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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2003-04 > 1049309476


From: "Jerry L. Ivey" <>
Subject: RE: [DNA] Native American and Melungeon Blood
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 12:51:17 -0600


To paraphrase a Supreme Court Justice who was attempting
to define pornography ----

I can't define a Melungeon, but I'll know one when I see one.

:>)

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:]
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 10:41 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [DNA] Native American and Melungeon Blood


Hi Ernie and DNA-listers,


Also, to put my cards flat on the table, I want to make clear that I
view
"Melungeons" as constituting persons living in the Applachians who
reasonably
would have described themselves as "Portuguese", "Spanish", "Moors" or
been
so labeled by others. The local understanding of Melungeons where I grew
up
(Kingsport, TN, Norton, VA) was that they were "Dark-haired,
dark-skinned,
European featured persons" (and specifically not equated with being
"Indian"
or "Negro", as we understood those terms) who had "been living in the
mountains since anyone could remember". They were "thought to be the
descendants of Portuguese/Spanish sailors who were shipwrecked and
married
Indians" or alternatively, the "descendants of the Roanoke Lost Colony".
--
All of these quotes coming from what I was told by my parents, High
school
biology teacher and friends growing up. Notably, none of us had ever
seen
what was considered a 'real, live' Melungeon, so they seemed somewhat
like
mythical creatures to me.
Hope this helps, Beth


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