March 27, 2012
Hey Y'all....
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Hope all are doing well. Well it is time to get our hearts, mind and souls linked and focused to come together for more reuniting, communion,reconnections, and rediscovery of lost distant family members etc in far away places like Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.
I recently made a connection with the Chickasaw Indians who originate from the Alabama & Mississippi regions.
The Chickasaw have their own TV network in Oklahoma now. They were once a part of another nation of Indians during the great Trail of Tears, but split decades ago and re-discovered "their roots" and now celebrate their own very rich History.
Danny
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September 1, 2011
Cherokee Slaves
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Family lore has it that Rebecca Scott Harvey was of Cherokee ancestry.
The below e-mail has been reposted from an e-mail sent to the website:
pocsouth@rootsweb.com on the behalf of Ms. Denise J. [northernwinds@sbcglobal.net]
Cherokees Don’t Care If You Have Indian in Your Family August 26,
2011 08:32 AM
By Charlotte Young
The Cherokee Nation is redefining what it
means to be Native American, and it doesn’t include black. In a shocking
decision, the Supreme Court has backed the nation’s 2007 decision to oust slave
descendants from the tribe.
The Huffington Post reports that the
decision will revoke the official membership of thousands of descendants of
black slaves. Slaves were brought to Oklahoma
over 170 years ago by Native American slave owners when the tribe was forced to
move from eastern US in 1838 to what would later become Oklahoma. This forced removal and march of
the Native Americans to the Oklahoma is known as the ”Trail of Tears,” and
resulted in the death of thousands of Native Americans. After the Civil War,
the Cherokee Nation voted to allow slave descendants to enter the tribe.
According to eurweb.com, There are about
2800 Freedmen officially listed as part of the tribe and about 3500 blacks have
pending tribal memberships. In addition, there are 25000 who are eligible to
enter the tribe.
“This is racism and apartheid in the 21st
Century,” Marilyn Vann, the lead Freedman plaintiff in the case told Reuters.
The Cherokee Nation is the second largest
Native American tribe in the country. Not only do they receive money from the
federal government they also hold a stake in the very lucrative gambling
industry. Some of those that support the decision to expel the Freedmen from
the tribe suggest that they believe that blacks applying for membership may be
searching for a portion of the tribe’s financial earnings. The Freedmen have
suggested that the vote was an attempt to forget the slave-owning past of the
tribe.
But officials of the nation say that as a
sovereign nation, they have the right to change their constitutional membership
requirements and that they have “paid very dearly for those rights.”
A lawsuit countering the removal of the
Freedmen from the tribe has been pending for about six years in a federal court
in Washington.
Stripped of their Cherokee membership, the
Freedmen will no longer be able to receive free health care, education benefits
and other rights the tribe receives.
Sandy Craighead
POCSOUTH@rootsweb.com
Denise Johnson
northernwinds@sbcglobal.net
Gail Hess
Thanks
Gloria Greene
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October 7, 2010
The Lost Colony Of Ronoake Island and the Melungeons
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Our Family has strong ties to the Lost Colony of Ronoake Island. Ist very amazing because now I understand why we have keen features. The Lost Colony on Ronoake Island in Dare Co N.C. was an enterprise financed and organized by Sir Walter Raleigh. Between 1585-1587 serveral groups attemped to establish a colony but failed. Without food and supplies, the natives were forced inland and mixed their seed with surrounding tribes. The lost colony predates the Columbus expedition and their were different ehtnic backgroungs living in the NC VA area. They were Mediterranian,Southern European, African, Carribean, Portuguese, and South American. I also came across the term Melungeon and its meaning. Melungeon is a turm that is used to describe a person who is mixed with 3 or more races, some I already named. This should be looked into becasue we have strong ties to this info. Here are a list of surnames that were listed, Elks,Gibbs,Pierce,Squire,Harvey,Walden,Moore,Tann,Mayo,Mason,Newsome,Caroon,Barbour,Hodges,Jennete,Whahab,Farrow,Pinkham,Berry,Pain,Brooks,ect. Lets see were it takes us.
Tommye TAP Ray
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October 7, 2010
Crystal Rose Marvin
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On Sunday, September 19th, Ernest
"June" Bowser and I headed to Surry,
VA, for the Nottoway Indian
Powwow. Unfortunately, I had mis-read the start time so we were
up there in the hot, blistering sun two hours ahead of time for the
opening procession.
We walked around looking at the exhibits, bought a couple of books, and had the
opportunity to talk with John Blackfeather of the Occonneechee tribe.
John was not very forthcoming with information or even direction as to how to
go about proving that our Waldens were Occonneechee Indians although he
did admit that Walden is a name associated with their tribe.
Feeling discouraged, and not wanting to hang around for the opening (I've seen
them before), or to head back to Rich Square just yet, I called Gloria Greene
hoping that we could meet up with her and discuss some genealogy-related
things. She said, "Let me call Crystal Rose and see if she is
available to meet with us. I'll call you right back." And that
is how Gloria, Crystal, Patricia Greene, Joey Newsome, June and myself ended up
having a late lunch at The Olive Garden in Hampton where we discussed the
Indian migration from VA to NC and how it relates to the Harvey/Walden family
history.
Crystal was
very forthcoming about her own genealogical background and gave us several
ideas about where to look for further information about ours. We shared
some of the family "legends" and things that we already knew about
the Harveys.
It was a very enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon (I kept thinking someone
was going to come along and ask us to leave - we occupied our table for about
four hours) and my heartfelt thanks go to Gloria for setting it up!
When I left Rich Square that Sunday morning,
I had no idea how my day would change (for the better) or what was in store for
me. Crystal Rose is a very knowledgeable genealogist and is willing to
share what she knows. I now have several new avenues to explore - and a
new way of looking at the information I already have!! Thank you, Crystal
Rose!!!
Judith Nichols Ward
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July 28, 2010
Nottoway Pow Wow!
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I saw a poster yesterday advertising the Nottoway Indian Pow Wow in Surry, VA, Sept. 18 & 19 2010!
Please post in the Family Blog for anyone in the area who may want to attend.
It is free this year because they have just attained TRIBE status.
Maybe there is someone there we can talk to about our own Indian status!?!
Judith Nichols Ward
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July 12, 2010
Some Native American History
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Northampton County and parts of other neighboring counties were carved out of Bertie County in 1741. Bertie County was hugh.
In March of 1713, Col James Moore of US Calvary was dispatched from South Carolina and brought Catawba indians with him as infiltrators to halt and seize the Tuscarora Indians from rampaging against the colonist of Bertie County, NC.
The Tuscarora had been raging fierce havoc on white settlers for approx ten years. Thus, Col James Moore accompanied with (S.C.Troops) and Catawba indian scouts attacked and killed approx 900 Tuscarora indians in part of what is now Bertie County and part of what is now S.E. Northampton, Hertford, Halifax, County which is where we originate from.
On March 21, 1713 Col James Moore attacked. Survivors were forced into Indian Woods Reservation near Woodville (Lewiston NC).
1717- Bertie Co. Indian Woods Reservation given to Chief Tom Blunt.
1717- Many young Tuscarora indians left NC to relocate to NY and other Northern States. Some never made it to NY. Some etched out a living in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvannia, joining other tribes. A good many did make it to NY. Many other Tuscarora indians remained in Bertie or what formerly became Northampton County in 1741.
1760- More indians move North East
1766 58,000 acres along Roanoke River near Indian Woods Reservation near Kelford & Lewiston NC, leased by the State of NC.
1803- Many more Tuscarora leave for New York.
1804-Remaning descendants of these great warriors blend into the surrounding counties general population. Some blended or were recorded as White, Black, Mulatto, or Free Person of Color. The word Indian was used sparingly & carefully. The name Indian was hardly ever a category on A US Census Document. This was a way of erasing a whole race of people. Just don't record them as such and history will forget them.
1831- Deed written in Niagra County, N.Y. (7 Chiefs swindled out of 58,000 acres of land in Bertie County NC.
1917- Tuscarora Chiefs from New York visit Bertie County NC at the end of 150 year lease. An intersting tidbit on
Ahoskie NC. A place where we often shopped , went to the movies and such. "Ahotskey" is often assumed to mean horse, but it does not. The Skarure word for horse is "ahawth". Ahotskey is a mispronounced version of Skarure word "Rahsuta"?kye which literally means " Our Ancestors".
Here is a list of Surnames generally associated with being Native American in a 50 mile raduis of Rich Square
NC.
The List:
Scott, Walden, Manley(Manly), Guy, Canada, Watson, Parker,
Wynn(Winn), Taylor, Jacob, Long, Jones, Payne(Paine), Martin, Hawkins, Melton,
Simmons, Jeffries, Peters(Peterson).
Danny Sexton
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June 20, 2010
Lumberton North Caroliia Native Americans
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Hello All,
I recently took a trip in May 2010 to Robeson & Columbus counties in
Southeast NC. This area is on the border of South Carolina where I-20
meets I-95 or that general vicinity. I was in the area to attend the
funeral of a close relative's wife.
I was amazed and astonished at the physical characteristic and other
similiarities these indigenous people share with our Clan from
Northampton and the surrounding counties. They had the bow legs, brown
eyes, brown hair and different shades of brown skin which turns to a
reddish tint in summer. They had wide feet, big hands and fingers and a
few that I saw had that eye condition known as Strabismus, where one
squints, or one eye is cross/cocked due to an imbalance of the muscles
surrounding the eyeballs. This condition is seen in Native Americans and
Asians mostly and can be corrected.
They had the most beautiful vegetable gardens and fed us country fried
chicken with all the trimmings and desserts after the services.
I visited the Waccamaw Lake community in this general vicinity as well.
They consider themselves as Waccamaw Siouan descending from the Croatoan
Indians near the coast. They are the ones who allegedly ate the people
of the Lost Colony in the early 1600's off the coast of NC.
These communities are only 45 or so minutes from the oceans of the
Carolinas. Some of these people resemble the Harveys, Scotts, Meltons,
Manleys, Canadas, Pierces, Jacobs, Moores and Petersons from our
community in Rich Square.
Four of the largest Tribal families left in this area are the "Jacobs"
"Moores" "Spauldings" & "Freeman" families.
Note: There was a lot of migration of these Native Americans in the
late1700's and early 1800's. Some joined other tribes in NC, Florida,
Mississippi and Alabama to increase their numbers as the white man kept
encroaching with diseases, lies, and treachery.
Get this, a known trend in recent years up until the 1980's was for
white men to marry Native American women and become members of the tribe
with full State and Federal benefits awarded to registered tribal
members. So, a lot of white and Native American mixing was going on
perpertrated by the whites mainly.
The Interstate Hwy #74 running through these communities to the coast is
called "Andrew Jackson Parkway". He is the President who in the1820's
and 1830's declared war on Native Americans and decreed that they move
west of the Mississippi or join the five Civilized Tribes wherever the
Federal Government deemed these tribes should be located.
One of the tribes is in upstate New York in the Niagra Falls area. A lot
of Native Americans from our area in Bertie, Northampton and Hertford
counties had to walked to New York to join that tribe and their native
lands were stolen right from under their feet.
I must say this was one of the most intriguing trips for me in years.
These people were so nice to me with all of my questions.
The general consensus from all of the scholars who researched these
issues and people contend that many of the Native Americans did not
relocate, and they gave up their heritage and culture to stay in their
native eastern woodlands with hopes of assimulating and being left
alone. They were never slaves and had inalienable rights until President
Andrew Jackson made life hard on them. At that time some moved to Ohio,
Indiana, Illinios and Michigan. But, never did they all leave
Northampton, Bertie, Hertford and other surrounding counties.
So, look at ourselves and tell me "WHO ARE WE"?
Thanks, for your endulgence.
Your kin
Danny Sexton
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February 2, 2010
Native American Blood!
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This is in answer to Danny Sexton's Blog Post dated 10/8/2009 in which
he expresses interest in finding out about the family's Indian
connections:
On Thanksgiving Day, I had a conversation with Purney Jordan, grandson
of Johnny Walden, in which he told me about his sister, Rita Jordan
Deloatch of Woodland, NC, and how she had proved her Indian roots a few
years ago. She was able to receive money to study to become a nurse,
among other things, because of her Indian roots. After the new year,
when/if things settle down, I plan to try to contact her to get more
information about how/what she did.
Judi
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October 8, 2009
Native American Blood
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Hi,
I am Danny Sexton, the grandson of William Daniel Harvey Sr. I
am very interested in the science of human beings and especially their
physical characteristics, their orgin, migration patterns and the
distribution of races.
I am on a personal quest with a few others in the family to discover
what percentage of Native American Blood flows through many of our clan
members veins in the Tri Racial Isolate pockets of our community in
North Carolina.
I dream of asking"Skip" Gates, the Harvard Professor, to consider
conducting a study on our very interesting and mysterious
History/Genealogy in Northampton and surrounding counties near on both
sides of the Virginia/NC state lines. A simple DNA Test would be most
revealing at a cost of couple hundred dollars.
The Occaneechi Tribe once resided in NW Northampton Co. The Hali-wa are
across the Roanoke River in Halifax/Warren Co. The Meherrins &
Tuscarora are in Hertford/Bertie Co along the Chowan and Roanoke Rivers
and we, the former "Free People of Color" Tri Racial/Bi-Racial people of
Rich Square, are right dab in middle of these existing tribes today.
I welcome any family members to share knowledge and join Tony Harvey
& myself in the Research/Discovery and future discussions on this
subject matter. Note: Native Americans were described by the Federal
Census Takers in the 19th century as "Free persons of Color, Mulattos or
Whites" simple because no correct racial category was included in the
government's intructions.
So, I'll ask this rhetorical question. Who are we? Not who do we want to
be, but, who are we and what tribe or tribes do we descend from? I have
plenty more facts to share but I would like others in the clan to
participate in this quest and be engaging.
If a group/Clan Community/Family etc petition the State for Tribal
recognition and can prove I believe seven generations of affiliation
with a tribe via surnames, records, customs, rituals and other criteria
and that recognition is granted.
Federal and state grant monies become available and yearly stipend
checks are possible to each member and many other benefits also.
The bar is set high to prove Native American ancestry but it has been
done many time in our origin states of NC/VA. Examples are the Lumbee
Indians of the Pembroke region of NC. The Occaneechi Tribe of Mebane NC
formely of Northampton Co NC. The Meherrin Tribe of Ahoskie/Murfreesboro
region. The Hali-wa of Halifax/ Warren Co. The Biggest hurdle is to
get the US Government to recognize. But with State recognition alone
Casino's are possible!
Sincerely,
Danny Sexton
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