The Melungeons
A Peculiar Race of People Living Hancock County
1890-09-28
The Knoxville Journal
Special
Correspondence of The Journal
Rogersville, Tenn., September 25
The newspapers of the country are again wrangling with the 'Melungeons'
or 'lungens' a peculiar race of people living along Newman's Ridge in
Hancock county. They are also scattered along Clinch mountain in
Hawkins and Grainger in isolated settlements. Even that bright
and fascinating young writer, Miss Will Allen Dromgoole has taken it
upon herself to journey all the way from nashville to the wilds of
Hancock for the evident purpose of settling once and for all the much
disp... (?) question of their origin. Unfortunately she
gleamed little information other than that already published. It
might be -- that she made a mistake in going among these strange people
for that purpose, .... having they know about as much concerning the
matter as any one else and that is not adding much. They
themselves know virtually noting of their origin or antecedents from
whence they came or the character of the mixed blood that courses
through their veins.
In color they
range from nearly white to a strong copper tint. They are of the
average stature and general physical bearing; eyes always black, and
short wavy or kinky hair, impressing one at first sight with the idea
that they are of mixed white and negro blood. They are as a rule
ignorant, uneducated and the knowledge and practice of virtue among
them is woefully missing. Until quite recently they believed it was the
inherent right of man to make moonshine whisky and take human
life. They are growing better in this respect, however and the
number of arrests for violation of the internal revenue laws in
Newman's ridge district is growing beautifully less.
A large
section of Hancock along the sides of Newman's ridge and in the valley
of the Blackwater and Sycamore is almost entirely given up to the
'Melungeons.' The most of them own the little farms upon which they
live and the houses and generally perched upon a high eminence. Down in
Grainger county they are found only on the north side of Clinch
mountain and its spurs, living in rude cabins high up, as near the top
as they can get. No set or race of people were ever more clannish
or more disposed to attend to their own affairs. They hold their
neighbors of pure white blood in distrust as their neighbors do
them. In Grainger county a few years ago one the "Melungeons" was
drawn for jury service in a murder case. It was a pure accident
of course but the other eleven showed their utter contempt of the
proceeding by failing to recognize the 'Melungeon' in arriving at a
verdict.
They are very superstitious race of people, believing in crude way in
spiritualism as it is practiced in more civilized communities; in signs
and omens and in special providences. They are fatalists and if
one of their number is brought home in a deceased state caused by a
Winchester by the hands of a neighbor they simply shake their heads and
say; "He's born to die that a way." to a certain extent they
practice preach and believe in the Christian religion. They show
great respect for their dead and their burying ground are always neat
and trim.
As to their
origin--- well that is where the mystery comes in. While they
have the appearance of Mulatto, Portuguese, and Indian all mixed in
different and various proportions, they bear names evident of English
origin, such as Gibson, Collins, Singleton, Goins, and Mallett.
The Gibson and Collins are the most numerous. Some historians
aver and with good reasons, that the British government turned loose a
ship load of convicts in the mountains of Virginia, years ago when the
'old dominion' was yet a colony and that these people are descendants
of Portuguese and negroes who were among the convicts, and they
naturally flocked off by themselves. At any rate they were among
the very first settlers of what is now Hancock County.
Old Griffith Collins who died in Grainger county some forty years ago
once approached 'Squire Gill' of Bean Station, who was an Englishman by
birth, on this subject.
"Squire Gill" he asked, "what is convicts?" I've often heard my
grandfather say we's come down from convicts."
This is the only instance on record where any prediction or legend,
even of the origin of this peculiar people was ever alluded to by one
of their number." This carries out the theory held by Prof. Henderson
of Kentucky, who has made quite a study of the question.
In Magoffin
county, Kentucky, one of the wildest of the eastern subdivisions of
the commonwealth there is a community or settlement of people, who
claim to be descendants of Portuguese, and the resemblance is said to
be striking and complete.....
...The Melungeons know the
value of money. They are excellent hands at driving a bargain and with
all their ignorance and illiteracy they live moderately well. "An
instance of their thrift is shown in the case of Varney Gibson, who
lived in Hancock in ante bellum days. His skin was whiter than the
ordinary and his head was bald so that he could easily pass for a white
man. He had a 'cousin' however who was very dark-skinned, a strong
handsome fellow with a flat nose and kinky hair. Varney and his cousin
therefore entered into a scheme, not uncommon in those days by which
the latter was to black up just a little and assume the role of a poor
ignorant slave while Varney was to dispose of the handsome slave, who
should make his escape as soon as possible and share the spoils. They
had not gone far into Lee county before a sale was concluded. Varney
receiving in exchange a lot of merchandise, a pair of horses and a new
wagon. The young slave bided his time, washed the lampblack from his
face and hastening to an appointed place in Hancock county where he was
to receive his share of their booty. But Varney never came. He had
loaded the merchandise into the new wagon an disappeared forever from
Hancock, going to one of the western states. W.D.P.