Category Archives: Virginia

Chiskoyack Indians of Goucester County, VA

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Roberta Estes

A reader sent these two images of a 1655 transaction in Goucester Co. VA – one of which is transcribed. Interestingly, I have never run across this tribe or the reference to the Chiskoyack before. Hat tip to Tommy for this information.

Posted in Chiskoyack, Virginia | 7 Comments

Enoch Going, Indian

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Roberta Estes

STOKES COUNTY COURT. … On Wednesday there was a case which excited considerable interest, the case of the State vs. Enoch Going. The State was represented by Mr. Solicitor Masten, and Going was defended by J.R. McLean and A.H. Joyce, … Continue reading →

Posted in North Carolina, Virginia | 1 Comment

Lydia Pinn Cole of Fauquier Co., VA

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Roberta Estes

In the 1860 census, in Fauquier Co., VA, one person was identified as Indian, or of Indian descent – and that was Lydia E. Cole, age 30, born in 1830. This is the only record in Fauquier County like this … Continue reading →

Posted in Census, Virginia | 7 Comments

Indian Jack and Whiskenboo

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Roberta Estes

North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register Extracts http://archive.org/stream/northcarolinahi00hathgoog/northcarolinahi00hathgoog_djvu.txt Please note that this document has been scanned and optically read. This means that in places the old type may not have read or been interpreted correctly, causing anomalies in the print … Continue reading →

Posted in South Carolina, Virginia | Leave a comment

The Cherokee Mother of John Red Bank Payne

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Roberta Estes

There is nothing I love more than a happy ending. Second to that perhaps is to know that my blog or work helped someone, and in particularly, helped someone document their Native heritage. In doing so, this confirms and unveils … Continue reading →

Posted in Cherokee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia | 15 Comments

Purported Gravestone of Ananias Dare Found

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Roberta Estes

One great thing about publishing stories about historical items is that often, they encourage other people with additional information to come forth. That’s what happened recently when I published a series of stories about the Dare Stones supposedly related to Sir … Continue reading →

Posted in Lost Colony, North Carolina, Virginia | 9 Comments

DNA – What Came From Who??

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Roberta Estes

In part 6 of “The Autosomal Me” series, titled “The Autosomal Me – DNA Analysis – Splitting Up” we talk about figuring out which part of your Native genetic heritage came from which parent. In my case, both African and … Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian, DNA, North Carolina, Virginia | Leave a comment

1606 Hondius Mercator Map of “Virginia and Florida”

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Roberta Estes

Virginiae Item et Floridae This map by Jodocus Hondius first appeared in the 1606 Mercator’s atlas, published by Hondius. As noted by William P. Cumming (The Southeast in Early Maps), Hondius relied primarily on de Bry’s engravings of White’s and LeMoyne’s maps of Virginia and … Continue reading →

Posted in Maps, Virginia | 3 Comments

Freedom Suits in Virginia

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Roberta Estes

The current exhibit at the Library of Virginia, “You have no Right: Law and Justice in Virginia” delves into the issue of Indian slavery in Virginia, both legal and illegal. Many Native people were wrongfully enslaved. They and their descendants … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Slaves, Virginia | Leave a comment

Melungeon Myth of Drake Dropping Off Passengers on Roanoke Island

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Roberta Estes

This article was written by Janet Crain and originally published in the Lost Colony Research Group Newsletter in August, 2012. http://www.lostcolonyresearch.org A myth exists on the Internet that the Melungeons, a group of dark skinned persons of mysterious origins found … Continue reading →