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Many Indian communities don’t identify themselves as Indian (such as Browntown in Snow Hill, NC or Greentown in Brunswick CO VA). You’ll hear what is heard in my family. “Oh yea, there is Indian in the family”. Many see themselves as only Black. Some Indian communities see themselves as Indian only.
Browntown in Snow Hill likely Tuscarora
Brunswick Co VA – likely Saponi
Indian Woods NC, likely Tuscarora
Piney Woods, NC – likely MATTAMUSKEET
The Mattamusteet and Indian Woods people could be related to us. I would estimate that there are many dozens of tri-racial communities in NC and VA. Perhaps 100 or even 200. In Brunswick co I believe that there are four or five different Saponi communities:
Greentown
Charlie Hope
Warfield
Rawlings
Gholsonville
Ante (formally freetown)
Then there are communities like the one in Mecklenburg (Boydton VA) near the Occaneechi island home in Clarksville. This is where I am from. There is a heavy Indian concentration on the road that I lived and in the small town of Boydton but only a few people identify with their Indian heritage.
Another one in Northampton County is Garysburg. Just outside the Gaston City limits, across town from Bethany. This one has alot of Ransoms in it.
2 more to add to the list, Scevrn County GA and Wilson County NC. These are 2 “pitstops” on the migration pattern as all the surnames in these communities are traceable back to Brunswick, Greensville and Northampton Counties.
Crystal
What a wealth of information, thank you! My father’s family comes from Indian Woods and my mother’s grandmother who was known to be indian by all (in her town and our family); her maiden name was Ramseur…question…is this a form of the name Ramsom? Would like to know more…. *I highly recommend that all readers of this forum get a hold of Ulali’s CD “Mahk Jchi”. A Native Womens accapella trio. Two of the women are N.C. Tuscarora. I guarentee you will love it! Especially ‘Going Home’ Check it out. Bye.
Ransom has variant spellings. They are very heavily concentrated in Garysburg in Northampton County. They marry into the Poythress line as well as the Cumbo line. The Cumbo line claim Tuscarora as their native ancestry. Have you been able to trace your line back into the border counties of NC or VA?
What other surnames do you have in your family?
Greetings Crystal…Thank you for your prompt reply…Actually thru my GreatGrandmas line I have not been able to trace it further than Lincoln co. Her husband, my Great Granddads’ Mother was from Virginia she was also Native..Mariah Morris. Other surnames on my Mothers side..Lander(slave name)…blood name…Mauney(Abram to be exact)…?Wonder if there’s any connection to James Mooney of ‘Myths of the Cherokee’?……..Kaston…Costner…Broome..Kinlock…Friday***On my Dads side there’s Cherry…Smallwood…Rigsby…Hill. I have been more able to trace and confirm Tuscarora ancestory on my Fathers side because of the history of Indian Woods in Bertie Co. Great family story about Southern exodus I found I have cousins on a New York reservation (but never met them)… I found 2 books very useful, Douglas L. Rrights ‘The American Indian in North Carolina and J.Leitch Wright,Jr.s ‘The Only Land They Knew’ The Tragic Story Of the American Indians in the Old South’. I haven’t found a good source yet but I believe that information on the Yamasse and their ‘relationship’ with the Goose Creek men would shed alot of light on the realities of Indian slavery for all who want to know………Neahway….Xinde
Yes, we have the CD Ulali’s CD “Mahk Jchi” and yes it is excellent. I love it!! The Native American Drum that I sing with has recorded with Ulali.
Below is the Ulali web site: http://www.ulali.com/intro/sitedirmf.htm
Thanks Barry…I Know the site well. What is the name of your Drum? This site is wonderful. For years I have been researching Family History…searching for Family…One thing about North Carolinians we LOVE to talk about familiy history. I heard this once ‘An Indian know where He/She comes from….I’d like to get up to Indian Woods before it’s bulldozed away. I’m the only of my family that hasn’t been. I’m glad the People are getting stronger!!! Neyahway
Thanks Barry…I Know the site well. What is the name of your Drum? This site is wonderful. For years I have been researching Family History…searching for Family…One thing about North Carolinians we LOVE to talk about familiy history. I heard this once ‘An Indian know where He/She comes from….I’d like to get up to Indian Woods before it’s bulldozed away. I’m the only of my family that hasn’t been. I’m glad the People are getting stronger!!! Neyahway
Hello, Xinde, glad to see your interesting posts and history. What’s this about Indian Woods getting bulldozed?
Eastern Bull Drum is the name of the Drum Barry’s on. Our son, Travis, was just named a Junior Member. The temporary address for the site is http://www.saponitown.com/easternbull/
HI LINDA…SORRY I DON’T WANT TO SPREAD RUMORS…OR PUT ANY NEGATIVITY OUT THERE…I LIVE IN GA NOW AND HAVE LITERALLY WATCHED HUNDREDS OF BEAUTIFUL VALLEYS AND ROLLING HILLS GIVE WAY TO WALMARTS AND KROGERS AND ON AND ON AND ON…IT BREAKS MY HEART…I LIVE SO CLOSE… I JUST HAVE TO SEE MY FATHERS HOMELAND BEFORE….I HAD MY FIRST VISIT TO NC IN 75 TO VISIT MY MOMS PEOPLE AND ALL THATS LEFT IS OUR MEMORIES….HIGHWAYS AND MACDONALDS
!@*!@#$….THIS WEEKEND WAS THE OCCANEECHI POWWOW I’M SORRY I MISSED IT. I’M GONNA MAKE IT BACK HOME SOON. CHECKED OUT THE EASTERN DRUM SITE…GREAT…THANK YOU
You wouldn’t happen to live near Atlanta, would you? Indian Woods is still a pretty depressed area economically. No industry, nothing. You have to drive at least half an hour just to get to a Wal Mart. It’s probably safe from development for awhile, still DEEP country. But that doesn’t mean take you time getting out this way. The Matamuskeet in neighboring Piney Woods have their pow wow in August. Let me know if you’d like some contacts and info.
HI LINDA….YES I DO LIVE IN ATLANTA…FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS…NOT ALL BAD…ALOT OF SHAKING UP….I WANT TO COME SOON TO SEE OLD HOME PLACE….MAYBE MEET SOME FAMILY….MY BROTHERS USED TO TELL ME HOW IT WAS IN INDIAN WOODS…AND MY MOTHER, TELLING ABOUT HOW MY DAD GREW UP…SEEMS LIKE NOT ALOT HAS CHANGED…???…ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUTHERN BAND OF TUSCARORA….I USED TO BE ABLE TO CHECK OUT THEIR WEB SITE…CAN’T GET THRU ANY MORE…I WOULD LIKE THE INFORMATION ON THE PINEY WOODS POWWOW…THANK YOU…WE HAVE COMMON FRIENDS…I THINK
There’s a very special lady who lives in Piney Woods, I try to visit her when I get the chance. She says there are swans out in the swamps there. Do you have many family left in Indian Woods? I haven’t been there yet myself. I was in Windsor once to visit the Livingstons of the Southern Band, but I never got out to Indian Woods. Let me know if you need company, I’d be happy to join you. They say our Saponi people lived there for awhile. I’d like to be on that earth.
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