Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
This site is one of the indispensable resources that I have used to find information about my ancestors, and I’ve seen the Dreaminghawk profile in many searches. Everyone on this site brings such important information about their ancestors and it’s a great loss to hear that anyone on this site is no longer around. I wish you well during this time.
I suggested in an earlier comment on this thread that the “Boyett/Boyette” name in eastern VA/NC did not seem to be a name associated with Native people in the area. This is false, because the “Boyett/Boyette” name is very clearly a name with strong Native associations. It is very difficult to find information stating this name as being associated with Native people.
The “Boyett/Boyette” name is found in many Native communities especially in Nansemond County, VA, Southampton County, VA, Gates County, NC, and Hertford County, NC during the 1700s and 1800s. The “Boyett/Boyette” name spread to many other locations such as Wayne/Johnston Counties, NC, travelling with many other Native-associated (especially Meherrin) names to these places. It likely has associations with tribes such as the Meherrin, Tuscarora, Chowanoke, or Nansemond, and certain Boyett names may be descended from the Saponi tribe.
I am glad to know about the Penn and Trowbridge names, because I wasn’t sure what to make of them. Someone posted at this link about this family, and it looks like they also didn’t know who Erasmus West Jones was descended from:
genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/jones/28166/
In this link, it looks like one of the grandchildren of Erasmus West Jones is named “Allen Jones.” Maybe this shows a possibility that Erasmus West Jones is descended from Allen Jones and Euphema [West?].
As for Elijah Jones in Nansemond County, VA, it may be possible that Euphema [West?] is a parent because Elijah Jones is listed as being born in 1761, while Euphema [West?] is listed in some places as dying in about 1762. However, I also have not found much information yet other than this for why Elijah Jones is connected to Allen Jones or Euphema [West?].
It looks like there are ties of the name West to the Meherrin tribe, but I don’t know if this name is associated or not with the area of Northampton/Halifax. Do you know about this name in this area?
Thank you for the links. I will look more into each of these.
It seems that the ancestor who I am researching could be from the Langston family who lived more in Nansemond County than the Langstons who lived very nearby in Gates County. It may be more difficult to research the Langstons located in Nansemond County because courthouse fires destroyed many paper records. However, the area in which these Langstons were located is so nearby that I wonder if anyone who has researched the Langstons located in Gates County may also have information about the Nansemond County Langston families.
It’s also possible that the ancestor who I am researching could be from another Native family in this area such as Ellis, Boone, Duck, or others because many of these names appear to have been interacting with the Boyette family (some of whom may also be of Native descent and who this ancestor married).
It does not seem to be a name that is often associated with Native people in the area. However, finding Martha/Patsey Boyette’s last name prior to marriage may give a much greater sense of this ancestor’s possible Native ancestry, and I haven’t found this name yet.
I haven’t contacted Native groups or tribes in the area yet, but I will soon. Perhaps they will have access to records and information that I have not been able to find.
Yes. Some of the information I first heard about this was when my grandmother simply said to me, “My great-grandmother/great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded Indian.” This statement was vague and one piece of this statement is likely false, as it is likely that this possible Native ancestor would have had ancestors who had been marrying white people. However, I found out much more recently that my grandmother had a very old photograph who is said to be the person who was being spoken about.
The photograph was described as a Native woman with hair tied in a knot with a feather, photographed with a patterned fabric or blanket. The person in the photo was described as older, with slightly graying hair, and as “middle” skin-toned. The portrait was described as “sepia-toned” with a blank backdrop, appearing as though it was taken in a studio. The photograph is said to have been printed on or placed on a cardboard-like material, which often seems to be an indication that an old photo was from a studio.
I’m not sure what to make about the information given about the photo. If the person in the photo is one of the ancestors that I am researching, then the person in the photo would likely have to have been considered by some as more white-passing. Also, if this photo is of one of these ancestors, then would this ancestor have decided to commemorate Native ancestry through this photo while also, as you mentioned, attempting to erase or hide this ancestry?
When considering the statement that my grandmother made and while searching the records available for a potential ancestor, the area of the records involving Martha/Patsey Boyette seemed different to me than other records that I found. In addition, Martha/Patsey Boyette or a child named Mary Ann Boykins Chapman (Mary Ann Boyette) would be one of the specific relations that my grandmother alluded to (Martha Boyette as “great-great-grandmother” and Mary Ann Boykins Chapman as “great-grandmother”). Considering the description of the age of the photo, it sounds as though this photo could have been taken at the time either of these relatives were alive.
A parent of mine said that they first saw the photo in recent years, when my grandmother simply said something to them like “this is a relative of mine” and then showed them the photograph. My grandfather has also reported seeing the photo, and each relative gave a somewhat similar description. My grandmother died in recent years, so I can only contact other relatives to find out what they have heard. In addition, the photo is currently lost and has not been found in recent years.