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 Yet, Hirschman, supported by DNA testing, genealogies, and a variety of historical documents, suggests that the Melungeons included such notable early Americans as Daniel Boone, John Sevier, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Andrew Jackson.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
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... settling the New World not with their own children , but instead with the children of those they considered ethnically and religiously undesirable . In a sense , Hirschman sees the Jewish Diaspora as having extended to the rugged peaks ...
... 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 James ...
... 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 the voyage [ to England ] . Finally Governor White consented ...
... settle in Indian villages in remote parts of Mexico , where they intermarried with Indian women and concealed their identity . Until rather recently , their existence was virtually unknown . [ Joan Dash , " Shephardim , A Modern Door to ...
... settlement of the Chattanooga area . A wealthy man from Virginia bought a large tract of land in Moccasin Bend .... The fertile , river - bottom land soon became a rich and productive farm , so that by the time of the owner's death , he ...
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 |