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Archiver > TNLINCOL > 1999-03 > 0920478724


From: <>
Subject: Re: Black Dutch
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 17:32:04 +0100


At 09:41 AM 03/03/1999 -0600, you wrote:
>I missed the discussion about Black Dutch, but since my mother-in-law
>claims to be Black Dutch, can someone please send me a copy of the
>e-mail or tell me what it is??? Thanks, M'Lou Patton Bell

M'Lou... dont know about the discussion on the list earlier.. Im just newly
joined to this list... but <grin> I can tell you what it meants in my family.

In many families it was, apparently, a cover up term for Native American,
Melungeon, or some other group seen as less than "white" by their
communities...Often families with the tradition of being Black Dutch did
have origins in Germany or Scotland or Ireland or Holland, but ... I think
there was probably a Native American grandmother somewhere along the way.
One thing I have discovered... is that nearly all who claim to have "Black
Dutch"... had their family roots in the South East.

With my own family (The Shields) there was a native american grannie, on
the 1830 Census of Lincoln Co. NC (this is right before the Cherokee
Removal in 1836) shes listed as the wife of James Shields... but not
white... not black... shes listed as "other". <grin>.. A pic of her
daughter Jane Elizabeth surely shows some definate native features.

A great site I recently found:

http://www.hypertext.com/blackirish/melungeons.html

You might also enjoy reading Darlene's main Melungeon page... Even if your
family weren't Melungeon, this site gives a lot of good information on the
laws of the 1800's (and before) and why families might adopt the term Black
Dutch. That URL:

http://www.melungeons.org/ or the Archives at that site:

Hope this helps.

Susan Bagwell Merrell

Life is like a hot shower... just as you get comfy.. someone flushes.

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