Melungeons: The Last Lost Tribe in AmericaMost of us probably think of America as being settled by British, Protestant colonists who fought the Indians, tamed the wilderness, and brought "democracy"-or at least a representative republic-to North America. To the contrary, Elizabeth Caldwell Hirschman's research indicates the earliest settlers were of Mediterranean extraction, and of a Jewish or Muslim religious persuasion. Sometimes called "Melungeons," these early settlers were among the earliest nonnative "Americans" to live in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. For fear of discrimination-since Muslims, Jews, "Indians," and other "persons of color" were often disenfranchised and abused-the Melungeons were reticent regarding their heritage. In fact, over time, many of the Melungeons themselves "forgot" where they came from. Hence, today, the Melungeons remain the "last lost tribe in America," even to themselves. Yet, Hirschman, supported by DNA testing, genealogies, and a variety of historical documents, suggests that the Melungeons included such notable early Americans as Daniel Boone, John Sevier, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Andrew Jackson. Once lost, but now, forgotten no more. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 36
... English - Presbyterian " in ancestry and had always felt secure in my tidy WASP ethnicity . Through DNA testing and genealogical tracing , however , I now know that I am actually primarily of Spanish / Iberian descent with perhaps ...
... [ English ] settlement [ in the New World was founded ] on Roanoke Island [ North Carolina ] in 1854 [ sic ; that is , 1584 ] . Officers of this settlement included the following men : [ Master ] Philip Armadas Arthur Barlow John Wood ...
... English ; he was born , and many of his kindred continued to live , in the coast town of Croatoan . . . . The second voyage to Roanoke Island ... was made by Sir Richard Grenville in 1685 [ sic ; 1585 ] , from Plymouth , England . It ...
... English child born in the new world , and was named for the settlement . Soon afterward , the little colony began to feel the need of supplies , but because of the existing war on the open seas with Spain , all were reluctant to make ...
... English tunes , calling out in a friendly manner . There was no answer . At daybreak they again landed , went to the fire , and found only burning grass and decayed trees . From there they traveled through some woods but , finding ...
Contents
ix | |
DNA Disease and Demographics The Keys to the Mystery | 33 |
1492 A Most Propitious Year | 45 |
Rewriting the Past A New Origin Story | 55 |
Family Trees and Family Treks Migration Marriage and Naming Patterns among the Melungeons | 83 |
The TemplarFreemason Connection | 99 |