There has been an ongoing debate among 'historians' that somehow a degree makes a person a 'better' historian than a genealogist (who is just a hobbyist). I strongly disagree with this, especially since I've seen some sloppy biographies of noted heroes. Genealogists work strictly with primary documentation - the census records, the vital records (birth, death and marriage) while some historians rely solely on what has been published before or what is available in their local archives. Most genealogists I know make pilgrimages to the places where their ancestors lived. They locate cemeteries, churches and get a true feel for the community where their family members lived and died. My father and I have accumulated a treasure of experiences from interviewing people who lived down the street, including a shy elderly woman who merely peeped around a tree to answer my father's questions about one of our great uncles. She answered concisely and clearly, but preferred to have the tree between him and her. Can a historian glean that from a book?
And with this experience comes something I can only call brilliant compassion. Because this elderly woman, along with the grave-digger walking along the side of the road one day in present day Lee County, NC and the old man with the granddaughter who liked to swat visitors with a fly-swatter all bequeathed us something more than answers. They gave us the culture of our ancestors. And that is why genealogists get it right and historians get it wrong. That is why the history books are not accurate.
Must read books about history and compassion:
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Murchison Dynasty of Texas and William Goyens, Jr. Tender Ties
Rassie Wicker himself was intrigued by the Moore County Goinses, because he too was a descendent of Kinnith Murchison through Kenneth Wicker who married Isabella Currie, who was the daughter of Malcolm Bethune Currie and Catherine Murchison. Talitha Ann Wicker, born 1863 married Andrew Cole, whose land bordered on William Goings, Sr.’s property in Pocket Creek. Flora Coffer, daughter of Henry Copher and Margaret McIntosh, born in 1839 married Ben Kimball, which is also a family name which appears on Goins’ affidavit of genealogy. The Henry Coffer home was adjacent to Edward Goins’ line. The old white Coffer house was converted into a church before it was removed to the Henry Kimball place.[i] It is the intricate kinship which proves the credibility of the Goins affidavit witnesses and the validity of their testimonies in court including the Goins’ Portuguese/Native American heritage. The Pocket Creek Community was small and families intimately related. Descendants of the Goings/Goyens/Goins family have had Whole DNA tests which revealed Berber, (Asni, Morocco), Spanish, Moroccan, Macedonian, Canary Islands and Scottish among the top ten global population matches in order from highest contribution to lower contributions. The conclusion was 91% European, 9% Native American and 0% Sub-Saharan or East Asian ancestry[ii] proving that all dark-skinned individuals, including Europeans and Native-Americans were subjected to the burden of proof which could result in loss of rights and even enslavement. The blood validates the oral tradition and the historical documentation on the family.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Maps and Migration routes
Carolina Genesis: Beyond the Color Line
contains key migration route maps and boundaries from the Colonial period to the mid 1800's. The history of the frontier is much more diverse than historians have depicted in the past.
List of illustrations:
The Carolinas 1780 page 11
Hill Country and Tidewater, page 12
Interconnected Tri-racial Groups, page 16
Colonial Boundaries 1783, page 17
French and English Trade Routes, page 20
Trails and Paths of the Southeast, page 21
Accession of Territories in the U.S., page 24
Georgia Land Lottery, 1805, page 25
Routes into the Mississippi Territory, page 26
Natchez Trace and Three Chopped Way, page 28
Federal Roads to Natchez, page 29
El Camino Real del los Tejas, page 35
Trails West, page 39
Spanish Missions of the Gulf Coast, page 40
Early Trails into Texas, page 42
Spanish Tejas, page 48
The Trail of Tears, page 52
Ladino Chichimeca, page 61
Indians of New Netherlands, 1671, page 63
Ninigret, 1681, page 72
Portion of the Hobcaw Barony Map Showing Sandy Island, page 91
Map of Wee Nee Ya Village and Black Mingo Creek, page 110
The Author in traditional Regalia, Native American Heritage Celebration, NYC 2009, page 112
Goins Family Graveyard, Moore County, NC, page 125
William Goings Tract Survey to Spivey, 1836, page 140
Drowning Creek and Cape Fear River Watershed, page 147
Sadletree Swamp, page 151
contains key migration route maps and boundaries from the Colonial period to the mid 1800's. The history of the frontier is much more diverse than historians have depicted in the past. List of illustrations:
The Carolinas 1780 page 11
Hill Country and Tidewater, page 12
Interconnected Tri-racial Groups, page 16
Colonial Boundaries 1783, page 17
French and English Trade Routes, page 20
Trails and Paths of the Southeast, page 21
Accession of Territories in the U.S., page 24
Georgia Land Lottery, 1805, page 25
Routes into the Mississippi Territory, page 26
Natchez Trace and Three Chopped Way, page 28
Federal Roads to Natchez, page 29
El Camino Real del los Tejas, page 35
Trails West, page 39
Spanish Missions of the Gulf Coast, page 40
Early Trails into Texas, page 42
Spanish Tejas, page 48
The Trail of Tears, page 52
Ladino Chichimeca, page 61
Indians of New Netherlands, 1671, page 63
Ninigret, 1681, page 72
Portion of the Hobcaw Barony Map Showing Sandy Island, page 91
Map of Wee Nee Ya Village and Black Mingo Creek, page 110
The Author in traditional Regalia, Native American Heritage Celebration, NYC 2009, page 112
Goins Family Graveyard, Moore County, NC, page 125
William Goings Tract Survey to Spivey, 1836, page 140
Drowning Creek and Cape Fear River Watershed, page 147
Sadletree Swamp, page 151
Carolina Genesis
http://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Genesis-Beyond-Color-Line/dp/093947932X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274712558&sr=1-1
What began as a Texas Humanities Grant funded Redbone Heritage Foundation conference has now evolved into a well-documented and true history of William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches and families labeled as Redbones, Mulattoes, Negroes, Brass Ankles, Melungeons, Smilings, and Croatan/Lumbee. The biography of Goyens, originally a Croatan/Lumbee Indian, includes the unusual tombstones in Moore County with etchings showing upright burials, similar to those of the Wampanoag peoples in Massachusetts. What is the Native American connection? Sam Houston and William Goyens, Jr. were acquainted before Goyens' arrival in Texas and War of 1812 records reveal that he was fighting with the Cherokee as a Cherokee in the Battle of the Horseshoe, 1814. This is an amazing book of the 'multi-ethnic' American frontier which includes Spaniards, Portuguese, Native-American and Mediterranean peoples in American history. Also included in this book are maps and descriptions of the migration roads westward - including the Cumberland Road, the Wilderness Road, the Natchez trace, The Trail of Tears and many other migratory paths outlined by Stacy R Webb. These maps and roads, along with the true history of William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches, were presented at the East Texas Historical Association Conference 2009 and provide the backbone of Carolina Genesis: Beyond the Colorline as we witness the roads well traveled.
Govinda Sanyal uses astonishing research to present the history of a single female lineage that winds its way through prehistoric Yemen, North Africa, Moorish Spain, the Shephardic disapora, colonial Mexico and assimilation into Native American tribes in America. Steven Pony Hill recounts historic struggles of the South Carolina Cheraws in an essay entitled "Strangers in Their Own Land." Scott Winthrow concentrates on the saga of Joseph Willis who was born in a community of Color in South Carolina but migrated to Louisiana where he was accepted as a White man and became one of the region's best loved ministers. Finally, K. Paul Johnson traces the history of North Carolina's antebellum Quakers. The once-strong Quaker community dissolved as it grew morally opposed to slavery. Those who opposed slavery moved North. The ones who remained slave-owners left the church. Marvin Jones tells the history of the Winton Triangle, a section of North Carolina populated by successful families of mixed ancestry from colonial times until the mid-20th century. They fought for the Union, founded schools, built business and thrived through adversity until the civil rights movement of 1955-65 ended legal segregation.
We wish to thank the Texas Humanities Grant Committee for the launch of this significant research as we work to preserve integrity and historical accuracy in Texas and United States history.
What began as a Texas Humanities Grant funded Redbone Heritage Foundation conference has now evolved into a well-documented and true history of William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches and families labeled as Redbones, Mulattoes, Negroes, Brass Ankles, Melungeons, Smilings, and Croatan/Lumbee. The biography of Goyens, originally a Croatan/Lumbee Indian, includes the unusual tombstones in Moore County with etchings showing upright burials, similar to those of the Wampanoag peoples in Massachusetts. What is the Native American connection? Sam Houston and William Goyens, Jr. were acquainted before Goyens' arrival in Texas and War of 1812 records reveal that he was fighting with the Cherokee as a Cherokee in the Battle of the Horseshoe, 1814. This is an amazing book of the 'multi-ethnic' American frontier which includes Spaniards, Portuguese, Native-American and Mediterranean peoples in American history. Also included in this book are maps and descriptions of the migration roads westward - including the Cumberland Road, the Wilderness Road, the Natchez trace, The Trail of Tears and many other migratory paths outlined by Stacy R Webb. These maps and roads, along with the true history of William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches, were presented at the East Texas Historical Association Conference 2009 and provide the backbone of Carolina Genesis: Beyond the Colorline as we witness the roads well traveled.
Govinda Sanyal uses astonishing research to present the history of a single female lineage that winds its way through prehistoric Yemen, North Africa, Moorish Spain, the Shephardic disapora, colonial Mexico and assimilation into Native American tribes in America. Steven Pony Hill recounts historic struggles of the South Carolina Cheraws in an essay entitled "Strangers in Their Own Land." Scott Winthrow concentrates on the saga of Joseph Willis who was born in a community of Color in South Carolina but migrated to Louisiana where he was accepted as a White man and became one of the region's best loved ministers. Finally, K. Paul Johnson traces the history of North Carolina's antebellum Quakers. The once-strong Quaker community dissolved as it grew morally opposed to slavery. Those who opposed slavery moved North. The ones who remained slave-owners left the church. Marvin Jones tells the history of the Winton Triangle, a section of North Carolina populated by successful families of mixed ancestry from colonial times until the mid-20th century. They fought for the Union, founded schools, built business and thrived through adversity until the civil rights movement of 1955-65 ended legal segregation.
We wish to thank the Texas Humanities Grant Committee for the launch of this significant research as we work to preserve integrity and historical accuracy in Texas and United States history.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Carolina Genesis: Beyond the Colorline
I'm deeply honored to be one of the authors represented in this new history of the American frontier. Twenty-five years of research, along with new forensic anthropology and DNA results, support historical documents, illuminating the rich multi-ethnic American history. I am proud to present the authoritative biography on William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches, TX based on North Carolina records and his life before Texas. Stacy R. Webb illustrates the westward paths, families of color used in western migration including the Wilderness Road, the Natchez Trace and many other famous roads West. S. Pony Hill writes of the South Carolina Cheraws from Strangers in Their Own Land. K. Paul Johnson traces the history of North Carolina's antebellum Quakers. The once strong community dissolved as it grew morally opposed to slavery. Those who stayed true to their faith migrated North. Those who remained slaveowners left the church. The worst stress was the Nat Turner event. In the aftermath, the previously permeable colorline evolved into the harsh endogamous barrier that exists today.
These are only a few excerpts from a book rich in real history. It is a must read for those interested in multi-ethnic families and how their legacy endured.
http://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Genesis-Beyond-Color-Line/dp/093947932X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274665516&sr=1-1
Monday, February 23, 2009
Unveiling the Truth
My name is Cyndie Goins Hoelscher. I’m the fifth generation great grand-niece of William Goyens Jr of Nacogdoches, TX and I’m here to speak the truth. Sometimes, I feel as this is a courtroom, much like the ones my ancestors often frequented. Unfortunately for them, and I say unfortunately because they had to fight for every right – the right to own land, the right to vote, the even right to ‘whoop and holler’ as they pleased; But I also believe Fortunately, for me, they left behind a trail of court depositions: affidavits of genealogy that bear the test of time and even modern science in the form of forensic anthropology that prove the validity of what I will share with you today. I am simply here to tell the truth.
I like to refer to David Walker in his Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World,” written in 1830, a time when Goyens was making his mark in the world. In the preamble of his entreaty, Walker pleaded, “open your hearts to understand and believe the truth.”[1]
[1] Walker. David. APPEAL IN FOUR ARTICLES; TOGETHER WITH A PREAMBLE, TO THE COLOURED CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, BUT IN PARTICULAR, AND VERY EXPRESSLY, TO THOSE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WRITTEN IN BOSTON, STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, SEPTEMBER 28, 1829. THIRD AND LAST EDITION, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES, CORRECTIONS, &C. Boston:REVISED AND PUBLISHED BY DAVID WALKER. 1830.
Thus began my presentation at the East Texas Historical Association Spring Meeting in Paris, Texas, February 22, 2009. Our panel comprised of Stacy Webb who presented on Redbone Peoples and the History of Legal Oppression; Alvie Walts who presented the Thompson Choctaws and myself who presented on William Goyens, Jr: His Lumbee-Portuguese ancestry. Our segment was well attended and all three of us were asked to publish in the ETHA Journal and to submit digital forms of our research for depositories at Sam Houston University Special Collections. We were enthusiastically embraced by conference attendees, mostly acadaemia, who never heard the word Redbone and wanted to learn more about the heritage and culture of the People Known as Redbones.
Open your heart so you may know and understand the truth. We are accomplishing great and good things. We are moving forward in with the Redbone Heritage Foundation's mission to preserve facts and documents, as well as create literature which will endure tests of time and be there for future generations.
It is only through open-mindedness and open-heartedness that we can accomplish these things. We have been invited to speak again. It is a true honor when we can stand among the historians of the State of Texas and make our mark. We honor our ancestors as we endeavor to record their lives, photos and history. Our positive efforts manifest in positive actions.
I'm here to state the truth and the truth is the Redbone History must be preserved. I concluded my presentation in front of eager ears who were astounded to learn that William Goyens Jr is not of African American descent and not all free persons of color in the census records descend from African roots:
On February 22, 1997, Twelve years ago TODAY, I co-presented with Dr. Diane Prince from the University of Houston-Victoria in Session XXII of the African Experience in East Texas. At this occasion a distinguished gentleman stood up and asked me “Why do you want to take away our hero?”
My ancestral uncle is my hero also, but you must open your hearts and understand. He is not the champion of only one ethnic heritage. Now his life story inspires a more diverse population who deserve OUR heroes – WE the Redbones, the Croatans, the Brass Ankles, the Melungeons and all multi-ethnic people in the United States of America – We deserve OUR place in history also – the First American peoples, the Spanish and Portuguese descent peoples, as well as mulattoes, Blacks and any people who have been persecuted because of the color of their skin. And I sincerely hope these old facts presented on this new day will revitalize an interest in Nacogdoches and East Texas as this ethnic and cultural diversity is worth celebrating.
Open your hearts to the truth.
I like to refer to David Walker in his Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World,” written in 1830, a time when Goyens was making his mark in the world. In the preamble of his entreaty, Walker pleaded, “open your hearts to understand and believe the truth.”[1]
[1] Walker. David. APPEAL IN FOUR ARTICLES; TOGETHER WITH A PREAMBLE, TO THE COLOURED CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, BUT IN PARTICULAR, AND VERY EXPRESSLY, TO THOSE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WRITTEN IN BOSTON, STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, SEPTEMBER 28, 1829. THIRD AND LAST EDITION, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES, CORRECTIONS, &C. Boston:REVISED AND PUBLISHED BY DAVID WALKER. 1830.
Thus began my presentation at the East Texas Historical Association Spring Meeting in Paris, Texas, February 22, 2009. Our panel comprised of Stacy Webb who presented on Redbone Peoples and the History of Legal Oppression; Alvie Walts who presented the Thompson Choctaws and myself who presented on William Goyens, Jr: His Lumbee-Portuguese ancestry. Our segment was well attended and all three of us were asked to publish in the ETHA Journal and to submit digital forms of our research for depositories at Sam Houston University Special Collections. We were enthusiastically embraced by conference attendees, mostly acadaemia, who never heard the word Redbone and wanted to learn more about the heritage and culture of the People Known as Redbones.
Open your heart so you may know and understand the truth. We are accomplishing great and good things. We are moving forward in with the Redbone Heritage Foundation's mission to preserve facts and documents, as well as create literature which will endure tests of time and be there for future generations.
It is only through open-mindedness and open-heartedness that we can accomplish these things. We have been invited to speak again. It is a true honor when we can stand among the historians of the State of Texas and make our mark. We honor our ancestors as we endeavor to record their lives, photos and history. Our positive efforts manifest in positive actions.
I'm here to state the truth and the truth is the Redbone History must be preserved. I concluded my presentation in front of eager ears who were astounded to learn that William Goyens Jr is not of African American descent and not all free persons of color in the census records descend from African roots:
On February 22, 1997, Twelve years ago TODAY, I co-presented with Dr. Diane Prince from the University of Houston-Victoria in Session XXII of the African Experience in East Texas. At this occasion a distinguished gentleman stood up and asked me “Why do you want to take away our hero?”
My ancestral uncle is my hero also, but you must open your hearts and understand. He is not the champion of only one ethnic heritage. Now his life story inspires a more diverse population who deserve OUR heroes – WE the Redbones, the Croatans, the Brass Ankles, the Melungeons and all multi-ethnic people in the United States of America – We deserve OUR place in history also – the First American peoples, the Spanish and Portuguese descent peoples, as well as mulattoes, Blacks and any people who have been persecuted because of the color of their skin. And I sincerely hope these old facts presented on this new day will revitalize an interest in Nacogdoches and East Texas as this ethnic and cultural diversity is worth celebrating.
Open your hearts to the truth.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Promoting Peace thru Preservation
Historians of Nacogdoches,
I have forwarded primary documents and a synopsis of William Goyens Jr to Dr. Abernethy and Dr. Sosebee to help promote a deeper understanding of the culture William Goyens was born into. I have spent years studying the political structure of Moore County, NC and understand why it was a hostile place for persons of color and why Goyens came to Texas. The first 20 years of his life in North Carolina is as compelling as the last decades of his life in Texas. And now we have the additional benefit of DNA. The Redbone Heritage Foundation encourages members to use the tool. We collect family histories and DNA results to reconstruct historical communities in an attempt to understand the culture the people known as Redbones, a multi-ethnic group of people of unknown origin, lived in. It is hoped the research will foster a deeper understanding of these clannish people and promote respect, understanding and peace for all people.
I'm not seeking grand monuments, parades or anything outrageously expensive in the Goyens Family Cemetery issue. I only hope the Nacogdoches historians will apply to the Texas Historical Commission to have the land where the marker once stood protected.
Dr. Prince included in her Master's Thesis:
Goyens was buried beside his wife near a large cedar tree on the Moral Creek in a Mexican cemetery approximately 3 miles from his home. The following year a fence was placed around the graves of the husband and wife. (Her source: Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings, Eugene C. Barker Collection, UT, Austin. no date or name of paper was given)
The Centennial Marker book publication which I've already sent verified the marker was placed on the grave of Goyens. The application was prepared by Nacogdoches historians in 1936. Those historians are our best and most recent source on the location of Goyens' family cemetery and the Mexican cemetery that is there as well. I have no idea how many graves are truly there.
I believe the action of protecting the cemetery with public access will celebrate the multi-ethnic heritage in Nacogdoches. It is an act of peace, tolerance, respect and understanding. That is what my ancestral uncle tried to foster during his era. Peace and good will toward ALL, regardless of color, race, ethnicity, culture or creed. It is a noble thing to do.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter,
Cyndie Goins Hoelscher
5th generation great granddaughter of William Goyens, Jr.
Che la pace regni sulla terra.
I have forwarded primary documents and a synopsis of William Goyens Jr to Dr. Abernethy and Dr. Sosebee to help promote a deeper understanding of the culture William Goyens was born into. I have spent years studying the political structure of Moore County, NC and understand why it was a hostile place for persons of color and why Goyens came to Texas. The first 20 years of his life in North Carolina is as compelling as the last decades of his life in Texas. And now we have the additional benefit of DNA. The Redbone Heritage Foundation encourages members to use the tool. We collect family histories and DNA results to reconstruct historical communities in an attempt to understand the culture the people known as Redbones, a multi-ethnic group of people of unknown origin, lived in. It is hoped the research will foster a deeper understanding of these clannish people and promote respect, understanding and peace for all people.
I'm not seeking grand monuments, parades or anything outrageously expensive in the Goyens Family Cemetery issue. I only hope the Nacogdoches historians will apply to the Texas Historical Commission to have the land where the marker once stood protected.
Dr. Prince included in her Master's Thesis:
Goyens was buried beside his wife near a large cedar tree on the Moral Creek in a Mexican cemetery approximately 3 miles from his home. The following year a fence was placed around the graves of the husband and wife. (Her source: Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings, Eugene C. Barker Collection, UT, Austin. no date or name of paper was given)
The Centennial Marker book publication which I've already sent verified the marker was placed on the grave of Goyens. The application was prepared by Nacogdoches historians in 1936. Those historians are our best and most recent source on the location of Goyens' family cemetery and the Mexican cemetery that is there as well. I have no idea how many graves are truly there.
I believe the action of protecting the cemetery with public access will celebrate the multi-ethnic heritage in Nacogdoches. It is an act of peace, tolerance, respect and understanding. That is what my ancestral uncle tried to foster during his era. Peace and good will toward ALL, regardless of color, race, ethnicity, culture or creed. It is a noble thing to do.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter,
Cyndie Goins Hoelscher
5th generation great granddaughter of William Goyens, Jr.
Che la pace regni sulla terra.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Historical Cemetery Preservation Programs
Letter to Scott Sosebee, Ph.D., Jere Jackson (CHC), Archie McDonald Ph.D, F Abernathy Ph.D, Tom Middlebrook, Archeology Division Steward Program, Brian Bray, Certified Local Government Contact, Larissa Pholpot (Visionaries in Preservation Community)
William Goyens Jr's Centennial Marker was unique because only 10% of the 13,000 historic markers in the state are (were) located on burial sites. If you check with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) there are several programs enacted to protect these sites, including: Historical Texas Cemetery Designation Program (protecting cemeteries and burial sites by recording them in deed records), RIP Statewide Cemetery Survey Project (year 2000 to help locate historic cemeteries), RIP Guardian Program, recently initiated to encourage working with volunteer groups around the state for cemetery preservation methods, and the Role of County Historical Commissioners. The County Historical Commissioner (CHC) works with the THC on a variety of preservation projects, including cemeteries.
I have contacted the THC and the Constituent Communication Division for the Office of our Governor, Rick Perry where I learned the above information.
There is much work to be done. I would like to see Goyens' family cemetery preserved, honorably marked (as it once was by the Texas Centennial Commission before the marker was moved) and accessible to the public after years of abandonment. I will be in Nacogdoches September 17-20 and available to meet with you concerning your plans to cooperate with the roles you have been entrusted with in preserving the history of Nacogdoches.
Thank you,
Cyndie Goins Hoelscher
William Goyens Jr's Centennial Marker was unique because only 10% of the 13,000 historic markers in the state are (were) located on burial sites. If you check with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) there are several programs enacted to protect these sites, including: Historical Texas Cemetery Designation Program (protecting cemeteries and burial sites by recording them in deed records), RIP Statewide Cemetery Survey Project (year 2000 to help locate historic cemeteries), RIP Guardian Program, recently initiated to encourage working with volunteer groups around the state for cemetery preservation methods, and the Role of County Historical Commissioners. The County Historical Commissioner (CHC) works with the THC on a variety of preservation projects, including cemeteries.
I have contacted the THC and the Constituent Communication Division for the Office of our Governor, Rick Perry where I learned the above information.
There is much work to be done. I would like to see Goyens' family cemetery preserved, honorably marked (as it once was by the Texas Centennial Commission before the marker was moved) and accessible to the public after years of abandonment. I will be in Nacogdoches September 17-20 and available to meet with you concerning your plans to cooperate with the roles you have been entrusted with in preserving the history of Nacogdoches.
Thank you,
Cyndie Goins Hoelscher
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Texas PreservationsTrust Fund
08/02/08 From Cyndie Goins Hoelscher to Stephen F. Austin University History Department and City of Nacogdoches:
§ 442.015. TEXAS PRESERVATION TRUST FUND ACCOUNT
Now that I understand the history of William Goyens' Centennial Marker and how the Goyens graveyard on Goyens Hill was abandoned, I'm searching for possible solutions, because nothing is accomplished by dwelling on mistakes of the past. It is what we can do today and how it will impact tomorrow which is the most important thing. We are all in the position to correct a negligence made in the past and to become true guardians of Texas History by moving forward and being proactive about protecting the graveyard before it is completely lost to us forever.
There is a statute , § 442.015. TEXAS PRESERVATION TRUST FUND ACCOUNT, which provides for a trust fund, and says "The commission shall give priority to property the commission determines to be endangered by demolition, neglect, underuse, looting, vandalism, or other threat to the property."
This may be a starting point. I would like to see the graveyard properly marked as it once was by the Texas Centennial Commission and public accessibility to it. This action would be an appropriate way to rectify the history that has been lost and to celebrate Nacogdoches' rich multi-cultural heritage as well. It would be proud and fine statement for the oldest towne in Texas.
Thank you all for your attention to this important issue.
§ 442.015. TEXAS PRESERVATION TRUST FUND ACCOUNT
Now that I understand the history of William Goyens' Centennial Marker and how the Goyens graveyard on Goyens Hill was abandoned, I'm searching for possible solutions, because nothing is accomplished by dwelling on mistakes of the past. It is what we can do today and how it will impact tomorrow which is the most important thing. We are all in the position to correct a negligence made in the past and to become true guardians of Texas History by moving forward and being proactive about protecting the graveyard before it is completely lost to us forever.
There is a statute , § 442.015. TEXAS PRESERVATION TRUST FUND ACCOUNT, which provides for a trust fund, and says "The commission shall give priority to property the commission determines to be endangered by demolition, neglect, underuse, looting, vandalism, or other threat to the property."
This may be a starting point. I would like to see the graveyard properly marked as it once was by the Texas Centennial Commission and public accessibility to it. This action would be an appropriate way to rectify the history that has been lost and to celebrate Nacogdoches' rich multi-cultural heritage as well. It would be proud and fine statement for the oldest towne in Texas.
Thank you all for your attention to this important issue.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Goyens Family Cemetery in Nacogdoches, TX
Goyens Family Cemetery: (Information provided by Sarah Raverly of the Texas Abandoned Cemetery Project)
The online THC atlas states the marker was "Moved from gravesite to Nacogdoches County Courthouse grounds". On page 164 of "Monuments Commemorating the Centenary of Texas Independence" written by the Centennial Commission in 1938, Goyen's marker location was given as [Goyens Family Cemetery, 4 mi W of Nacogdoches] . The original marker applications were done by the Counties, then verified by 4 state historians.
It may be a cow pasture now, but it was designated as a cemetery in 1936 and upon the subsequent removal of the marker.
The online THC atlas states the marker was "Moved from gravesite to Nacogdoches County Courthouse grounds". On page 164 of "Monuments Commemorating the Centenary of Texas Independence" written by the Centennial Commission in 1938, Goyen's marker location was given as [Goyens Family Cemetery, 4 mi W of Nacogdoches] . The original marker applications were done by the Counties, then verified by 4 state historians.
It may be a cow pasture now, but it was designated as a cemetery in 1936 and upon the subsequent removal of the marker.
Monday, April 07, 2008
William Goyens Jr and DNA
We've always been told that we were mix't. Court documents filed in Randolph County, North Carolina explicitly spelled out how mix't we were, but they didn't leave hints on what the true origins of our family were.
William Goyens Jr. of Nacogdoches was born in 1794 in Moore County, North Carolina. His sister Leah Goings was born in 1790. William Goyens Jr. left Moore County in the 1820's and came to Texas were he was captured twice as bounty hunters tried to pass anyone of dark complection off for slaves. He stood before the Republic of Texas Legislature and stated "Unfortunately I am a man of color . . .", but he never claimed African-American ancestry.
Being descended from this family, we were always aware of admixture. It was the way society treated the Goinses from Moore County, North Carolina and one of the reasons so many pulled up stakes to seek a better life out West - a life free from the prejudices and discriminations of a harsh and judgmental society. The family who remained in North Carolina stuck together and was considered clannish. They lived on the fringes of town. They kept among themselves. They were buried together out in woods, not being acceptable, even in death to rest among society.
So what's the story? Our elders didn't talk about it. To talk about it often meant being deprived of rights such as land ownership, the right to own guns or the right to vote. They were even deprived of the right to choose who they could legally marry. So they kept the secrets of our heritage and carried the knowledge with them to their unmarked graves.
When my father decided to have our DNA tested, we knew the blood would reveal many of those secrets and we were ready to embrace the TRUTH, no matter how many surprises it might hold. We had some family tales and remembrances, but not enough to understand who we were and what stories were true and which ones were created by a biased society with tunnel vision. My father is four generations from William Goyens Jr and his great-great-great grandmother Leah Goins. His DNA results were:
91% European
9% Native American
0% Sub-Saharan African
0% East Asian
So the test results prove that the family who remained in North Carolina and were known as Croatan Indians did retain some of their cultural identity, and Goyens who traveled to a land where he was 'different' could only be labeled as a 'runaway slave' and that became engraved on his final resting place by the Texas Historical Commission and related in biographies long after his death.
Goyens was considered remarkable enough to have his final resting place honored by the Texas Historical Commission (although the historical information on the marker was riddled with errors). A final dishonor was when some entity from Nacogdoches moved the marker from the site to the side of the road on Goyens Hill, leaving Goyens' grave unmarked and in danger of being lost forever. I have repeatedly asked for answers and help from the East Texas Historical Association to rectify this mistake, but none feel the issue is important or that their account of Goyens should be corrected and preserved.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches, TX
William Goyens, Jr. Nacogdoches, TX (1794-1856)
It was quite a romantic picture to grab Goyens' story and put him up in Texas history as an icon. Without researching his past, historians have consistently portrayed him as a runaway slave from South Carolina who escaped bondage and was able to build a fortune in Texas. If any of them would have taken a field trip to Moore county, North Carolina and learned about his family there, they would have questioned such claims.
Goyens, born 1794, was not born in Africa. He was not born into slavery.. He was born to free persons of color in Moore County, North Carolina. His father, William Goings, Sr. purchased the land in Pocket Creek in 1764, therefore, dismissing the myth that his father earned the land with manumission for serving in the Revolutionary War. They were Free Persons of Color in Colonial America. Goyens' sister, Leah Goins and her children have consistently been enumerated as Croatan, Lumbee o Mulatto. Goyens' grandfather was John Harmon, a native of Portugal and this multi-ethnic heritage is important in American history as most Portuguese/Spanish colonization efforts take the back seat to Britain's colonization efforts in the text books.
Ancestors Speak
When we go looking for our ancestors, we may not find them in the fine cemeteries with finely engraved gravestones. Often our ancestors were buried in small family cemeteries, some now reclaimed by the wild woodlands. Some with only hand-scratched stones, telling us who they were and why they were buried as they were.In one such case, a Goins descendant in Moore County, North Carolina is buried among other family members deep in the woods. They were buried there, because they were not allowed to be buried in a public Anglo-White cemetery. They were considered too "dark" to be buried near the White citizens in the area. Yet, the family members buried their loved one in a way so future generations - who knew where to look- would have a clue to who they were and why they lived as they did. On the footstone of the grave was a crudely scratched figure of a person with three long lines underneath. It was a local gravedigger who told me that he had once unknowingly dug into a grave of these people. He said the body was buried erect, supported by timbers, with their head facing toward the sky, and their feet touching the earth. It was a Native American practice of some of the indigenous peoples of Moore County, North Carolina. It is an indication that the Redbone, Melungeon, Lumbee peoples are of complex heritage. Anyone who tries to simplify their culture into a single Black or White answer, will be disappointed. The answer is not so simple, nor were the lives that the Redbone ancestors lived.Some may wonder why I post to the Redbone site. They may say - oh she is another mixed blood person. She is Croatan. She is Lumbee. She is Melungeon. Yet, my heritage is complex and my ancestors migrated South and Westward. I have a death certificate that states my g-g-g-grandmother, Leah Goins was Croatan. But I have family stories that she had sons who left Moore County, North Carolina and settled in Mississippi or Louisiana. Did these brothers take their culture with them? I'm sure they did. It was who they were. Would they seek out others like them? Yes. It was their way to be clannish and they would be attracted to others who were like them. Will we someday find a link between the Melungeons, the Redbones and the Lumbee?
I think we will.
It was quite a romantic picture to grab Goyens' story and put him up in Texas history as an icon. Without researching his past, historians have consistently portrayed him as a runaway slave from South Carolina who escaped bondage and was able to build a fortune in Texas. If any of them would have taken a field trip to Moore county, North Carolina and learned about his family there, they would have questioned such claims.
Goyens, born 1794, was not born in Africa. He was not born into slavery.. He was born to free persons of color in Moore County, North Carolina. His father, William Goings, Sr. purchased the land in Pocket Creek in 1764, therefore, dismissing the myth that his father earned the land with manumission for serving in the Revolutionary War. They were Free Persons of Color in Colonial America. Goyens' sister, Leah Goins and her children have consistently been enumerated as Croatan, Lumbee o Mulatto. Goyens' grandfather was John Harmon, a native of Portugal and this multi-ethnic heritage is important in American history as most Portuguese/Spanish colonization efforts take the back seat to Britain's colonization efforts in the text books.
Ancestors Speak
When we go looking for our ancestors, we may not find them in the fine cemeteries with finely engraved gravestones. Often our ancestors were buried in small family cemeteries, some now reclaimed by the wild woodlands. Some with only hand-scratched stones, telling us who they were and why they were buried as they were.In one such case, a Goins descendant in Moore County, North Carolina is buried among other family members deep in the woods. They were buried there, because they were not allowed to be buried in a public Anglo-White cemetery. They were considered too "dark" to be buried near the White citizens in the area. Yet, the family members buried their loved one in a way so future generations - who knew where to look- would have a clue to who they were and why they lived as they did. On the footstone of the grave was a crudely scratched figure of a person with three long lines underneath. It was a local gravedigger who told me that he had once unknowingly dug into a grave of these people. He said the body was buried erect, supported by timbers, with their head facing toward the sky, and their feet touching the earth. It was a Native American practice of some of the indigenous peoples of Moore County, North Carolina. It is an indication that the Redbone, Melungeon, Lumbee peoples are of complex heritage. Anyone who tries to simplify their culture into a single Black or White answer, will be disappointed. The answer is not so simple, nor were the lives that the Redbone ancestors lived.Some may wonder why I post to the Redbone site. They may say - oh she is another mixed blood person. She is Croatan. She is Lumbee. She is Melungeon. Yet, my heritage is complex and my ancestors migrated South and Westward. I have a death certificate that states my g-g-g-grandmother, Leah Goins was Croatan. But I have family stories that she had sons who left Moore County, North Carolina and settled in Mississippi or Louisiana. Did these brothers take their culture with them? I'm sure they did. It was who they were. Would they seek out others like them? Yes. It was their way to be clannish and they would be attracted to others who were like them. Will we someday find a link between the Melungeons, the Redbones and the Lumbee?
I think we will.
Friday, January 04, 2008
On the Red Bank
Daddy was born on the Red Bank, a slice of red dirt that formed a soft cliff, on the southside of Asheboro, Randolph County, NC. He was born Oct 30, 1937. There's a story about that, but I will save that for another time. With Daddy, there's always a story behind the story. It can go on and on. But the house on the red bank was called the old Chief's house. Mainly, because there was an old gravestone under a tree not far from where my Dad and his siblings played everyday. I asked my Dad who was buried under the tree near his house. He said, "I dunno."
Perhaps every family has a tale of an old chief somewhere in there. I kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I look at my Dad with his sandy, red hair and his blue eyes and then I look at his older brother David with his gray eyes and dark wavy hair. My uncle resembles my grandmother with her dark wavy hair and high cheekbones. Lovie Jane Goins was descended from Mollie Hooker c.a. 1871. No one really knew much about her. I found a charcoal portrait of her. She was a prim and proper looking woman with black hair and Asian looking eyes. The paperwork was good, revealing a tidy little family chart with dates and information. She was the daughter of William Clarkson Hooker (1844 1923). William Clarkson Hooker was the grandson of Robin Hooker (b. c.a. 1750) and Rachel Sanders.
He was the illigitimate child of Henly Nixon and Patsy Hooker.
In the Randolph County, North Carolina vertical files was the following information under HOOKER: (and I'm typing this as the record appeared in the file)
December 1 - 15, 1787 Senate Records
The Committee of Propositions . . .to whom the Petition of Johnathan (NATHAN) HOOKER was refered . . .
Repeat. That in the year 1769, John HOOKER, brother of the Petitioner, an infant of twelve years old was forced and carried off to the Musquito Shore in New Spain in America by a Certain Abraham Jennets . . . That the said NATHAN HOOKER . . .of him and Heir apparent to the said John HOOKER, who by wife was possessed of one hundred and eighty acres of land in the County of Tyrel in fee simple -- That the Commissioners of confiscated estates for the District of of Edenton on the . . . day of ... 178...under, and by virtue of the Laws commonly called the Confiscation Laws chosed and sold the aforesaid land at public venue. The said Nathan HOOKER became the purchaser as he believed in Justice the land was not confiscated and that consideration together with the information of . . all the aforesaid comments by whom the said tale was made, that the bond of the said purchaser Nathan HOOKER is not owed or payable until January next, are of opinion that the aforesaid lands were not subject to confiscation, therefore, resolved that the said Commissioners cancel the said bond and the the Comptroller credit his account accordingly.
John L JOHNSTON
North Carolina
In Senate 1787, The foregoing report being read was concurred with signatures
So as my father and I dig deeper into my grandmother's people, I wonder what adventures they faced. What life did young John HOOKER face on the Mosquito Coast? Is he related to our Mollie HOOKER? I understand the original of this document is now in the Randolph Room at the Asheboro, Public Library. I hope to receive a copy soon.
And someday, my father and I will have to climb up on the red bank. I will have to ask him if the house where he was born still stands. Perhaps we will find a single grave under a tree, if no one has disturbed it after all these years. Maybe it is the old chief. Or maybe it's Mollie's grandfather, waiting for someone to come back home.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Ten Thousand Flowers
Ten thousand flowers in spring,
the moon in autumn
a cool breeze in summer,
snow in winter,
If your mind isn't crowded by
unnecessary things,
this is the best season of your life
--Wu-Men 365 Prayers, Blessings and Life Affirmations to Celebrate the Human Journey From Around the World: 1996 HarperCollins, San Francisco.
Life in general makes it difficult to not "crowd the mind with unnecessary things." There is clutter everywhere: Messages bombarding us, telling us what to buy; what to do; how we should think; what we should ask our doctors about. We have songs screaming in our ears what we should love and what we should hate; what we should think and perhaps not think at all. But inevitably, most of us find several moments of solitude - moments to actually think for ourselves. And in those moments when we have command of our presiding thoughts, I hope for triumph - as we are the best champions of our own causes. I hope others respect those moments of free will as we challenge our soul and choose our own roads without accomplices. For our journeys are ours to walk, and may they be blessed as the best seasons of our lives.
Monday, June 25, 2007
So Many Trails, So Little Time
"I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars, And the pismire is equally perfect, and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren, And the tree-toad is a chef-d'oeuvre for the highest, And the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven . . . " Song of Myself --Walt Whitman
While meandering along a wilderness trail in the Great Smoky Mountains, I came upon a stone chimney, jutting out of the green forest. Someone once lived there among the trees with the cool, clear creek not far beyond.
How very beautiful these woods are. There is a peacefulness that touches me to the soul. The people who lived here experienced their own trials and tribulations, but the forest also provided lessons of grace, wisdom and common sense.
My father tells me stories of the woods. When I was but a child, he would led me through the trails, winding carefully through the pine trees. He reminded me to walk softly and try not to make disturbances. He also reminded me to listen carefully, for there are things human ears can miss when our minds are not on the path.
I think one of the most important things I learned about the trails, is to watch for animal droppings. A bear can leave a most unpleasant sign, but it was easy to see and even easier to avoid. So just recently I thought, "If a bear craps in the woods, do we HAVE to step in it?" There are some people crapping in the Redbone woods right now. I think it's best to sidestep their mess and keep ourselves clean. There are so many trails that need to be explored and such precious little time to accomplish them all. But that is just one lesson from the woods that has been passed down from father to daughter. It is an important lesson, however and it serves me well whether I am hiking a trail in the wilderness or rushing to work in the big city.
I bought new hiking boots a month ago. They have thick soles and built in support for my ankles and the arch of my feet. I'm prepared to press on, no matter how long the journey may be.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Them's fight'n Words
There are some phrases that seem to be passed from generation to generation. I think I can identify certain periods in my family history when an ancestor or kinfolk took a dislike to notions or actions of the day and they uttered the phrase, "Now, them's fight' words!"I can say with relative confidence that in the mid 1770's, William and Edward Goings (kin somehow, but I don't know yet, but both of them my 7th generation great grandfathers) were rather frustrated with Britain's way of ruling the continent. They joined up in the Continental Army, more than willing to fight for the right of self government. If anyone tried to tell them how much tax to pay, or who could be married and who couldn't or who could own land and who couldn't they just polished their squirrel guns and said "Them's fightin' words!"
There's been members of the Moore County, Pocket Creek Goinses in every war since then - War of 1812, , The United States Civil War, the Spanish American War and on forward.
In the 1930's, life was difficult in rural North Carolina as well as other rural areas, especially for mixed-blood families who lived on the fringes of society, ostracized and discriminated against by dominant society members. Food was scarce, but family is family and you'd think that fight'n words would not show up at the dinner table. But my great Aunt Norvie told the story about the day when her son and a cousin sat at the table, eating purt good, but only one biscuit remained on the platter and Wilbert Yow grabbed it up causing an onslaught of fightin' words. The cousin took of
fense, believing he (being older and all) was entitled to the last biscuit, and he shot the 15 year old Wilbert to death on January 8, 1933 at the dinner table. (Aunt Norvie pictured to the right in 1990)Uncle David Eugene Goins (pictured upper left) has heard and said plenty of fightin' words. Most of the time in Asheboro, North Carolina, he was called a d*mned ole Croatan Indian. Many citizens took offense when he started courtin' one of the most beautiful white girls in the school. He took plenty of beatings - g
iving back as hard as others gave it to him, but he married that sweet little Arlene Roberts (Collins descendent) and they had a beautiful family. It was not easy, fighting for the right to love whomever you wanted, but if anyone had anything to say about it, well, those were usually fightin' words.
iving back as hard as others gave it to him, but he married that sweet little Arlene Roberts (Collins descendent) and they had a beautiful family. It was not easy, fighting for the right to love whomever you wanted, but if anyone had anything to say about it, well, those were usually fightin' words.And sometimes fightin' words took on different meanings. I recall that they could be used in jest between family members. And there were encouragements to fight within the community. My father (pictured left with his brother David) recalls a time when he was enticed to fight for a cash prize. It was at the Randolph county Fair in the 1940's, and he donned leather fighting gloves, more than willing to fight his opponent to a bloody pulp and bring home some much needed food money.
He stepped in the cage and unexpectedly charged his opponent, only to stumble forward as his challenger deftly jumped up in the air and eluded him. So my father tried again, knowing that he had to be one of the fastest runners in the county. He charged once more only to miss his opponent once more. Before he could bring himself fully off the ground, the ape jumped on my father's scrawny shoulders and started pummeling him with his boxing gloves until my father begged to be released from the cage. He staggered home black and blue on the inside and the outside, but he earned a few shiny coins for staying in as long as he did. But that was the Goins inside of him and money, food and the right to fight were worth fightin' for.
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Screen Door Unlocked
Dedicated to the memory of Ervin and Lovie Jane Goins.
There was a time when the screen door was always unlocked.
My father remembers sitting in the family living room while on leave from the US Marine Corps, talking to Grandma and Grandpa. The door swung wide open and a group of young hellions raced through the living room. Grandpa grinned at the youthful energy and Daddy asked, "Who are those young-uns?"
"Haven't any idee," Grandpa said, but no one was going to chase them off. The door was always open.
After experiencing centuries of ostracism from mainstream society, my family learned something -- a fundamental truth which is still part of the fabric of their descendents. We need each other. That door is always open.
That is why I was shocked to the core when I read an outburst laced with profanity, "we don't need them." Where did this come from? That has not been our family way --this is NOT the legacy bequeathed to us from those who walked the green valleys with hearts as big as the moon and smiles as bright as the sun.
Despite the troubled past, our families never shut each other out. I can't remember my grandparents shutting even a stranger out. It wasn't our way.
I once asked one of my grandmothers why our people were so despised and she told me not to use that word, for hatred is not our way. I will repeat her words as often as I can as a gentle reminder.
What has happened to us?
Thursday, November 09, 2006
My Blood Tells Me So
Earlier I wrote about the Goins DNA project. Instead of solving some parts of my cultural puzzle, the DNA results seemed to throw about a thousand more pieces into the mix.
But there are some important things to discover when looking at the cultural map of who we are. I don't think I ever realized how old DNA is. I think of me possessing some of the influences of my immediate family members, my grandparents and perhaps even my great grandparents, but DNA is DEEP. I mean thousands of years deep. When I survey the results I expected to find, such as predominately Scottish, Irish and British, I see ancient little markers, popping up for Native Siberian, Yemen, Polynesian and Greek.
When I casually say one of my favorite lines, My ancestors lived and loved so I can be here today (not that that is what they had in mind, but it is one way I think about their lives and how they contributed to my existence), I now go beyond my traditional pattern of generations. I think of the clans crossing the Bering Straits, seeking a place where they could thrive. They are no longer nameless individuals - dust on the pages of some old history tome, but now they are like a memory because I recognize that one of my own ancestors was there. My blood tells me so. I think of the Polynesians and the Vikings - not that I would ever have assumed them connected. But they are connected somehow in my blood. And when I think of all of the mixtures of history and heritage within me, I wonder, aren't you the same as I? At one time, did our ancestors meet and walk a ways on the journey together? Did they meet in battle over limited resources? No matter what has happened throughout history, there is one thing that can't separate any of us. Our ancestors lived and loved, yes. But they also survived. With that thought in mind, It Is Still Good To Be Here.
But there are some important things to discover when looking at the cultural map of who we are. I don't think I ever realized how old DNA is. I think of me possessing some of the influences of my immediate family members, my grandparents and perhaps even my great grandparents, but DNA is DEEP. I mean thousands of years deep. When I survey the results I expected to find, such as predominately Scottish, Irish and British, I see ancient little markers, popping up for Native Siberian, Yemen, Polynesian and Greek.
When I casually say one of my favorite lines, My ancestors lived and loved so I can be here today (not that that is what they had in mind, but it is one way I think about their lives and how they contributed to my existence), I now go beyond my traditional pattern of generations. I think of the clans crossing the Bering Straits, seeking a place where they could thrive. They are no longer nameless individuals - dust on the pages of some old history tome, but now they are like a memory because I recognize that one of my own ancestors was there. My blood tells me so. I think of the Polynesians and the Vikings - not that I would ever have assumed them connected. But they are connected somehow in my blood. And when I think of all of the mixtures of history and heritage within me, I wonder, aren't you the same as I? At one time, did our ancestors meet and walk a ways on the journey together? Did they meet in battle over limited resources? No matter what has happened throughout history, there is one thing that can't separate any of us. Our ancestors lived and loved, yes. But they also survived. With that thought in mind, It Is Still Good To Be Here.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Mixed Heritage Clues from Grave Markers
Tracking down African-American, Native American or racially mixed ancestors can be difficult, especially when these family members often were oppressed and segregated in society. The segregation did not end with churches, schools and neighborhoods. Even the final resting places of these ancestors were separate and sometimes obscure.
A few years ago, my father and I decided to go on a field trip to visit the places where my ancestors lived. We had accumulated information from census records and vital statistics and thought I understood quite a bit about our family and how they lived. When we actually visited the township they lived in, I was in for a surprise.
I knew my great-great grandfather was buried in Grant Township, also called Grantville, in Randolph County, North Carolina. When my father and I finally located the grave of my ancestor, it raised hundreds of more questions. He was buried in a small, grassy area near the side of the road. Up on the hill, directly above his final resting place, was a beautiful church dating back to the early 1800’s with a magnificent cemetery. The cemetery contained thousands of graves, but why wasn’t my ancestor buried among them?
Then a local woman told us, “He was too dark to be buried up there.” Since our ancestor, Abraham Wellington “Bud” Goins, died in 1884, there were no vital records that indicated that he was a person of color. The race category on the census records was recorded upon the discretion of the enumerator who would look at the person and check the category he thought the individual should be labeled as. One enumerator may believe he is taking information from a mulatto. Another enumerator may label him as an Anglo-white. The information varied, but when it came down to the final resting place, the people in the community knew that Abraham Wellington Goins was not white.
Family members tended to the grave and Goins’ daughter, Norvie Jane, placed a traditional headstone on the grave to mark it. The prominence of the marker bespoke of the homage reserved for a beloved patriarch of the family. Surrounding the marker, there were at least four other small, unmarked markers. Judging from the small size, they may indicate the final resting place of children or perhaps female members of the family. No one will know for sure.
Another clue in finding mixed ethnic relations may be in the footstones. Again, when looking for my family members, I could not locate them in neat churchyards. The field trip involved excursions deep into woods. On one occasion, I photographed a footstone of a family member who had a traditional marker with her name and dates, but the footstone possessed an interesting etching of a human body being supported by vertical lines. Not understanding this, we showed the photograph to a gravedigger in the area who proved to be most helpful. “That picture indicates that she was buried upright,” he said. It was a common practice of the Native American peoples in the area to bury their deceased standing up.
A few years ago, my father and I decided to go on a field trip to visit the places where my ancestors lived. We had accumulated information from census records and vital statistics and thought I understood quite a bit about our family and how they lived. When we actually visited the township they lived in, I was in for a surprise.
I knew my great-great grandfather was buried in Grant Township, also called Grantville, in Randolph County, North Carolina. When my father and I finally located the grave of my ancestor, it raised hundreds of more questions. He was buried in a small, grassy area near the side of the road. Up on the hill, directly above his final resting place, was a beautiful church dating back to the early 1800’s with a magnificent cemetery. The cemetery contained thousands of graves, but why wasn’t my ancestor buried among them?
Then a local woman told us, “He was too dark to be buried up there.” Since our ancestor, Abraham Wellington “Bud” Goins, died in 1884, there were no vital records that indicated that he was a person of color. The race category on the census records was recorded upon the discretion of the enumerator who would look at the person and check the category he thought the individual should be labeled as. One enumerator may believe he is taking information from a mulatto. Another enumerator may label him as an Anglo-white. The information varied, but when it came down to the final resting place, the people in the community knew that Abraham Wellington Goins was not white.
Family members tended to the grave and Goins’ daughter, Norvie Jane, placed a traditional headstone on the grave to mark it. The prominence of the marker bespoke of the homage reserved for a beloved patriarch of the family. Surrounding the marker, there were at least four other small, unmarked markers. Judging from the small size, they may indicate the final resting place of children or perhaps female members of the family. No one will know for sure.
Another clue in finding mixed ethnic relations may be in the footstones. Again, when looking for my family members, I could not locate them in neat churchyards. The field trip involved excursions deep into woods. On one occasion, I photographed a footstone of a family member who had a traditional marker with her name and dates, but the footstone possessed an interesting etching of a human body being supported by vertical lines. Not understanding this, we showed the photograph to a gravedigger in the area who proved to be most helpful. “That picture indicates that she was buried upright,” he said. It was a common practice of the Native American peoples in the area to bury their deceased standing up.
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