Notes/Shepherd Case

Court Case/Malungeon

A. B. Beeson
Page 174
Q. were you well acquainted with Solomon Bolton, the grandfather of Martha, complainant in the Cross Bill, and, if so, state what race of people he was or appeared to be. also give a description of his person and complexion and appearance.
A. I was. He was called a Malungeon. He was a small spare made man, with low, flat head, had a dark complexion, rather a flat nose, turned up at the end. He wore his hair short, and it was always inclined to curl or kink.

Q. In the neighborhood in which he lived did he associate with white men or free negroes as his equals?
A. His general association was with the Malungeons-his own people. I never saw him associate with whites except when he had business.
Q. How many different families in this County or adjoining Counties did you know of the same race or character of people -name them?
A. I don't now how many- several. but the Perkins- the Goins, Mornings, Shumakes, Menleys &others.

Cross examined

Q. What office did you hold when you were dispensing Justice to Solomon Bolton and the others at Esq Rowdens?
A. I was Deputy Sheriff.
Q. What do you understand by Malungeon?
A. I think it is a term applied to mixed blooded people.
A. B. Beeson 2nd April 1875

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Page 403
William McGill (Justice of the Peace, Hamilton County TN)

Question:
Was this character that of a white person or negro, or of what race did he have the character of being?
Answer:
He was a mixed blooded man in some way, that was his character. We generally called them Malungeons when we talked about the Goins and them—the Goins that were mixed blooded.