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Archiver > LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS > 2000-02 > 0951626225
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Subject: Re: [LDR] Choptank Indian Lands POLK - STANFORD
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 23:37:05 EST
Leo: Your original question about the Indian Lands dealt with any
assumptions that could be draw from the court case, specifically: might these
folks be of Native American origins?
I've been reading about these Indian lands for years because my LAYTON
ancestors owned several of the lots and my grandmother was born in what she
called Indiantown, or Walnut Landing above Vienna. From my reading, I'd say
that you can't make an assumption one way or the other about their heritage.
Certainly, it's possible that an Englishman married a Native American woman,
not for the most part, the N.A. left these "reservations" and moved north
into PA and NY. Some also went to another "reservation" in the Broad Creek
area near Laurel. In his fine book on Native Americans, C.A. Weslager says
these tribes were basically nomads who would stay in one area only so long --
maybe a few months -- before packing their whole extended community and
moving to another settlement. So they went from the Millsboro area to Broad
Creek to Dorchester Co over the years. But then the English/American
intruders, not content with having killed many of the N.A. and stolen part of
their land, decided to confine them to distinct territories so they could
steal more lands, trying to force them into a living arrangement that ran
counter to their culture. And the granting of the lands to the N.A. was
contingent on their remaining on the land without interruption. This they
couldn't do by nature, so the lands gradually reverted to the state and were
sold.
Weslager wrote several books about Native Americans on Delmarva; they make
good reading. He was able to discuss his subjects more dispassionately than
I.
Good luck with your research.
Jim Moore
Wilmington
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