By: JACK GOINS

Having the advantage of living near the homeland of the Melungeons has helped me considerably in my search for the true history of the Melungeons and their kinfolks. I first became interested in the Melungeons when reading some of the early writings on them; one of the authors listed two of my Great Grandparents as Melungeon and distant cousins in his book. My Grandfather Harrison Goins told me, "my grandma Minor was about 3/4 Indian and Grandpa Goins was about ½.” This heritage has not been established as a fact, but Grandpa believed it. His Grandma Susan Minor’s mother was Aggie Sizemore and most of these families filed Cherokee Indian Application beginning in 1905.

Harrison Goins, born August 21, 1880, was son of Hezekiah born 1857 and Sarah Hurd Goins. Hezekiah was son of Isaiah b 1795 and Arminta Lindsey Goins, who’s father was Zephaniah. When learning that my 7th. generation Grandfather Zephaniah Goins had joined Blackwater Primitive Baptist Church by dismissal letter from another church, which was unnamed, I began trying to locate this church. In the Blackwater minutes, 1816 to 1834, I found four seventh-generation grandfathers who served in the Revolutionary War: Thomas Bledsoe, Henry Fisher, John England and Zephaniah Goins. Zephaniah Goins, born 1757, filed his Revolutionary pension application Dec. 18, 1834, in Hawkins County, Tennessee. According to said application Zephaniah, son of John and Elizabeth Goins of Henry County, Virginia, was at the siege and surrender of Cornwallis. He married Elizabeth Thompson June 20, 1790, in Henry County, Virginia. In about 1812 he moved to the Blackwater Virginia area, and near present day Kyle’s Ford in Hancock County, Tennessee. While searching in the public library in Kingsport, Tennessee, I found the minutes of neighboring Stony Creek Primitive Baptist Church at Fort Blackmore, Virginia, just across the state line. They contained some very interesting Melungeon references in the minutes recorded in 1813. The term "Melungeon" was probably in common usage before then, but this is the first time I have found it recorded.

My 5th generation grandfather Thomas Bledsoe was stationed at Ft. Blackmore during one of his enlistments in the Revolutionary War. Fort Blackmore was built at Stony Creek, in Washington County, Virginia before the Revolutionary War by Capt. John Blackmore to protect the settlers from Indian attacks. Fort Blackmore was located about eight miles southwest of present day Dungannon, in Scott County, Virginia. While driving through this small town trying to form a picture of what this place looked like 200 years ago, I stopped at a church called Pine Grove Primitive Baptist Church. Residents told me that this site was where the old Stony Creek Primitive Baptist Church had been located. I learned that the old building had been washed away in a flood. I was told the old fort was about where Stony Creek flows into the Clinch River and tried to visualize this place where Thomas Bledsoe was stationed during the Revolutionary War. In National Archives files W-68 Thomas Bledsoe made a declaration before his death to a Justice of the Peace, who in turn drafted a paper to file it, the pension application is under the act dated 7 June 1832, and the affidavit was filed in Hawkins County, Tennessee on April 24, 1834. Grandpa names one of his commanding officers as Sevier and he mentions an Indian Leader named Logan, breaking into the settlement and taking prisoners, one of which was his brother (Abraham Jr.) they trailed them and exchanged prisoners at the Ohio. Thomas Bledsoe was born March 1760, in North Carolina and moved with his parents, Abraham and Mary Catherine Wilcox Bledsoe to the new territory, about seven miles from Long Islands of the Holston River, on Reedy Creek. It is now the site of present day Kingsport, Tennessee. He married Margaret McDonald, their son Abraham b. May 17, 1790 married Dec 12, 1816, to Millicent Wallen born Jan., 4, 1797, her parents were James C. Wallen born, March 18, 1771, and Mary Johnson born, March Sept 5, 1773. Mary Johnson was the daughter of Moses and Sarah Powell Johnson. Abraham and Milly's son Joseph Bledsoe born, Sept 26, 1817 married 1883 to Margaret Bledsoe Parsons born 1848, they had one child Martha born, 15 May 1884, married Harrison Goins in 1904, they were the parents of the author's father McKinley Goins, born July 18, 1911. (Wallen information from old record book discovered among the personal papers of Thomas J. Walden, Busch, Arkansas, upon his death in 1951 courtesy William P. Grohse papers.)

I researched some of the Historical Melungeon families the same way as my own family. Beginning at home and working back in time from the Clinch River to the New River, to the Flat River and the Pamunkey which has helped me to personally dismiss many fables about the Melungeons. One major discovery was that they migrated with the other pioneer settlers and they owned land in all the places where they migrated. They lived next door to white settlers and had adjoining farms. They went to the same churches and schools, intermarried with all their neighbors, fought in the same wars, including Lord Dunmore’s War, 1774 Militia of Fincastle County, Virginia. These men were to fight in the battle of Point Pleasant against the Shawnee Indians. John Collins served 35 days, Micager Bunch served 29 days (1774. Soldiers of Fincastle County, Virginia by Kegley).

I have found no record where they were driven from their land, or driven to the mountains, etc., etc. This rumor may have started from the outdoor drama "Walk Toward the Sunset." I discovered that most of the story Calloway Collins told the reporter Will Allen Dromgoole in the 1890 interview on Newman Ridge was true when he was quoted as saying, "The Collins and Gibson’s were living as Indians in Virginia before they migrated to North Carolina." The Indian tribe was not named and has not been factually proven, but the important part, moving from Virginia to North Carolina has been proven by deeds from all these areas, beginning on the Pamunkey River in Louisa County, Virginia.

“Alexander Machartoon, John Bowling, Manincassa, Capt Tom, Isaac, Harry, blind tom, Foolish Jack, Charles Griffin, John Collins, Little Jack, Indians being bought before the court for stealing Hogs., Ordered that their Guns be taken away from them till they are ready to depart of this county, they having declared their intentions to depart this colony within a week.” (On pages 309-312 of Court Record book the above named men individually put up security. This party of Saponia ( Monasukapanough) Indians left that county (Orange County, Va., Order Book 3, 1741-43)

Some of these may have been the same group that formed the settlement near Hillsborough, North Carolina in 1750. It appears from Granville and Orange County tax records that a John Collins arrived in the area about this time. John Collins lived on the Flat River for about 17 years then moved to the New River circa 1767. Tax records from Grayson County, Virginia reveals that Lewis and James Collins were likely sons of John Collins. "James Collins, John Bolin, and Mike Bolin Indians from Blackwater, Newman Ridge, were named by Sneedville attorney Lewis M. Jarvis in 1903, as quite full blooded who fought in the War of 1812-1814". 5
Another Indian family were my 8th generation grandparents Moses and Mary, Ridley, Riddle. They are on these same Granville and Orange County, North Carolina tax lists, identified as mulattoes on the 1755 tax list in Orange County, North Carolina. Moses was closely associated with Charles Gibson, Thomas Gibson Sr & Jr, Thomas Collins, Joseph Collins, William Bolin, and John Brown. Moses later moved to Pittsylvania County, Virginia where he is recorded on a 1767 Pittsylvania County Tax List as "an Indian." William Ridel, believed to be his son, is on this same list. Moses and Mary were the parents of a William and John Riddle(alias Ridley). William Riddle married Happy Rogers, they lived in Pittsylvania County, later moved to Montgomery County, Virginia where his brother John Riddle also lived. William became known as Tory Captain William Riddle during the Revolutionary War. He had camps on Riddle Knob and in Watauga. He was wounded and/or, captured in a battle on Riddle Knob in the spring of 1781. One report says he was shot and killed by Ben Greer, but according to Lyman Drapers account he along with five other men were taken to Wilkesboro Meeting house and hung on the Tory oak. One of those men hung with him was his son. After the Revolution his wife Happy re-married and moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee. John Riddle, son of Moses, filed a Revolutionary War pension application. His son Randall listed as fpc on 1830 Census of Stokes County, NC moved 1840 to Hawkins County, Tennessee. Several Collins, Bolling and other related Melungeon names still live in this area today, now Person County, North Carolina.

Their migration journey began in the 1740's and ended on Newman Ridge about 1790. I can only document one person who lived to make this complete journey. He was Charles Gibson. Charles was the oldest living Melungeon on Newman Ridge when he filed his Revolutionary War Pension Application (R3995) in 1839. According to this application he was born in Louisa County, Virginia. He enlisted near Salisbury, North Carolina. Benjamin Collins, Jonathan Gibson and Jordan Gibson testified that Charles Gibson was reputed to be a Revolutionary War Soldier in their neighborhood. Charles Gibson was the son of Thomas Sr. and Mary Gibson. They sold their land on the Pamunkey River in 1749 to Thomas Mooreman. This land was located on the south side of the Pamunkey River adjoining Gilbert Gibson’s land. Gilbert was the father of Gedion, Jordan, and George Gibson. [Louisa County, Va., deeds and wills]

My incredible research journey includes actually locating and going to these above-mentioned areas. Several photos of these Rivers and Landmarks are in my book "Melungeons And Other Pioneer Families." One of my most memorable discoveries was the Flat River Primitive Baptist Church established in 1750. The present church that stands in the same location was built circa 1930's. The earliest minutes found to date begin in 1770. Unfortunately most of the Melungeons left that area for the New River beginning in 1767.

Living in the neighborhood also created a mystery for me concerning the Melungeons and has left me with some troubling questions, which I have not been able to solve, but one of the most important things I have learned from this research was the words, "perhaps and maybe." The following two questions come to mind.

Did the 1700 Melungeon forefathers refer to themselves as Melungeons? If the answer to this question is yes, no records have been found that actually call them by the name Melungeon. Also, to my knowledge no Melungeon tribe has been documented prior to the record in Tennessee.

Was this name Melungeon coined by the local people? If the answer to this question is yes, the name would only apply to those people. According to an eye witness, Sneedville Attorney Lewis M. Jarvis born 1829, the above answer is yes when he said, “ Much has been said and written about the inhabitants of Newman Ridge and Blackwater at Hancock County, Tennessee. They have been divisively dubbed with the name “Melungeon” by the local white people who have lived here with them it is not a traditional name or tribe of Indians”. (Jarvis interview recorded in 1903 Sneedville Times.)

Another message I got from living in the land of the Melungeons is that during the early years of my life time no person in that neighborhood was actually identified as a Melungeon until after the 1947 Post story, because those people in this time period told their children, "if you don’t be quiet the Melungeons will get you." They would tell you the Melungeons lived somewhere else, or over on the next ridge, etc.

In conversations with several old-timers, including two who’s pictures are in the Melungeon story "Sons of the Legend" (1947 Saturday Evening Post Article by William L. Warden), they did not realize until the story was published in the Saturday Evening Post that they were the Melungeons the author was writing about.

William L. Warden, author of this Saturday Evening Post story, asked Asa Gibson who was then 75 years old if his ancestors were Welsh Warriors, Phoenicians or survivors of Roanoke. Asa Gibson's answer was, "an Indian."

One person in this Saturday Evening Post story told me the whole Melungeon thing was a myth and laughed about it. She assured me there was no such thing as a Melungeon, but like Grandpa Goins, they also claimed to be of Indian descent. In conversations and letter from Melungeon descendants, including the Collins, Gibson and Bolin families they also claimed Indian descent.

Several authors have suggested that the Melungeons were lying about their Indian nationality just to hide their known African ancestors. In a recent DNA study, Wise University biology professor Dr Kevin Jones analyzed these samples. The results of those from this study showed them to be multiracial which included Native American. I am convinced that old Asa Gibson told author William Warden what he believed was the truth, that his ancestors were Indian. This does not exclude Asa from the possibility of having both white, and or black genes. In colonial days if an indentured servant, regardless of their nationality married a Saponia Indian and was accepted in their tribe, their children would be recognized as Indians. In a few generations their original nationality would be lost to history if they remained in the tribe. If these children married whites, mulattoes, or other free blacks they would eventually lose their Indian identity and would not have a clue as to their original nationality.

Let us examine the historical Melungeons, the first known records that specifically identifies a group of people historically known as the "melungins" and living in Tennessee. These records also pinpoint their location. Some of the Tennessee State Senators first denied that there was such a "race" living in Tennessee, according to the reporter Will Allen Dromgoole, who kept asking and was told by another senator (not named), that the (Malungeons) live in his district, and, "Only upon the records of the State of Tennessee does the name appear."

This author discovered the word Melungin written in the 1813 Minutes of Stony Creek Church, which was from an accusation that a lady in the church was housing "them melungins." There is not enough written about this incident in this church record to actually determine anything factual, but it strongly suggest housing a Melungeon was taboo in 1813. Could this word Melungin, Melungeon be derived from the word "Malengine" which is a mean person or someone with “mischievous intent?" If this was actually the word used to describe some in this community then it would be against church belief to keep company with this type of person. ( See website http://www.hometown.aol.com/malengine1813/myhomepage/index.html)

Some of the first Melungeon families migrated circa 1790's from the New River area of Wilkes County, North Carolina to Fort Blackmore and joined the Stony Creek Church 1801-1802. The majority of these were from the old Thomas and Mary Gibson family who originally migrated from Louisa County, Virginia beginning in 1749. Most of these families were gone by 1810.

This term "Malungeons" sprang up again in "The Wig," a Jonesboro, Tennessee newspaper. This may have been during a political campaign October 7, 1840. (3) And again in the celebrated Melungeon trial of 1872, a Bolton girl represented by Attorney Lewis Shepard, of Chattanooga, Tennessee "She is related to a group of people living in the mountains of East Tennessee known as "Malungeons." 1. This statement was made by attorney Lewis Shepard, describing his Melungeon client whose mother was a Bolton. Shepard presented the following argument; "The term "Melungeon" is an East Tennessee provincialism; it was coined by the people of that county to apply to these people and is derived from the word, "mélange," meaning mixture and has gotten into most modern dictionaries." The argument presented in this trial was that this family was not Negro, but pure-blooded Carthaginians (2). In his personal memoirs Judge Lewis Shepard wrote, "this mysterious racial group descended from the Phoenicians of Ancient Carthage". 2- Memoirs of Judge Lewis Shepard, Chattanooga, 1915 p, 88; also pps 2,3,4,5,6 Melungeons: And Other Pioneer Families.

Several "racial clans" that existed in the Eastern United States in the 1940-50's have been recognized. Some of these were the Redbones, Croatans, Brass Ankles, Guineas, Ramps and Melungeons. According to my research of known Melungeon families, the Ramps of Fort Blackmore were related to the families that became known as Melungeons. Oddly the term Ramp also means: Ramp, A highwayman; a robber.
( http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.page.sh?PAGE=1187 ) Both terms seemed to originate at Fort Blackmore. Was the term Ramps placed on the kinfolks who remained in Fort Blackmore? Ramptown known by the locals, is located between Fort Blackmore and Dungannon, in Scott County, Virginia.

Due to intermarriages with their white neighbors there are no Melungeons today, only descendants. Much of their hillside farms have returned to the wild as found by those first Melungeons who were part of the original pioneer settlers that came with the whites from Virginia and North Carolina. They came to these beautiful hills and valleys because there was plenty water and wild life in abundance.

About The Author:
Jack Goins Lives in Rogersville, Tennessee, Retired from AFG Industries, began family research at an early age.

(1)Articles includes; Zephaniah Goins Fought In Yorktown Campaign [Gowen Research Foundation Newsletter, Volume 5 number 3, 1993.]
(2)Melungeon Families-Sizemore, Minor, Goins, Fisher and Riddle Article in [1994 Families Of Hawkins County, Tennessee page 537 to 540]
(3 and 4)Arrington Family page 88 and co-authored Henry Fisher family page 126.[Hancock County, Tennessee And It's People Volume II 1994]
(5)Sizemore Family, Jan 1999 Distant Crossroads Volume XVI, Number 1
(6)May 2000, Published a book "Melungeon And Other Pioneer Families" price $17.95
(7) Descendants of William F. And Margaret McCullough 1776-1781 (Distant Crossroads Volume 18, Number 3, 2001.)
(8) Yellow Store Memories, Historical & Genealogical Records. Distant Crossroads Volume 19, Number 3, 2002.





                                                                                             

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