Category Archives: Virginia

Paul Heinegg’s Native Heritage Introduction

Paul Heinegg on his website http://www.freeafricanamericans.com provides the following (extracted) introductory material focused primarily on the records involving Native Americans in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. After the Civil War, light-skinned African Americans who owned land in the Southeast did not fit … Continue reading

Posted in Croatoan, Delaware, East Indians (from India), Lumbee, Maryland, Nanticote, North Carolina, Piscataway, Virginia, Wesorts | 9 Comments

Sir Walter Raleigh’s Lost Fort Found?

For those familiar with the Lost Colony mystery and saga, you’ll know that the location of the final destination of the colonists has been debated for literally centuries.  You can read more about the background at the website http://www.lostcolonyresearch.org. In … Continue reading

Posted in History, North Carolina, Virginia | 1 Comment

Chicohominy Living on Mr. Ben Arnold’s Land

Abstracts: Acts of Assembly for James City County: April 24, 1691 court session:  The Chicohominy Indians’ petition to continue living on the land “of Mr. Ben. Arnold” is read in court and also given to the Committee of Propositions. This … Continue reading

Posted in Chickahominy, Virginia | Leave a comment

Atha Sorrells, the Woman who had the Audacity to Challenge Walter Plecker, and Won

The article “Native Americans Lived along Pedlar Creek at the Top of the Blue Ridge” was originally credit to Wikked Lester via the Virginia Historical Association, who has since denied authorship.  He further states that Ruth Knight Bailey, JD, who teaches adjunct law at … Continue reading

Posted in Virginia | 32 Comments

Plunder of the Chickahominy

When we think of plunder, it’s often in the context of Indians raiding English homesteads and villages. We think of the settlers as having valuables and livestock to plunder, and the Indians having little.  But that wasn’t always the case, as we can see … Continue reading

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Headrights for Jacob, an Indian

So how does one obtain headrights for an Indian? Headrights in colonial America were rights to a certain amount of land, typically 50 acres, to be claimed by someone who imported an individual by ship from the mother country.  If people paid … Continue reading

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Indian Thomas, First Indian with a Christian Name

In Jamestown in 1663, we see the first instance of an Indian being given a Christian name, except for Pochahontas who was renamed Rebecca after her 1614 married to John Rolfe.  Prior to this, the Indians, when mentioned, were either … Continue reading

Posted in Virginia | 3 Comments

Fundamental Research List

For new and seasoned researchers both, I have put together what I consider to be a fundamental core list of books and resources absolutely essential to understanding the free people of color in colonial and post-colonial America.  The books are shown below and have … Continue reading

Posted in North Carolina, Resources, South Carolina, Virginia | 1 Comment

Drammacho Mongy – Chickahominy Chief

In James City County, Va., in the Acts of Assembly, we find what may be the first instance of an Indian chief with a surname in the colonial records. Drammacho Mongy, chief Ruler of the Chickahominy, petitioned that lands in … Continue reading

Posted in Chickahominy, Virginia | Leave a comment

Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves by Mary B. Kegley

Every county should have a Mary Kegley.  Mary, an attorney, specializes in Wythe County, Va. records.  I love it when attorneys write books, because I know they are going to be well documented and sourced, and indeed, this one is no … Continue reading

Posted in Slaves, Virginia | 11 Comments