The Lumber River, is a 133-mile-long river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which is still used as the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
Soon after crossing into South Carolina, the Lumber River flows into the Little Pee Dee River, which flows into the Pee Dee River, or Great Pee Dee River. Finally, the combined waters flow into Winyah Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
The last three posts The Portuguese Spanish Italians & Africans - Cofitachequi & DeSoto - Pardo and Cofitachequi shows how first Lucas de Ayllon comes up the Winyah Bay in 1527 with 600-700 men, women, children and slaves, between 450 and 550 left unaccounted for. Hernando de Soto follows this route in 1540 up the Pee Dee where he met the 'Lady of Cofitachequi' who allowed de Soto and his expedition to view her temple. Here they found a knife, glass beads, rosaries, and Biscayan axes where they agreed it was part of de Ayllon's expedition. A few decades later we find Juan Pardo meeting the 'Lady of Cofitachequi' on the Pee Dee River, by this time four decades had past.
Four decades, two generations of the Native women carrying children of the Portuguese, Spanish, Genoan and African children with their European and African DNA.
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Fifteen years after the Stono Rebellion
Stono rebellion, large slave uprising on September 9, 1739, near the Stono River, 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Charleston, South Carolina. Slaves gathered, raided a firearms shop, and headed south, killing more than 20 white people as they went. Other slaves joined the rebellion until the group reached about 60 members. The white community set out in armed pursuit, and by dusk half the slaves were dead and half had escaped; most were eventually captured and executed.
Fifteen years later, 1754 Governor Dobbs requested reports from the militia commanders of North Carolina’s counties. The Bladen militia submitted the following: “Col. Rutherford’s Regimt. of Foot in Bladen County 441, a Troop of horse 36... Drowning Creek on the Head of Little Peedee, 50 families, a mixt Crew, a lawless People, filleth the Lands without patent or paying quit rents. Shot a surveyor for coming to view vacant lands being inclosed in great swamps. Quakers to attend musters or pay as in the Northern Counties. Fines not high enough to oblige the militia to attend musters. No arms stores or Indians in the county.” [Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. V, p161] Would the Governor have allowed 50 mixt families - African and White - who shot a surveyor to have lived free on Drowning Creek?
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The Robesonian - Jul 13, 1933
Washington, July 11, .. (AP)
The Romantic theory that Sir Raleigh's "Lost Colony" lives on in the "Croatans" of Robeson county, N.C., today received a shattering blow from science. Dr. John R. Swanton, ethnologist of Smithsonian Institution, announced the tentative tracing of the identity of the "Croatan to the Siquan stock of Indians, best known in the northwest. By a study of early documents, tribal connections, and language, Swanton connected them closely with the Cheraw, a Siouan people first encountered in South Carolina by DeSoto in 1540. And thus the cryptic word "Croatan," found carved upon a tree on Roanoke Island in 1590 as the sole trace of the "lost colony" means nothing in their lives. It was conferred upon them by Hamilton McMillan of Fayetteville, N.C., (he was of Red Springs, Robeson county), in support of his hypothesis they were descendants of the lost colonists.
There is no reason to believe that they have any connection with the lost Virginia colony established by Sir Walter Raleigh," the Smithsonian statement said. "Croatan was the name of an island, and an Algonquin Indian town just north of Hatteras, to which the survivors of the Raleigh colony are supposed to have gone. "But, assuming that the colonists did remove to Croatan, there is not a bit of reason to suppose that either they or the Croatan Indians ever went farther inland." Dr. Swanton started on his quest of the actual origin of a racial group, which now number about 8,000 persons of mixed Indians and white blood at the request of a delegation of the Indians themselves.
A colonial census in 1754 was found which told of a lawless people living at the headwater of the Little Peedee who had possesed themselves of land without patent and without paying any quit rents.
Earliest Tribal Records
"They presumably were recognized as whites at that time, but there is little doubt that they really were the ancestors of the present day Croatans," was the statement of the findings. Actually, Dr. Swanton held, the predominant element in the blood of this lost people may have been the Keyauwee tribe of Siouans rather than the Cheraw, but he held the latter name could most appropriately be preserved as being the better known and more agressive branch of the family. The misnamed "Croatans," Dr. Swanton pointed out were only one of many "lost races" scattered in population island through the east and especially in the south -- all predominately of Indian origin, but with strong admixtures of other racial stocks.
But the "Croatans" are found now -- they're Cheraws.
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The Keyauwee Tribe
John Lawson - 1701
Two features connected with the Keyauwee made a great impression on Lawson: the majesty and hospitality of the one Indian Princess and the whiskers of the men! He wrote: “The Queen had a Daughter by a former husband, who was the beautifulest Indian I ever saw, and had an Air of Majesty with her quite contrary to the general Carriage of the Indians. She was very kind to the English during our Abode, as well as her Father and Mother.” About the fashion among Keyauwee men he added: “Most of these Indians Wear Mustachoes and Whiskers, which is rare; by reason the Indians are a People that commonly pull the Hair of their faces and other Parts, up by the Roots and suffer none to grow.” The Keyauwee were the only American Indians ever known to let hair grow on their faces. (The Saura and Keyauwee in the Land that Became Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham, by Ethel Stephens Arnett;)
(Champ Gibson Rockingham County Indians - David and Gilbert Jr. Randolph Co - home of the Keyauwee Tribe - Guilford County [from Orange] Joel Gibson, George Gibson)
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Fifteen years later, 1754 Governor Dobbs requested reports from the militia commanders of North Carolina’s counties. The Bladen militia submitted the following: “Col. Rutherford’s Regimt. of Foot in Bladen County 441, a Troop of horse 36... Drowning Creek on the Head of Little Peedee, 50 families, a mixt Crew, a lawless People, filleth the Lands without patent or paying quit rents. Shot a surveyor for coming to view vacant lands being inclosed in great swamps. Quakers to attend musters or pay as in the Northern Counties. Fines not high enough to oblige the militia to attend musters. No arms stores or Indians in the county.” [Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. V, p161] Would the Governor have allowed 50 mixt families - African and White - who shot a surveyor to have lived free on Drowning Creek?
Washington, July 11, .. (AP)
The Romantic theory that Sir Raleigh's "Lost Colony" lives on in the "Croatans" of Robeson county, N.C., today received a shattering blow from science. Dr. John R. Swanton, ethnologist of Smithsonian Institution, announced the tentative tracing of the identity of the "Croatan to the Siquan stock of Indians, best known in the northwest. By a study of early documents, tribal connections, and language, Swanton connected them closely with the Cheraw, a Siouan people first encountered in South Carolina by DeSoto in 1540. And thus the cryptic word "Croatan," found carved upon a tree on Roanoke Island in 1590 as the sole trace of the "lost colony" means nothing in their lives. It was conferred upon them by Hamilton McMillan of Fayetteville, N.C., (he was of Red Springs, Robeson county), in support of his hypothesis they were descendants of the lost colonists.
There is no reason to believe that they have any connection with the lost Virginia colony established by Sir Walter Raleigh," the Smithsonian statement said. "Croatan was the name of an island, and an Algonquin Indian town just north of Hatteras, to which the survivors of the Raleigh colony are supposed to have gone. "But, assuming that the colonists did remove to Croatan, there is not a bit of reason to suppose that either they or the Croatan Indians ever went farther inland." Dr. Swanton started on his quest of the actual origin of a racial group, which now number about 8,000 persons of mixed Indians and white blood at the request of a delegation of the Indians themselves.
A colonial census in 1754 was found which told of a lawless people living at the headwater of the Little Peedee who had possesed themselves of land without patent and without paying any quit rents.
Earliest Tribal Records
"They presumably were recognized as whites at that time, but there is little doubt that they really were the ancestors of the present day Croatans," was the statement of the findings. Actually, Dr. Swanton held, the predominant element in the blood of this lost people may have been the Keyauwee tribe of Siouans rather than the Cheraw, but he held the latter name could most appropriately be preserved as being the better known and more agressive branch of the family. The misnamed "Croatans," Dr. Swanton pointed out were only one of many "lost races" scattered in population island through the east and especially in the south -- all predominately of Indian origin, but with strong admixtures of other racial stocks.
But the "Croatans" are found now -- they're Cheraws.
The Keyauwee Tribe
John Lawson - 1701
Two features connected with the Keyauwee made a great impression on Lawson: the majesty and hospitality of the one Indian Princess and the whiskers of the men! He wrote: “The Queen had a Daughter by a former husband, who was the beautifulest Indian I ever saw, and had an Air of Majesty with her quite contrary to the general Carriage of the Indians. She was very kind to the English during our Abode, as well as her Father and Mother.” About the fashion among Keyauwee men he added: “Most of these Indians Wear Mustachoes and Whiskers, which is rare; by reason the Indians are a People that commonly pull the Hair of their faces and other Parts, up by the Roots and suffer none to grow.” The Keyauwee were the only American Indians ever known to let hair grow on their faces. (The Saura and Keyauwee in the Land that Became Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham, by Ethel Stephens Arnett;)
(Champ Gibson Rockingham County Indians - David and Gilbert Jr. Randolph Co - home of the Keyauwee Tribe - Guilford County [from Orange] Joel Gibson, George Gibson)
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63D CONGRESS 3d Session SENATE DOCUMENT No. 677INDIANS OF NORTH CAROLINAExhibit 87
The Croatan Tribe lives principally in Robeson County, N. C., though there are quite a number of them settled in counties adjoining in North and South Carolina. In Sumter County, S. C., there is a branch of the tribe and also in East Tennessee. In Lincoln County, N. C., there is another branch, settled there long ago. Those living in East Tennessee are called "Melungeans," a name also retained by them here.
The Croatan Tribe lives principally in Robeson County, N. C., though there are quite a number of them settled in counties adjoining in North and South Carolina. In Sumter County, S. C., there is a branch of the tribe and also in East Tennessee. In Lincoln County, N. C., there is another branch, settled there long ago. Those living in East Tennessee are called "Melungeans," a name also retained by them here.
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Melungeons came from the Pee Dee River where where some 600-900 soldiers, European and African mixt with the Indian
Atlanta Constitution
March 11, 1889 The Melungeons
Meridian, Miss.,
March 11– Editors Constitution
Near a month ago an article appeared in The CONSTITUTION named Melungeons. I laid it aside in order to correspond with the writer, but the paper got destroyed and the name and address had not been noticed with care, and are forgotten. Excuse me then for addressing him through the same medium.
His name Melungeons is a local designation for this small peculiar race. Their own claim to be Portuguese is more generally known. Their original site is on the Pedee river in South and North Carolina . They were once especially strong in Georgetown and Darlington districts of the latter.
Part I The Portuguese Spanish Italians & Africans
