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Hello folks, my family from Virginia is of mixed English/Indian descent and I can’t seem to pin down the tribe, I am wondering if perhaps they are Saponi. They are mostly out of Hanover and Louisa counties VA. The evidence I have is oral history from several branches of the family going back to the mid 1800’s, some families with a mix of white and free coloreds in the census in the early 1800’s, and Indian physical features in some family members. My grandmother even took one of those DNA tests, don’t know if I trust those exactly, but it said she had positive Indian ancestry. Grandma grew up in Cherokee country in TN/NC, but they called themselves Virginia Indians.
On one side of the family, Oteria Agnus Butler, born 1844, Hanover Co VA, is regarded by family as Indian, but she and her parents are marked as white on the 1850 census. Her son claimed that his ancestors “met the Mayflower”and “met the first boats”. Don’t think his Indian ancestors were from the NE though, the family maintains they were from Virginia.
These are Oteria’s ancestors as far as I can tell,
Hanover, Louisa counties VA: 1800’s Butler, Lawrence,Shepherdson,
1700’s Thacker, Cook(e), Clayton, Martin, Strong, Stanley, Ballard
Nansemond, co VA 1700’s: Lawrence
Norfolk, co VA 1700’s: Standley
Another family line that supposedly has Indian ancestry.
Orange co. NC 1800: Brown, Morris
Franklin co, NC late 1700s: Ivey
Halifax co, NC late 1700’s: Pulley
Northern NC 1700’s: Pitt(s), Melville, Travis, Granville, Fleetwood, Newton, Cannon
I found a website that claims a Thacker family from the early 1700’s in Hanover VA has Cherokee ancestry, but I haven’t been able to find any other information on it. I also have other family out of TN and KY that fits the Melungeon description, but I haven’t researched them yet.
Although I was raised and identify as native, I don’t know much about the Indian people I am related to and would like to learn more. If I lived closer I would try to be involved with things, but since I live so far away I have no connection to any Indian organization in the SE. So that’s why I’m posting this here. Thanks for any help, I’ll do my best to help anyone who has questions.
Welcome to Saponitown……… as much as the remnants of the tribes moved around and banded together, not sure you can pin down an exact tribe or if it even matters…….. you have names and places which are familiar to this forum.
Macey LAWRENCE married Robert SIMPKINS Sr around 1770 in Va. Elder John Lawrence and Levinah Unknown were her parents. Simpkins is my father’s mother’s main line.
My mother’s main line is NEWTON in Person/Orange/ Granville NC. I would be very interested in knowing the details of your Newton line and also if your Lawrence line goes back to Elder John and his flock. My Newtons are still in Person co but their siblings started migrating to Tenn and Ky in early 1800s. My Newtons married MEADOWS, LUNSFORD, SATTERFIELD, JONES, MANN, HAILEY ( John Newton/Nancy Hailey marriage was 1809)That is as far as I’ve gotten them back
peace
Ken
Hi, thank you for the reply!
Unfortionately I don’t know much about my Newton line, except that they married into my Brown or Morris family by the late 1700’s, and went to TN in 1800. I’m new to genealogy and haven’t been able to find much information on my family out of NC, much of this is from oral history and old family letters.
I have a William Lawrence who was born around 1764 in Hanover or Louisa co, VA, his father was probably Henry Lawrence who died in 1768 in Louisa VA, but whose line was originally out of Nansemond co VA.
Cheers,
Shad
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