IN THE BEGINNING
In 1754 it was reported to the Governor of North Carolina there were
fifty families called a 'mixt crew' residing on the Drowning Creek .
The report made to the Governor stated 'there were no Indians' in
the area. Records show that at least some of these families would
later become known as Melungeons, Redbones and Lumbee Indians.
One of these families was Spencer Boltons who was born 1735 on
the Pee Dee River and is found on the petition below. His son
Solomon Bolton is found in Hamilton County, Tennessee where his
descendants are found in court records where he, as well as the
Perkins, Shoemake, Goins, Manley and Mournings, were described as
Spanish or Portuguese and called Melungeons.
Lewis Shepherd who represented the family in court wrote in 'A Romance of
the Melungeons:'
''South
Carolina had a law taxing free Negroes so much per capita, and a
determined effort was made to collect this of them. But it was
shown in evidence on the trial of this case that they always
successfully resisted the payment of this tax, as they proved that they
were not Negroes. Because of their treatment, they left South
Carolina at an early day and wandered across the mountains to Hancock
county, East Tennessee; in fact, the majority of the people of that
country are “Melungeons,:” or allied to them in some way. A few
families of them drifted away from Hancock into the other counties of
east Tennessee and now and then into the mountainous section of Middle
Tennessee." Excerpts from the trial can be found here.
South Carolina Petition 1794
To the honorable, the Representatives of So Carolina
The Petition of the people of colour of the state aforesaid who are
under the act entitled an "Act for imposing a pole tax on all free
Negroes, Mustees, and Mulatoes,"
most humbly sheweth
that whereas we your humble petitioners having the honor of being your
citizens, as also free and willing to advance for the support of
government anything that might not be prejudiced to us, it being well
known that we have not been backward on our part, in performing any
other public duties that hath fell in the compass of our knowledge
We therefore being sensibly grieved our present situation, also having
frequently discovered the many distresses occasioned by your act
imposing the pole tax, such as widows with large families, & women
scarcely able to support themselves, being frequently followed &
payment extorted by your tax gatherers--
The considerations on our part hath occasioned us to give you this
trouble, requesting your autherate body to repeal an act so truly
mortifying to your distressed petitioners-- for which favor your
petitioners will ever acknowledge & devoutly pray ---
Isaac Linager
Isaac Mitchell
Jonathon Price
Nathan Price
Richard Evins
Nathaniel Cumboe
George Collins
William Turner [his mark]
Thomas Hulin
Spencer Bolton [his mark]
William Swett [his mark]
Solomon Bolton [his mark]
James Shewmake [his mark]
John Turner Jr [his mark]
Solomon Shewmake [his mark]
Sampson Shewmake [his mark]
Thomas Shewmake Jun [his mark]
Thomas Shewmake Sen [his mark]
John Shewmake [his mark]
James Shewmake [his mark]
David Collins
Thomas Collins
John Turner Sen [his mark]
Mildred Turner [her mark]
Jenelayer {?} Turner [her mark]
Catherine Turner [her mark]
Elias Hulin
Cudworth
Oxendine
Archmack Ocendine
Peter
Colder [his mark]
Moses Colder [his mark]
Delley Gibson
Drusilla Gibson
George McCloud
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STATEMENT OF SUPPORT
In Justice to your petitioners as above, we whose particular knowledge
of their situation hath induced us to request in their favor the
benefit of a repeal, provided your honorable and deliberate body can
then it best to do............
