shoshone
08-04-2005, 05:55 PM
Hello all,
I would like to introduce myself in the forum. I am Shoshone. My maternal family hails from Anson county North Carolina. I with the help of a genealologist traced my earliest ancestor back to Henry Bennett. Who was classified as a mullatto along with several of his children. My mother said oral history and certain family members passed down how they were decendant of Indian families who had mixed with mullatto black people. Henry Bennett was born around 1810 and may have married a freed slave woman or mixed race black woman by the name of Chaney. I believe Henry who was my great, great, great great grandfather was decendant of one of the Bennetts that was listed as one of the Chowan indians on early gates country records. Records indicated that some of the remaining indians intermingled with mulatto free blacks because they were listed on the records as free other on early 1800 census records. Some even petitioned for the original lands that they had sold which was also recorded:
Library.uncg.edu Petition Analysis Record #11279002 - location: Gates County, North Carolina year: 1790
"The petitioners request the legislature to pass a law validating acquisition of land by a group of descendants of Indians and blacks. In 1724 the Chowan Indians recieved 11,360 acres of land in Chowan County, later Gates County. The Indians sold most of the land. The men all died, and the women mixed with negroes. The free blacks and their mixed-blood children served as soldiers for the colonials in the Revolution. Supported by William Lewis, Samuel Harrell, and other white men, they seek title to small remnants of the aforesaid tract of land."
This petition follows a pattern common among those from people attempting to acquire land set aside for Indians. Though it is obvious that the Indians still reside on the land, they infer that the remnant families have more black than Indian blood, and so, obviously do not deserve to retain title to Indian lands. This petition does go a little overboard, however, by stating that by some mysterious circumstance, all the Indian men suddenly died, and that the remaining women all mixed with negroes. Isn't it funny how they tried to make it appear they were trying to help these people by giving them title to a small piece of the land, and releasing the rest for them to grab up?
The families subject to this petition wre listed as "Other free people" in 1790 Gates Co. NC including: Abraham Reed, Benjamin Reed, Elisha Parker, George Bennett, Hardy Robbins, Hardy Reed, James Robbins, Joseph Bennett, John Cuff, Jane Reed, James Weaver, James Boon, Micajah Reed, Muney Mitchell, Rachel Reed, Seabrook Hunter, William Hunter, William Taylor, and William Jenkins.
Library.uncg.edu Petition Analysis Record #11279002 - location: Gates County, North Carolina year: 1790
If there are any other Bennett decendants who are on the forum I would like to hear from you. I further had Dna testing done wich confirmed that I had at least 4-6 percent Native American DNA. I also had 13-17 Percent European DNA and the rest being african. This corresponds with the Oral history in my family. My mother will be tested to double confirm this. If any members are interested in being tested you may e-mail me.
Shoshone
I would like to introduce myself in the forum. I am Shoshone. My maternal family hails from Anson county North Carolina. I with the help of a genealologist traced my earliest ancestor back to Henry Bennett. Who was classified as a mullatto along with several of his children. My mother said oral history and certain family members passed down how they were decendant of Indian families who had mixed with mullatto black people. Henry Bennett was born around 1810 and may have married a freed slave woman or mixed race black woman by the name of Chaney. I believe Henry who was my great, great, great great grandfather was decendant of one of the Bennetts that was listed as one of the Chowan indians on early gates country records. Records indicated that some of the remaining indians intermingled with mulatto free blacks because they were listed on the records as free other on early 1800 census records. Some even petitioned for the original lands that they had sold which was also recorded:
Library.uncg.edu Petition Analysis Record #11279002 - location: Gates County, North Carolina year: 1790
"The petitioners request the legislature to pass a law validating acquisition of land by a group of descendants of Indians and blacks. In 1724 the Chowan Indians recieved 11,360 acres of land in Chowan County, later Gates County. The Indians sold most of the land. The men all died, and the women mixed with negroes. The free blacks and their mixed-blood children served as soldiers for the colonials in the Revolution. Supported by William Lewis, Samuel Harrell, and other white men, they seek title to small remnants of the aforesaid tract of land."
This petition follows a pattern common among those from people attempting to acquire land set aside for Indians. Though it is obvious that the Indians still reside on the land, they infer that the remnant families have more black than Indian blood, and so, obviously do not deserve to retain title to Indian lands. This petition does go a little overboard, however, by stating that by some mysterious circumstance, all the Indian men suddenly died, and that the remaining women all mixed with negroes. Isn't it funny how they tried to make it appear they were trying to help these people by giving them title to a small piece of the land, and releasing the rest for them to grab up?
The families subject to this petition wre listed as "Other free people" in 1790 Gates Co. NC including: Abraham Reed, Benjamin Reed, Elisha Parker, George Bennett, Hardy Robbins, Hardy Reed, James Robbins, Joseph Bennett, John Cuff, Jane Reed, James Weaver, James Boon, Micajah Reed, Muney Mitchell, Rachel Reed, Seabrook Hunter, William Hunter, William Taylor, and William Jenkins.
Library.uncg.edu Petition Analysis Record #11279002 - location: Gates County, North Carolina year: 1790
If there are any other Bennett decendants who are on the forum I would like to hear from you. I further had Dna testing done wich confirmed that I had at least 4-6 percent Native American DNA. I also had 13-17 Percent European DNA and the rest being african. This corresponds with the Oral history in my family. My mother will be tested to double confirm this. If any members are interested in being tested you may e-mail me.
Shoshone