 6 weeks, Aged 84 years.  Until his last illness Mr. Goans had never been sick but 2 days in his life, and was an exceptionally well preserved man.  He was Very Dark complected and claimed to be of Portuguese stock.  Buried at Cedar Grove near the river.”

Lewis Goans moved to Hawkins County in 1855 from Rockingham County, NC and the same area where my Rev. war grandfather Zephaniah Goins moved from in 1811, but I have not been successful in connecting my Goins family to Lewis.  (Distant Crossroads Volume 19, number 3, 2002) 

I’m not sure if the Portuguese came from my Goins or Minor family or from both.  Grandpa Goins always claimed to ¼ Indian and I have found enough evidence to substantiate this ¼ Indian claim, it’s the other ¾ that’s in question.  His sister Lizzie Goins Parsons always talked about her Goins Portuguese ancestors.  In a Tennessee Supreme Court case 1827 Abraham Vaughn vs Phoeba Tucker in a court case involving race, “Always understood that Molly Moore had one of the family named Minor having since obtained their freedom on the plea” [being of Indian Descent].   I have not been able to find this Minor case in Virginia and since no first name was given in the record I gave up on trying to locate it, both my Minor and Goins family was originally from Virginia.                                 

                                    Maybe Melungeon 

In my opinion the answer to who was a Melungeon lies with the family researcher working within the scope of the historical records. ( And the use of DNA, which is our greatest genealogical tool). Those of us who search old records for the truth know proof of opinions come from documented research.  Hopefully locating and indexing the Hawkins County records 1795-1850 will answer some of these questions(* Revised as I stated above, DNA test has remove this ‘maybe Melungeon’ label from my Goins family. http://www.jogg.info/72/files/Estes.pdf). Hawkins County consisted of a very large area. Hancock County was formed from the lands of Hawkins in 1844, but was not fully organized until 1846. Court cases that occurred before Hancock was fully organized are in the Hawkins County Court house. Like the above illegal voting cases, these charges stem from a state election held in 1845. 

  <>Note: The Hawkins County records have now been microfilmed and I will be writing about the Melungeon trials.

                                    

 Copyright © 2004 by Jack Goins. 

MICAJER BUNCH

                                        
There were several people named Micajer Bunch.  The Micager I follow in this research is also listed on several records with the nickname “Cage” He is associated with my seventh generation grandfather William “The Tory” Riddle. I don’t know if this association was from their neighborhood 1750’s in the community of the Flat River, Orange County, NC, or a possible relationship by blood, or marriage.   

The first record I have found on Micager was this 1749 tax list of Lunenburg County, Virginia (from Sunlight on the Southside) William Howard’s list; Gedion Bunch and tithe Cage Bunch. Note; Obviously, Cage is the son of Gedion Bunch. I am convinced this is the same Micajer “Caiger” Bunch who has such a close association with the Riddles, Collins and Gibsons. Who later moved 1790’s into Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Gedion Bunch moves into Granville County, NC (Orange County formed from Granville County in 1753) Granville Tax List 1750.*A tithe is a male 16, or over) William Bolling 1 tithe; James Bowling 1 tithe; *Gideon Bunch  2 tithes.; Thomas Collins Sr. 1 tithe; Samuel Collins 1 tithe; John Collins 1 tithe; Thomas Gibson with tithes Charles Gibson and George Gibson. 

Gedion Bunch born about 1715 was son of John Bunch born about 1695 because he sold the land his father John Bunch inherited.  John was the son of Paul Bunch who was born about 1670.  Paul Bunch received a land patent for 265 acres on the south side of the Roanoke River adjoining Gideon Gibson on Jan 1, 1725. His Will was probated March 10, 1727 in Chowan County, NC leaving his land and 8 slaves to son John Bunch, and to Fortune Holdbee and her daughters Keziah and Jemima. Elizabeth Bunch and another daughter Russell received one shilling each. 

John Bunch SR born ca 1630 came to Lancaster County, Virginia in 1651 as an indentured servant. He later moved to New Kent County, Virginia and owned land on the Pamunkey River by 1670’s John Bunch Sr had at least two sons:
John Bunch Jr. (had large family in Louisa County, Virginia. 
Paul Bunch listed above (died 1726 in Chowan County, NC 
There is a legend among descendants of the above named Bunches that they are related to Pocahontas, the Pohattan Indian princes who married John Rolf (Park Bunch families by Alice Crandall Park and Mrs. Garland King, Tennessee State library.)

  Micajer Bunch son of Gedion is listed in 1754 Orange County, NC tax list of Gedion Macon in the household of John Stoud who paid a tax for Micager Bunch and Lydia Bunch possibly his daughter and son in-law?

The 1755 Orange County, North Carolina, tax list several families who either they are their forefather once lived on the Pamunkey  River in Louisa County, Virginia and who eventually migrated  to Hawkins County, TN and became know as the Melungeons. 
Gidean Bunch 1 tithe (mulatto)

Micajer Bunch 1 tithe (mulatto)
Moses Ridley (Riddle) 1 tithe and wife Mary (mulattoes)
Thomas Collins 3 tithes (mulatto) 
Samuel Collins 3 tithes  (mulattoes)
John Collins 1 tithe (mulatto)
Thomas Gibson 3 tithes (mulatto)
Charles Gibson 1 tithe (mulatto)
George Gibson 1 tithe (mulatto)
Mager Gibson 1 tithe (mulatto)

Most of these families moved from the flat River to the New River area of Virginia and North Carolina. The follow tax lists are from Kegley’s early adventures on the Western Waters) 1771 New River area Botetourt County, Virginia
Charles Collins 1 tithe
John Collins 4 tithes
Samuel Collins two tithes
Charles Sexton 1 tithe
McKegar Bunch 1 tithe
William Sexton 1 tithe

Some of these including Micager Bunch were living on Indian Lands.
Fincastle County was formed from Botetourt in 1772; this 1773 tax list shows the ones living on Indian land. Which means they had crossed the survey line agreed upon in the treaty of Lochaber as the western boundary.   
David Collins (Indian Lands)
Charles Collins (Indian Lands)
Samuel Collins (Indian Lands) 
George Collins (Indian lands)
*Micajer Bunch (Indian lands)
John Collins SR 
John Collins Jr. 
Ambrose Collins
Elisha Collins 
Lewis Collins

Micajer Bunch was in the battle at Point Plesant against the Shawnee Indians (1774 Lord Dunsmore War, Montgomery County Soldiers by Kegley) 
William Riddle this authors seventh generation grandfather also fought in this war and their commanding officer Captain William Herbert plaintiff, Cajer Bunch and Wm Ridley defendants. 2- William Scott and Micajer Bunch, debt  (Fincastle County, Virginia Court Record) 

Wilkes County NC land records Micajer Bunch land on Elk Creek and it was at the mouth of Elk Creek where Capt William Riddle camped when he took Col. Benjamin Cleveland hostage. Was taking him to the British Command post in SC for ransom money from the British to. William Riddle camp was near the mouth of Elk Creek on Riddle Knob and a knob nearby was called Bunches Knob. William Riddle was hung in the spring of 1781 at Wilkesboro NC. His Widow and children migrated to Hawkins County and some of his children eventually migrated from Hawkins County, Tennessee, Lee County, Virginia. Then to Cumberland County, KY. And it’s possible they left the New River area at the same time. 

The exact date of Micajer Bunch land purchase is not found, but on a grant March 3, 1792, to John Rice  140 acres on the waters of Joseph Wallings Mill Creek a branch of the Clinch River and beginning at a popular and Dogwood being a corner of Micajer Bunch claim then running along Bunch line. This land was located near Present day Kyles Ford, Hancock County, TN and very new the border of Virginia. This land location explains why Cager (Micajer) Bunch signed the 1792 petition to form Lee County, Virginia. At this time Virginia claimed most of the land on the North side Of Clinch River.  (Tax list form Virginia State Library. At Richmond)
Lee County, Virginia tax list. 17th March 1795.
Drury Bunch (1 horse)
Micajah Bunch (1 horse)
Torel Bunch (1 horse)
Clem Bunch (no horses)

The 1796 tax list of  Lee County, VA also included the same list but adds Isyreal Bunch,

1797 Lee County, VA  tax list  Micajer Bunch, Isreal Bunch, Solomon Bunch, Claiborn Bunch, Jesee Bowlin,  Zachariah Goins, he was son of John and Elizabeth Goins, of Henry County, Virginia 

Micajer Cage Bunch is listed by Some historians as one of the first Melungeons in this Newman Ridge, Blackwater area. Micajer along with several other families migrated to Cumberland County, Kentucky in about 1798. 
1799- (Cumberland County, KY tax list courtesy Mary Hill, Family History Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.)   Jessee Robert, Cage Bunch, Elisha Blevins, Joseph Bunch, Drury Bunch, James Roberts? Stephen Robinson, Moses Roberts, George Rogers, John Rogers all of these believed from the Newman Ridge, Blackwater area of Lee County, Virginia and Hawkins County, Tennessee. Micajer Bunch is missing from the 1804 Cumberland County, Kentucky  tax list. He probably died between the 1793 and 1804 tax collections.
What is weird is that on the 1805 Tax list of Cumberland County, Kentucky most of these on the 1799 list are gone. James and Joseph Riddle sons of  Captain William and happy Rogers Riddle also settled in Cumberland County, Kentucky around 1804-5.

Jack