The Melungeons have been described as a group of dark skinned people living on Newman's Ridge by most researchers in the years past, however new documents and articles show these *mixed blood* people were found living in many states, many counties besides Newman's Ridge as early as the 1850s.

Their Indian ancestry appears to have started with the very early settlers in Jamestown and their connections with the Powhatans, mixing yet again with the Saponi who then mixed with the Saura/Cheraw, Catawba, Cherokee, etc. Not every Melungeon family will have the same ancestry nor descend from the same tribe but I can say with certainty that whether they were Portuguese, Scotch, French, African etc., who mixed with the Indians -- they were undoubtedly Indians.

The purpose of this group is:

To provide a forum for Melungeon researchers to freely discuss LEGENDS, MYTHS, RUMORS, FAMILY STORIES, THEORIES, GENEALOGY or anything dealing with the HISTORY of the MELUNGEONS.

Please feel free to post your questions, comments, family history or anything else that pertains to the Melungeons or other related groups.


Please visit DOCUMENTING THE MELUNGEONS for historical articles, genealogies, etc.
http://www.historical-melungeons.com/index.html

Joanne Pezzullo