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July
2011
Following the Croatoan
In
the 1730s and 1740s, the Farrow and other Hatteras families including
the Gibbs, Spencers, Stows, Jones and Walls were purchasing land around
Lake Mattamuskeet from the Mattamuskeet Indians.
In 1740, two transactions took place on the same day, although
they were not stated to be a trade.
Currituck
Deed Book 3 Deed 632, page 22 - April 2, 1740 recorded June 26, 1740
-Charles Squires, Indian, to Jacob Farrow, 100# NC money, land, [no
acreage mentioned], in Aramoskeet adjoining William Browning, Joshua
Wallis line, Syrpis Swamp, with Cornelius Jones, Thomas Dudley, signed
John S: Squires (sic). [S: appears to be his mark]
Currituck
Deed Book 3 Deed 635, page 24 April 2, 1740 recorded Aug. 22, 1740 -
Jacob Farrow to Charles Squires, Indian, of Arromuskeet in Currituck
County, 100#, 200 acres on Hatteras Banks beginning a the north side of
Cutting Sedge Marsh, by a house that Vallentine Wallis built, the sound
side, Callises Dreen, sea side, witness Cornelius Jones, Thomas Dudley,
signed Jacob Farrow.
The
land purchased by Charles Squires is never found being sold.
It may have been lost for taxes, but it has been located at being
in the Buxton area based on the location of Cutting Sedge from Baylus
Brooks' "Hatteras Place Name" map.
In
the book Villany Often Goes
Unpunished, Indian Records from the North Carolina General Assembly
Sessions 1675-1789 by William L. Byrd III, he transcribed the
following 1756 entry:
"Job
Carr about Hatteras Indian lands. I
have made diligent inquiry as to the complaint of Thomas Elks indian and
I find the greatest part to be erroneous…the complaint of sundry
persons that came and indeavor to disposess him and the rest of the
indians which is a small number for there is but (faded) man beside
himself and one small boy of he male I (faded) and I have strickly
examined he said Thomas Elks what pers (faded) there were that I
(faded) the indians and he answere me none but Thomas Robb Junor
and demanded of he said Robb Junor his reason of his encroachment uppon
the Indian Land and Robb denied he had done it or intended to do it for
he dsered no more than his one and according produced a plot and pattin
for a pece of land containing 320 acres which was surveyed to his
grandfather Mr. Henry Dayvis in yr 17?6 [1716] beginning at the Indian
Town and rainging to the northward and for the better clearning up the
matter I caused Mr Hezeciah Farrow and Capt Jacob Farrow to examine the
indian boundary line...for the said indians never had any grant or
patting [patent] for it as ever they were acquainted with or had any
knowledg of so that I conceive they have no right to compaine seaing
they have no grant or patting for any lands neither is Thomas Elks
intiteled to the royelty for he is but a son in law to the late King
Elks desesed and part of the Maromosceat line of indians for
the tru line of the Hatteras Indians are mostly dead.
Job Carr"
In
1759, William Elks and the Hatteras Indians are granted 200 acres on
Hatteras Banks that includes the Indian Town.
In
John Swanton's "Indians of North America", he tells us that in
1761, the Rev. Alex. Stewart baptized 7 Indians and mixed-blood children
of the "Attamuskeet, Hatteras, and Roanoke" tribes and 2 years
later he baptized 21 more. Reverend
Stewart goes on to say that the "Hatteras and Roanoke Indians"
are "newly arrived from Roanoke Island" to live with the
Mattamsukeet.
In
1770 William Elks of Hatteras sells to Isaac Farrow 100 acres and in
1771, he sells 50 acres on Hatteras Banks to George Clark.
In
1788, Mary and Elizabeth Elks sell 200 acres of land bounded by the old
Indian Town to Nathan Midgett. It
does not say it includes the Indian Town.
At
this point the amount of land sold by the Elks family equals 350 acres
and the land granted totals 200 acres.
We don't know how much was left in the deed to Nathan Pinkham,
below. I expect that this
was the deed for the actual "Indian Town" itself, that Mary
lived there until her death.
In
1802 Elizabeth Elks pens a deed to Nathan Pinkham for the "Indian
lands" if her son does not reach the age of 21.
In 1823, Nathan Pinkham files that deed and margin notes indicate
that all other parties are dead.
With
that, the curtain closes on the records we have concerning the Croatoan
Indians.
Summary
The
Hatteras Indian tribe appears to be extinct as a tribe, and was nearly
so by 1756. The last
remnant appearance that we can trace is the 1823 deed filing.
Based on the 1756 legislative entry, it would appear that the
last of the Hatteras married into the Mattamuskeet Indians and the
tribal remnants may have gone to live among them based on Stewart's 1761
entry. It also appears that
they were significantly admixed by this time as well and as early as
1710 based on Irmstone's letter and as early as 1701 based on Lawson's
observations.
Are
the Hatteras really extinct, or was the tribal identity actually the
only thing "dead"? Had the balance of the Hatteras assimilated into either the
European or the Mattamuskeet populations, or both? If the Hatteras were already admixed with the colonists, as
reported by Lawson in 1701, their complete assimilation, meaning when
they were no longer able to be identified visually as Indians, would
have happened rather quickly. Did
they move to join their kin at Mattamuskeet?
Are there any discernable remnants left?
Research is underway to answer those questions.
Port O’ Plymouth Roanoke River Museum Records
Hold Surprise for Martin County Genealogist
We
Southerners have heard the expression “Damn Yankee” all our lives.
But Jennifer Shephard, like many Southerners, never dreamed it
could correctly be applied to any of her ancestors.
Discovering the service records of your ancestors is an integral
part of your genealogy research. Here's
Jennifer's story of finding.....
One
Yankee in a Family of Rebels!
The
first military service record I received was when I was living in
California. A professional
researcher I hired found it in Washington, DC.
That particular ancestor was Ashley Modlin of Martin County who
served in Co. H, 1st North Carolina Infantry.
Directly under the company, in which he served were the words
(Confederate) plain as day, consequently there was no question as to
which side he fought on.
After
that, I began to order my own Military Service records directly from the
National Archives, using the form required for that purpose. As I
obtained service record after service marked (Confederate) I became just
a little bit proud. I was
born and raised in the South and had always considered myself somewhat
of a Rebel.
Each
time I sent for and received copies of Civil War Service Records of my
ancestors, I got very excited. Needless to say, the excitement has never
waned. I still become as excited as ever at finding information on my
ancestor that I could get from no other records.
About
six years ago, I sent for and received Civil War Service Records on my
ancestor Samuel Stillman of Washington County, NC.
On 12 Apr 1992, I attended the reenactment of the Battle of
Plymouth, in Plymouth, NC. I
have attended only one other reenactment, the one at Ft Branch,
Hamilton, NC. I was not prepared for the emotions I felt while watching
these reenactments. Everyone should experience at least one Civil War
reenactment. Even if you are not a Civil War buff, it gives you a
different perspective of what your ancestors lived through during the
War Between the States.
While
waiting for the battle of Plymouth to begin, I overheard a conversation
between Jimmy Hardison, one of the reenactors, and a spectator.
They were discussing the battle and the fact that the Port
O’Plymouth Roanoke River Museum had a computer print-out of the names
of the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Plymouth.
I told Jimmy I had a Civil War ancestor named Samuel Stillman and
that he was from Washington County. Jimmy said he had seen that name on
a list. I immediately made
plans to visit the museum, talk to Patricia Monte, the Curator, and get
a look at that list of soldiers.
The
following Thursday, I made the trip to the Museum in Plymouth where I
met Patricia Monte. She was very helpful and quite knowledgeable
about Washington County history, although she is not a native of
Washington County. Right away I got busy looking for Samuel Stillman’s
name. I had no problem finding it, there it was among the other union
soldiers, listed under Co. C., 1st North Carolina
Infantry. I just sat there
in shock; my Samuel Stillman had fought for the North
not the South as my other ancestors had. I also learned his company
was not involved in the Battle of Plymouth.
Shortly
afterwards, Jimmy Hardison walked into the museum and asked me how I was
doing. I said “I’m not
sure, I just found out my Samuel Stillman was a Yankee! Jimmy responded, “I knew that and I assumed you did”.
Well I didn’t know it! As
I picked up Samuel’s service record I asked Jimmy, “How can you tell
if they fought for the North?” Before
the words were out of my mouth, I noticed the words (Confederate) were
not in parenthesis under the Company in which Samuel fought.
I
had had those military service records in my possession for several
years and had not read them thoroughly enough to know I had one Union
Soldier among all my Confederates. I felt really stupid to have worked
in genealogy since 1974 and not known that I had a Yankee among my
ancestors; especially when I had the paperwork in my files to prove it!
The lesson I learned? Read
all of the documents you obtain while researching your families and
don’t stop there; be sure you review them from time to time.
You will see things you didn’t see the first or second time you
read them. You want to be sure you understand all the information you
have possession of, so that you can include it in your family history.
I
can’t really explain how I felt when I discovered my Union Soldier. My
feelings were definitely mixed and I knew I could visit the National
Archives again and look for a pension application that Sam would have
filed. My friend, Luella, had found some very interesting information on
her Yankee ancestors during our previous trips to the National Archives.
Well, now it was my turn to find out some things about Samuel;
information I could find from no other source.
While
I sat there in the museum thinking about Samuel, I began to view the
situation from a different perspective. I did not know, before my visit
to the reenactment, that Plymouth citizens were Union sympathizers and
that there was a Union Garrison in Plymouth.
When
I later visited the National Archives in Washington, DC,
I located Samuel’s pension records.
Those records revealed that Samuel was married before he
married my 2rd Great Grand-mother, that all his
children by his first wife had died at birth or at a young age.
Samuel’s
first wife became ill with typhoid fever during their stay in Beaufort
and died while they were there. In addition to this type of information,
there is extensive information on the condition of his health and
affidavits by neighbors (to prove he was indeed who he said he was), for
the purpose of receiving a pension for his injuries.
Upon
Samuel’s return [to Plymouth] he filed a claim for the loss of his
horse, which was confiscated by the Union Army during the conflict.
He was paid $100.00 for it.
After his return he met my 2nd Great Grandmother, Mary
Emily Modlin. They were married on 20 Jan 1867.
Included in his pension records were the names and birth dates
(day, month and year) of all of their children.
This information was quite a find.
It is something you won’t find anywhere else in NC.
They didn’t begin keeping vital records until after 1913 so
there are no birth or death records for anyone before that date.
Samuel’s records also revealed he suffered from “gravel”
the old term for kidney stones and heart palpitations, both of which I
evidently inherited from him. Thanks
a lot Grandpa.
Reading
Samuel’s application records enabled me to gain more insight into the
situation Samuel and his family, as well as other families in the area,
faced during the Civil War. Those families were uprooted from their
homes and sent to Beaufort, NC to live under the protection of Federal
Troops. How sad that they had to leave their homes and most of their
possessions for the duration of the war. They probably had little left
when they returned, as quite a number of farms and buildings sustained
damage (some irreparable) during the conflict.
One
of the documents found among Samuel’s papers was a letter written in
his own handwriting. Only a
genealogist or historian can appreciate the value of such an item.
This is what he said in his letter:
“Dear Sir: In reply to your inquiry in regards to writing my
name. Yes I can write my
name but some times I get people to write when I have not got my
glasses. My eyesight is
very bad and I am a poor penman any way.
When I did not sign my name I made my mark. I have stated the reason why I have made my mark at any time.
Hoping this explanation may be sufficient.
I am yours Truly, Samuel Stillman”.
This letter indicates he was well educated for his day and time.
Can
you imagine having to leave your home and all your belongings, here in
the US and having to live under protective custody?
I certainly can’t. Although
I’m a true southerner I hold no animosity toward my ancestor; he was
brave enough to fight for what he believed in, just as my Confederate
ancestors did. He was
willing to give his life if necessary for that cause.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
On 5 Feb. 1920, he died at the age of 83 of paralysis and stroke,
preceding his wife, Mary Emily by only 9 months and 7 days.
This is probably the best discovery I’ve made thus far in my
genealogy research. Not
because I discovered a Union ancestor, but because his pension records
revealed so much information about his family, particularly the complete
dates of the children’s births.
Book Review
Grenville and the Lost Colony of Roanoke
by Andrew Thomas Powell
By
Jennifer Sheppard
Mr.
Powell is in the distinctive position to have written this book as he
not only lives in England but is the retired Mayor of Bideford with
access to never before published information regarding the voyages. He
also possesses firsthand knowledge of “Croatoan” having spent time
where the colonists were said to have settled. This gives him a unique
perspective on America’s greatest unsolved mystery.
I
must confess, household chores and the like suffered greatly while I was
reading this book because it was virtually impossible to put down! This
work is concisely written, easy to read, brilliantly shared and exciting
to say the least.
The
introduction of the book sums it up beautifully, from which I quote:
“The story of the first attempt to colonize America by the English
nation is a story of extraordinary courage, despair, misfortune, joy and
simple wonder……..prepare for an adventure no Hollywood producer
could hope to conjure in their wildest dreams, and remember, as you
read, that this is a true story.”
Mr.
Powell leads us step by step, through the entire sequence of events
undertaken to plant a permanent English settlement in what was to become
the USA. He begins his book with a short biography of Sir Richard
Grenville, the “unsung hero” that is “unsung” no more. Some may
not be aware that Grenville made more than one voyage to what was to
become America and also served as “onetime Lord of the Manor of
Bideford and was almost exclusively known for being the subject of an
Alfred, Lord Tennyson poem…..”
Next,
Andrew Powell covers “The Voyage of Amadas and Barlowe 1584 and The
Voyage of Grenville 1585.” He
moves on to include The Military Colony of 1585, Parts One and Two. Then
he covers the “Voyages of 1586, The “Planters’ Colony of 1587,”
“The Voyages of 1588,” “The deposition of Pedro Diaz 1585-1589,”
“Raleigh’s Assignment of 1589,” and ends the transcriptions with
“The Voyage of 1590. Subsequently
he includes information unknown to have been published on the “ships
and captains of England” involved in these voyages, without whose
participation this amazing adventure would not have been possible.
And
last but not least, Mr. Powell shares his own thoughts and analysis on
“The Colonists,” including the types of
expertise the people considered for this exploration, would have
had to possess in order to survive and to thrive in their new lives in
an unknown wilderness.
In
the next chapter “Questions, Answers; Answers, Questions, he
summarizes the “If Only’s’” revealing the possible “near
misses” and “close encounters” that may have designated Croatoan
as the first permanent English settlement in America rather than
Jamestown. Mr. Powell ends
his work with “The Hunt for The Lost Colony” wherein he provides
never before published information uncovered by The Lost Colony Research
Group, Professor Mark Horton of Bristol University and the author
himself, Andrew Powell.
The
footnotes containing detailed explanations of unfamiliar terms and
words, found in the transcription of the original documents, are
invaluable and much appreciated by the reader. This enables the reader
to understand obsolete terms/words found in the journals he meticulously
transcribed. As a genealogist who insists on working with primary
sources whenever possible, this is certainly a plus and the fact that it
is a true and accurate account of what actually happened makes it a
terrific read.
I
highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the study of the so
called “Lost Colony” and to those who truly enjoy reading a good
non-fiction story which just happens to be some heretofore unknown
history of what would one day become the United States of America!
The
book is 302 pages, measures
8 X 5 inches, ISBN-10: 1848765967; ISBN-13: 978-1848765962 (Troubador
Publishing Ltd © 2011, 5 Weir Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester, LE8
OLQ, WW.TROUBADOR.CO.UK). The book is also available at www.amazon.com
for $16.78.
Little Joshua Gray Tombstone Returned
"LITTLE
J. GRAY BORN FEBr 13 Day 1808, DIED DED. 24, 1891, AGED 83 Yrs 10 MO and
12 DaYs" is what the marker said.
But this marker was not on the grave of the person it
memorialized, it was in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
And so the mystery begins, or maybe more to the point, began to
end.
Little
Joshua Gray was buried to one side or the other of his daughter,
Bethany, in the Grey family cemetery near the Little Kinnakeet
Lifesaving Station. But his
marker was no place there to be found.
No
one knows how the marker got to Massachusetts, or when, but someone
there was cleaning out a house and found it.
They took it to the police department.
The dispatcher there, a history buff, attempted to see who it
belonged to, determining it was not local.
From there it went to the Town Clerk, who also had no luck with a
local identification, and from there to the Sandwich Heritage Museum and
Gardens. In an attempt to
find its owner, they published the information in a newsletter for the
Association for Gravestone Studies.
The President of the Chesterfield Virginia Historical Society saw
the article and got online and found Little Joshua, contacting the
Hatteras Island Historical Society founder, Dawn Taylor.
What
you may not know is that Dawn and I with assistance from historian Kay
Lynn Sheppard have been compiling a Hatteras Island Families Data Base
to use as a part of the Hatteras Families DNA project.
The Hatteras Families DNA project is focused towards determining
if any of the colonists survived there, and to see if we can also find
some evidence of the Hatteras Indians remaining in the population.
With
the information in the data base, were immediately able to document
Little Joshua's identity, birth and death, from the information on the
marker, and Dawn was able to arrange for the marker to be shipped home.
The single slab of thick oak arrived back on Hatteras Island in
the middle of February. Wanda
O'Neal, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Little Joshua welcomed
the marker and is shown here holding it, with a little help from a
friend who is probably descended from Little Joshua Gray's cat.
Dawn
would like to see the marker returned to the Gray family cemetery where
it belongs, but erosion is an issue as well as the fact that the grave
marker would soon meet the fate of the other wooden grave markers on
Hatteras Island - total decay.
For
now, the marker will be housed at the Chicamacomico Life Saving Station in Rodanthe, NC which opens April 18th
for the season. The marker
will be able to be viewed there. The
Hatteras Island Genealogy Society will be raising funds to place a
permanent marker of similar design on the grave.
If you'd like to participate, or to just keep up with the saga of
this well traveled marker, visit the Hatteras Island Genealogy Society
blog at http://hatgensoc.wordpress.com/author/hatgensoc/.
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