This page is an attempt to show how myths of Indian ancestry develop and propagate, and how they can be proven correct or incorrect using solid research methods. I use the Melton, Brumbelow/Morton, Hathcock, Lambert/Eudy/Furr families as examples. This page is not written to attack people personally, but simply to demonstrates the merits of historical and genealogical research, versus vague family traditions and wishful thinking.
More than half the messages I have received as the county coordinator of Stanly Co. USGenWeb page have read something like this:
"I am looking for my Cherokee great-grandmother Mary Smith. My grandmother always said she was part Cherokee and that is why we have dark hair."
This is what more experienced genealogists call the Cherokee Princess Story, which in 99% of the cases turns out to be incorrect.
I began my own genealogy research because I was interested in a story my family told about an Indian ancestress. However, as with most Stanly County Indian stories, my family's tradition turned out to have little basis in fact.
While family stories are an important starting point in genealogy, they should be verified by research in historical records. If you research your "Indian" ancestor and find your ancestors consistently listed as white in the historical records, and no evidence of Indian ancestry for several generations, then your family's story is probably incorrect.
Some people argue that their ancestors were Indians who were hiding their Indian identity and passing as white. This imposes a contemporary, anachronistic conception of identity onto historical people whose experience it does not accurately describe. People in the 19th century South derived their sense of individual identity largely through community and family allegiances. In that era, your racial and ethnic identity was not your personal choice. Instead, your racial-ethnic identity was imposed on you by the community, according to your appearance and your social status. There was far less privacy in these communities, and little opportunity for maintaining a secret cultural identity.
The fact is that people in earlier times who appeared racially to be Indians or African-Americans were generally recognized as non-white in their community. It's difficult to hide racial and cultural differences, and Southerners were not known for their racial tolerance. For example, in 1851 Harris Melton was prosecuted in Stanly Co. on the basis of his mixed-race appearance (see below). If your ancestors consistently appear in the records as white for several generations, then it's extremely doubtful that they were Indians. Genealogists who argue--without evidence--that ancestors who are consistently listed as white for a long period of time were actually Indians who were "passing as white" are usually engaging in wishful thinking.
One common mistake among inexperienced genealogists is to assume that if a surname has once been linked with an Indian ancestor, then everyone who bears that surname is an Indian. In fact, you cannot safely assume that families who share surnames are related at all. Even if people that share a surname are related, an Indian ancestor migh not necessarily shared by all lines of that surname.
You will need to conduct your own research to test any theory of Indian ancestry. It is not wise to uncritically accept at face value any claims about the Indian identity of any individual. There is much misinformation floating around genealogical circles, especially on the Internet. Fraudulent Indian claims are extremely common now, similar to the many fake pedigrees that included royal European ancestry that were common a hundred years ago. Many people feel the need to have an pedigree that makes them feel special. Use other people's research as a starting point, but always double-check it yourself against reliable historical sources.
Many people who were never raised as Indians now want to claim an Indian identity because they believe--without any credible evidence--that their fifth great-grandparent was Native American. Many Indians considered these "wannabees" as trespassers upon their own culture, and consider unproven claims to Indian heritage to be offensive.
Be skeptical about the objectivity and validity of statements about Indian ancestry from people who are only interested in finding Indian ancestry, who lack basic research skills, and who argue that any difficult-to-research ancestor was an Indian. Beware of people who claim to have numerous "hidden" Indians in their family tree since many of these "hidden" Indians are often a product of their vivid imagination. Also be wary of those researchers, who when their "Indian" ancestor is revealed as non-Indian, jump backwards on their family tree to claim that one of the ancestors of the previously claimed Indian ancestor was actually the Indian. Often claims to Indian ancestry rest on 20th century statements, instead of relying on evidence contemporary with the claimed Indian ancestors. There are numerous reasons that people lie about or claim Indian ancestry, including the desire to obtain financial benefits or to cover up African-American ancestry.
This page is an attempt to provide some detailed, documented information on the rumored Native American ancestry of certain Stanly Countians. If you have more information that can be verified about any family on this page, or if you can prove that something on this page is incorrect, or if you have a question about a source of information, please email me at lcsims@eskimo.com and let me know. For the benefit of other serious researchers, I will incorporate on this page any information that can be documented. Please do not send me vague, undocumented stories about Indian ancestry. I have also set up a message board for people to post comments.
Click on the links below to read about Indian ancestry stories in the following families:
A message board to post your comments or questions
This web page and its links represent the research and opinions of its author, not the USGenWeb project.
Copyright 2000 by Leah Sims