guineas of west virginia
Melungeons / West Virginia

The Guineas of West Virginia

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

In American culture, if you can’t prove you’re 100% white or ‘pass’ for such, you get lumped into the minority by default.  This is a cultural bias the Chestnut Ridge People (CRP) of West Virginia have been familiar with for several hundred years now.

The Melungeons from Wicked Delicate Films on Vimeo.

“There is a clan of partly-colored people in Barbour County often called Guineas, under the erroneous presumption that they are Guinea negroes,” observed WV historian Hu Maxwell in the 1890s. “They vary in color from white to black, often have blue eyes and straight hair, and they are generally industrious. Their number in Barbour is estimated at one thousand.

“They have been a puzzle to the investigator; for their origin is not generally known. They are among the earliest settlers of Barbour. Prof. W.W. Male of Grafton, West Virginia, belongs to this clan, and after a thorough investigation, says ‘They originated from an Englishman named Male who came to America at the outbreak of the Revolution. From that one man have sprung about 700 of the same name, not to speak of the half-breeds.’ Thus it would seem that the family was only half-black at the beginning, and by the inter-mixtures since, many are now almost white.”

Indeed, Barbour County Courthouse records indicate that several of the CRP petitioned the courts (successfully) to be declared legally white during the Civil War era, and they undoubtedly would not have done so if being considered ‘West Hill Indians,’ ‘Maileys,’ ‘Cecil Indians,’ ‘G. and B. Indians,’ or ‘Guinea niggers’ offered any advantage.

Elizabeth 'Betsy' Mayle, of Chestnut Ridge, in 1975/6.
“I believe each of our people has the name Male as an ancestor,” says genealogist Joanne Johnson Smith. This is Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Mayle, of Chestnut Ridge, in 1975/6.

By 1946, local courts treated the CRP as colored, regarding them as mulattoes. William Harlen Gilbert, Jr., of the Library of Congress, had more to say of the CRP that same year in ‘Social Forces’ magazine:

“They do not associate as a rule with Negroes or whites.

“Location: Primarily centered in Barbour and Taylor counties, West Virginia. Also, small scattered families in Grant, Preston, Randolph, Tucker, Marion, Monongahela, and Braxton counties, West Virginia. Said to have originated in Hampshire County, West Virginia. A few occur in Garrett County, Maryland. Have recently migrated to Canton, Chillicothe, Zanesville, Akron, and Sandusky in Ohio and to Detroit, Michigan. Word Guinea said to be an epithet applied to anything of foreign or unknown origin.

“Numbers: Estimated to be from 8,000 to 9,000.

“Organization: Have own schools and churches in Barbour and Taylor counties. Have an annual fair at Phillippi, West Virginia. Family names are Adams, Collins, Croston, Dalton, Dorton, Kennedy, Male (Mayle, Mahle, Mail), Minard (Miner), Newman, Norris, and Pritchard.

“Environment and Economy: Many are coal miners, hill cultivators on sub-marginal lands, truck farmers and dairy farmers, domestic servants, and in cities industrial workers. Original habitat was inaccessible hilly area on a horseshoe bend of the Tygart River, the so-called Narrows. Live in compact settlements in this area.

“Physique: Sharp and angular features characteristic. Originally a mixture of white and Indian types to which Negro has been added. Deformities of the limbs and other congenital defects.

“In-Marriage: Has been pronounced in the past. Now said to intermarry with Italians who are also called Guineas in this area.

“Religion: Mainly Free Methodists in Barbour and Taylor counties.

“Schools: Have special schools classed locally as colored. Considerable tension over attendance at white schools in Taylor County. In Barbour County two schools have been burned down due to troubles.

“Military Draft Status: In Taylor County (Grafton and vicinity) have almost uniformly gone into the white status.

“Voting and Civil Rights: Have voted since organization of the State. Now hold balance of power in Barbour County.

“Relief: Received during the Depression.

“Cultural Peculiarities: Folklore, annual fair.

“History: Claim English descent from Revolutionary ancestors. Building of Tygert River Dam in 1937 scattered them in Taylor County due to flooding of original settlements.”

Ronald Dean Johnson of Hanging Rock, WV takes his native heritage seriously. Born in Ohio, he moved to the Chestnut Ridge area as an adult in order to be close to his people.
Ronald Dean Johnson of Hanging Rock, WV takes his native heritage seriously. Born in Ohio, he moved to the Chestnut Ridge area as an adult in order to be close to his people.

Today, widespread sharing of genealogical information via the internet has helped clarify much of the mystery and ‘otherness’ surrounding groups such as the CRP. “We would like you to keep an open mind as we, the Guineas, tell you about ourselves, since we know more about our heritage than anyone else,” said Joanne Johnson Smith & Florence Kennedy Barnett in a 1997 presentation at the First Union in Wise, VA., where about one thousand people converged on the College of Wise campus to reclaim their lost heritage. Their 20 years worth of combined research on Guinea bloodlines is available here.

Sources: The History of Barbour County, by Hu Maxwell, (Morgantown, West Virginia, 1899) pp. 510-511.
Mixed Bloods of the Upper Monongahela Valley, West Virginia, by William Harlen Gilbert, Jr., Journal of the Washington Academy of the Sciences, 36, no. 1 (Jan. 15, 1946), pp. 1-13.
‘Memorandum Concerning the Characteristics of the Larger Mixed-Blood Racial Islands of the Eastern United States,’ by William Harlen Gilbert, Jr., Social Forces 21/4 (May 1946): 438-477

We, the People of Chestnut Ridge–A Native Community in Barbour County, by Joanne Johnson Smith, Florence Kennedy Barnett, and Lois Kennedy Croston; Goldenseal Magazine, Fall 1999

More articles on the Melungeons in Appalachia:

Educating the Melungeons(Opens in a new browser tab)

Theirs was a hardy race(Opens in a new browser tab)

Just passing through—the Scottish Travellers(Opens in a new browser tab)

97 comments

  1. Myth and mystery always seems to follow mixed-race people in Appalachia. The ‘Guineas’ sound much like Tennessee’s ‘Melungeons,’ even some surnames are the same. My own family, the Hatfields of southern West Virginia, refer to themselves as ‘Black Dutch,’ a term that appears to be associated with mixed-race families.

  2. My mother is a Mayle; both her mother and her father were Mayles. I am married to a caucasian man. I have 5 children, they do not look black, white, or Native American but peole ask them ALL the time, are you Portugese? Arabian, Jewish, one even has ice blue eyes. They are very beuatiful .

  3. These are my family Norris, Mayle, Kennedy and Minards I am proud to count my early relatives as family. we are not Guinea
    but American indian

  4. My family lived around Normantown, WV for 200 years or more. We still have our original family farm. I come from the Moore bloodline and Dooley bloodline. Then Pritt and I can’t remember the other side.

    My grandparents came to Grafton, OH to work along with thousands of other West Virginia people from that area. So I remember many years ago I heard great grandma Dooley say something about being called a guiniea when she was a kid. My great grandpa was dark skinned and black hair blue eyes.

    I’m brown and blue but I have a father who was Polish-German, so that’s what gave me the brown instead of black. Everybody else until my mom’s and aunt’s children had black hair. My girl cousin has black, but it could just be dyed—she’s young. Anyways it was nice to see this article; it explains a lot about my heritage.

  5. I hope I can find some relatives through this site. I have listed my line below.

    Samuel Norris
    Sam “Fiddler” Norris
    William B. Norris
    Joseph “Joby” Norris
    William E Norris
    Fannie Leota Norris Phillips
    Edmond L. Phillips

    Email me at Hootah3@aol.com

  6. I lived and worked in Barbour County for 12 years. I love the people on the Ridge. Many of the Elders I knew have transitioned on, now. But, I have a silly-story to share about my first arriving in West Virginia. As I young man, I wanted to get acquainted and not be aloof like a “furriner.” So, I would chit-chat and schmooze the old geezers sitting around the courthouse waiting for King Coal to make a comeback.
    When I asked one of the residents about people I’d heard of in the region called “Guineas,” and what could he tell me about them? I guess he thought he’d pull my leg. He told me “the origin of them people is a genetic mutation created by John D. Rockefeller as a source of cheap labor in all of his industries! They were a poor set of people who became ….wait for it….”Guinea pigs!” I never found out if he was serious or not…but, I do know the Ridge Peopkle are eligible for grant money for college when they identify themselves as a member of a “tri-racial isolate” group. So, shove it, John D.! lol.

  7. Hello, I am a descendant of Sam Norris & Pretty Hair. I am just looking for more information regarding my ancestors. From what I have found Pretty Hair was a Delaware (Lenape Tribe) Indian and Sam Norris was english descent. Further information would be greatly appreciated. I enjoy the history of it all and making new connections long lost.

  8. We are called Melungeon or Guineas. We have a ridge behind our teeth and a bump on the back of the head. We came from Levels, West Virginia. Each generation a dark person shows up with blue eyes, dark skin, straight black hair, very nice looking. No negro features. Interracial Appalachian, Portuguese, sub-Saharan African.

    We came from one man, Gustavus Croston, who was friends with Male. Gustavus served in the Revolutionary War. Our history, by word of mouth, was that we were Spanish or Portugese. They have a reunion each spring at Levels, West Virginia. We met a man who said that pretty hair was his great great grand mother. Pretty hair was Indian.

    We just want to find out what color Gustavus was and who he married. His best friend Male married his freed slave, which in Virginia at that time was against the law. It is a wonderful mystery and we enjoy finding out any information. Our branch went to Maryland and passed as white; another son went to Phillipi and Chestnut Ridge.

    We are proud of who we are. Betty Croston

  9. Hello…Im just trying to find more of my family “Male”. I believe it goes like this:

    Jason (ME)> John Fitzgerald Male > Darrell Belmont Male > Soloman Taylor Male > John Randolph Male > James W Male III > Wilmore Male Jr. > Wilmore Male Sr.

    Anyone studied the family line that can verify that? At least from Wilmore to Solomon Taylor?

  10. I am a descendant of Amy Adams from Chestnut Ridge…My Grandmother married a Hall and they lived in Grafton WV.

  11. My Father was John Homer Hall from Grafton WV and he married Beulah Barnett from Preston County, Kingwood WV. I married Norman R. Patterson, Jr. from Brownsville, Pa. We live in Baltimore Maryland, but still have our parents home in Kingwood WV.

  12. Have any of these people had DNA testing done??? What was the results?? Did any have strong indication of North Africa, Spain/Portugal, or Mediterranean link ??

  13. I have been trying to research on Dalton/Dorton, Croston, Male,(Pretty Hair) Norris, Mayle. My grandmother was a Mayle, her mother a Croston, and so on. My bio father was a Lipscomb. I want to know what our ancestrial background is. There are to many stories and almost no facts. I have olive colored skin, my hair is black ( I suffer from Alopecia a autoimmune disease that I have passed on to my oldest daughter.) and brown eyes. My older brother has light skin, black hair and blue eyes. I have been asked on one occasion if I was mixed or mexican. My daughters, are both fair, light haired, and light eyed. My son is black haired, dark skinned and brown eyes. I have talked to my brother and we have decided to have him take the ethnic DNA. He is getting it done this month. Hopefully, this will finally solve where my ancestors are from.

  14. Jody,
    What is the first name of your Croston grandmother? I am a Croston doing research on Hamphshire County WV

  15. My mother is a Mayle. I am a descentant of James Franklin Male and George Washington Male. They were brothers and my family branches out from them.
    I have research a lot about my family and I have read all of the post on this website. We all share a concern and pride in our ancestors. The amazing thing is how someone can put labels on a group of people and bring attention to them in such a negative way. My family are all very hard working, good looking, and loving, praying people. But by labeling them under a name or a color, makes them not so good or second class??? What’s up with that way of thinking??

    This is something that has really bothered me that someone did not stand up and say stop.

    I had one relative tell me, she was dragged out of a 9th grade classroom because they found her mother’s name fell under the Guinea names.

    Well, someone did get some things changed through the years, but a lot of my people will not talk about it because it hurt so much. They are ashamed and don’t want their kids to know. We should not be ashamed—the people that practice these terrible prejudiced ways should be ashamed. A movie should be made and it would rank right up there with ‘Roots’! If I could write movies I would do it!!!

  16. My mother is Dorothy Mayle of Philippi. My grandparents were Floyd and Wyonia Mayle. My heritage is rich and beautiful just as my family in Philippi and surrounding areas!! Proud to be part of this wonderfully, God made family !!!!

  17. Believe my mother’s side originates with these people. Her family were the Barker’s. I traced it down to Edwin (or Edmund) Barker, who married a woman either named Elizabeth or Elisa (last name not given) in the Appalachian Mountain range in Tennessee. Was hoping someone had any information on the Barker’s in particular.

  18. I also am searching information on Gustavus Croston from Hsmpshire County WV. I need a link to son named William anyone able to help?

  19. For Jason Male

    John Randolph and Sarah Evelyn are my grandparents

    My mother was Arizona Male sister to Solomon Taylor Male.

    I have that information and my cousin Elanor Grubbs Paull who is the daughter of Albert Nestor Male also has much mr information than I have.

  20. The Minards are Indians that came from Chestnut Ridge. Back then the Chestnut Ridge people were not allowed to go into town or anywhere near it. The Chestnut Ridge people were only allowed off Chestnut Ridge once a week. That was if they were lucky! I am Madison Minard from Phillipi, West Virginia.

  21. my people are riddles, Norris my riddle grandma is indian she has the dark skin an ice blue eyes, cold black hair. my grandpa Norris dark skin ,cold black hair.he is indian he had to call his self black irish to get long in cumb co ky. im light skin, to medium. ice blue eyes dark brown hair.

  22. I have a family tree with all these names on it. It has over 30,000 so far and is still growing. I’d love all you ‘cousins’ to come see it and if your branch isn’t on, just let me know and I’ll gladly add it. You are welcome to use any of the information on it too for your research or family knowledge.

  23. I AM A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF HENRY DALTON AND ELEANOR RUSSELL. I AM ALSO A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF JAMES STEVENS AND RACHEL PLATTER. ALSO OF JANELLA “JANE” COLLINS AMONG OTHERS. I JUST STARTED MY FAMILY SEARCH ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO. I ENJOY THE CHALLENGE EVEN WHEN IT CAN BECOME A BIT OVERWHELMING!

  24. Georgeanna Male/Tippie>George E Male>Solomon Sampson Male>George Washington Male>George Male>Wilmore Male II.

    I would really love to get to know more of you folks that are posting here.

    What I would like even more is if we could all compile a list of our lineage that could be freely accessed or a group for our Male surname for the exchange of information.

    I am not a bit ashamed of my heritage and am so pleased to find the diversity of my lineage.

  25. Gabby Carter, I also am a descent of Henry Dalton & Eleanor Russell. I would love to share my family”s history with you. Anita, the Dalton’s were part of Chestnut Ridge and I have a Mayle in my family linage which married a Dalton. I would love to exchange information. I am on facebook, NC.

  26. Finding Our Roots Show by Henry Lois Gates Jr. Last episode spoke about these folks who originated bya white man named Mayle and a black woman who was his slave, but he freed her to be his wife- Nancy was her name- a lady who comes from them- Alex Finley researched this dna and paperwork proof

  27. Gary Coleman — I havent checked this website in a long time. I just now saw your message. Please email me any information at jason.male.jm@gmail.com

    If you email me and would like to speak on the phone as well please mention it and I can email you my phone number as well.

    Thanks,

    Jason Male

  28. I am also a direct descendant of Henry Levi Dalton through his son Nimrod Dalton. My paternal grandmother (Ellen Rose Dalton Stokes) was born in 1900 in Little Hocking, Washington County, Ohio. The family later moved to Short Creek, West Virginia.

  29. I too watched the episode of Finding Your Roots. I was shocked when I saw the wedding picture of my Great Grand Parents, Bertie Mae Norris and Charles Hunter Reynolds. My niece bought the DVD of the program and played it for my mother. Mom recognized most of the names of the Chestnut Ridge people because she grew up on the Ridge. Anyone know When the Heritage Day Picnic will be this year?

  30. I too come from solomon sampson males…. we have a have family tree consisting of over 32k people…..on facebook friend me for info christine harlow in lexington park md

  31. Solomon took his family out of Phillippi or Baurbor Co…..they migrated to Ohio and worked the mines after he refused to let our ancestors attend ” colored ” schools….my fathers DNA shows the indian the Gunieas so desire….my grandmother was a daughter of Harry Curtis male one of solomons children…my granddmother margaret married a 100 % full blooded cherokee from NC….so my fathers DNA is strong with native american markers…..maybe now with the internets help we can come home…and our blood prove the native american link so many have longed for…..many of my forefathers were tried for adultery because they could fight as whites…but could not educate their children as white……or marry ” people of color ” so they were tried for ” adultery ” and yes we were listed as ” muletto’s ” until Solomon left Phillippi I have old pictures with names of tippie, sams, and norris, davis, and males………..I have tried everything to find the tippie branch 🙂

  32. I also am a Descendent of Solomon Sampson Males. Grandparents Harry Curtis Males and Margaret Gertrude Cartwright. I am so proud of my WV roots. Our is a family history rich in tradition, for which my father related to his children proudly. I also would like to know when the Heritage Day Picnic will be. Would love to connect with relatives. 🙂

  33. Hi I’m looking for any info about my family tree that anyone can help with. My grandmother was maude mayle and she married james collins. They had 2 children Ethel and monzel. I know some of grandma’s brothers were Artennis And sherman and

    I think her mom was Catherine and dad was Isaiah mayle. Thanks for any help.

  34. I am a descendant of William Wilmore Male b.1714, and his son George Male(twice), his grt. grandchildren married each other. I also an a descendant of Henry Dalton b.1750 thru his son John Dalton. I havent been successful in finding any information on Henry’s mother, Ann Dalton. I found some data that said she might have been sent to the America’s from England as a prisoner. And that Henry was born on the ship on the journey. Anyone else got more detail?

  35. I am a Mayle. My grandfather was James Harry Mayle whose parents were James Henry Mayle and Mary Barnett. My grandmother was Mary Redman Mayle whose parents were Frank Redman and Marhta Pritchard Redman. I have not been able to go back any farther than this. If anyone has more info I would appreciate it. Also, does anyone know when the Heritage Day for the Mayles is held and how I could get info on it? Thanks

  36. Jacqueline,
    My great-grandfather was Isaiah Mayle. My grandfather was Artennis. My mother remembers Ethel and Monzel. I would be interested in talking to you!

  37. My mother had the blue eyes. Both her and I have the ridge in back of our teeth and the crown numb in the back of our heads. Father’s side of Indians are from New Martinsville WV

  38. Looking for Dalton family. Cities I know are Morgantown, Grafton, East Canton ( oh).
    Some names are. Inus Dalton, Dewey Dalton, Dixie dalton Miller
    Any help appreciated.
    Tonysherrie29@ Gmail.com

  39. My understanding was that many of these folk were descendants of Hessian soldiers, paid by the British during the Revolutionary war , but not returned to Germany/Austria thereafter. Hence, the blue eyes and oft blond hair.

  40. My aunt and I are very interested in our family history. My Dad said his people were originally from Grafton WVA. All of my family lives in Canton, and Michigan now. My great grandparents were Jack, and Emma (Beanie) both Mayle, and the other set was Marcus, and Jaunita Mayle, her maiden name was Kennedy. Planning a trip for next summer. Would love to research more.

  41. Karie Baker I have lots of info on Pretty Hair and Sam Norris. They are direct relatives of my family. Please e-mail me at leethehorseman@hotmail and we can trade information we have. I came across this site by accident. Thanks
    Lee Norris

  42. Hello to all claiming a relation to Prettyhair NORRIS, please stand up for her husband Sam who was a halfbreed . Most never mention Sam, only Prettyhair. How does the Black get into my family? by marrying into !! My lineage comes straight from Sam and preetyhair norris as researched by the late Glenn Barnett from the Hackers Creek crew but on my fathers side comes in the Black side from Basil Norman who like The Crostons, Wilmore Male,Redmans, and more that I would like to connect with that defended our original rights by fighting in the Revolution

    Summation: Be very proud of your heritage as your names built the State and Country to which you are living and have defended.

  43. oh WOW!!! Everyone who has written on here is TRIPPING me out!!!
    My mother’s family suspected their father was always hiding something! He would go to visit his family but they never came to the house!! His family name?? MAYLE!!!
    From both of his parents: James and Dora Mayle(s) or Male(s). I have found that the spelling of the name, along with the addition or subtraction of the “S” has been a constant problem for me in tracing this family but I am still plowing forward! I can be contacted by Mayle.Ancestors.2015@gmail.com

  45. My great grandfather Joe Mayle came from that way.Grandpa Sidney Sr. is from Zanesville..my father was P

  46. My grandpa was Sidney Mayle Sr…his dad was Joe Mayle…my dad was Paul Mayle,,,I am John Mayle and my son is Brandon Mayle

  47. My husband’s mom was a Mayle, and I’ve traced his lineage back to Wilmore and the Philippi area known as “The Back End”. What a rich and fascinating heritage! His line includes Mayles, Kennedys, Pritchards, Crostons, Daltons … pretty much all of the CRP surnames. I’m really enjoying researching them all. If anyone comes up with info on the Heritage Day gathering for 2016, I’d love to know about it, too.

  48. Hello, my name is Mary Norris, daughter of Leroy Norris and Granddaughter of William E. Norris. I am looking to find out who my family is and how we are all connected. Please feel free to contact me at Marynorris83@gmail.com

  49. Hello, my wife is from Grant County WV and is of light complexion and oral family tells of Native American ancestory.

    I see here that descendants migrated to Grant County WV. My Wife is from Petersburg / Grant County WV.

    My question is this… What last names are associated with Grant WV?

    Some of the sur names in her family who are of light complexion in her family tree are Hitt and Roby (Robey / Robi)

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

  50. Hello I am a direct descendant of Alice Dalton daughter of Bethuel and Rachel Male would like to learn as much as I can due to us being mixed with African American and disowned and knowing nothing of this side of our family (which is my mother’s father he was a Jackson )

  51. I am a descendant of a Henry Dalton. I am new at this search, and stumbled upon this site. My Grandfather was Melve Dalton; his father was James (Jim) Dalton; and his father was Moses Dalton from Harts Creek WV in Lincoln (previously Logan) County. I was told our descendants came from Virginia. I traced a Henry Dalton that was a black man, a slave who fought in the Civil War.

  52. My last name is Mayle and none of my family has any deformaties or any limbs missing and we are not inbreds or guineas that is a BIRD omg lol what is wrong with you ppl. Indians definatly but Guineas no omg smdh

  53. Hello,
    My birth father’s surname was Croston. His mother’s surname was Pritchard. His family was from the section of Preston county bordering Barbour which means they were less than half an hour from Chestnut Ridge. Using birth, death, marriage and census records I have been able to make some tenuous ties between my grandfather John Croston who lived in Newbury, Preston County and the CRP group. But I haven’t been able to find anything definitive as I can not find his birth cert.

    I am interested in genetic genealogy but have found no matches that I can identify through than at this point. I am wondering if anyone here who knows they are connected to the CRP and especially the Croston’s or Pritchard has done any testing? Or, if anyone would be interested? I could supply some kits for testing at FTDNA for a few people if it appears there is a chance of a match.

    My email is paddlerwoman@me.com

  55. I descend from William Turner and Jane C. Evans, through their daughter Gracie who married Truman Upole. In 1880 Wm. Turner (white, servant) & Jane C. Evans (mulatto, servant), and Jane C. three daughters, all listed as mulatto are living in Grant Co. WV with Jane’s widowed father Abraham. The EVANs line looks much like the Male/Mayles family I knew as a child living in Garrett Co. MD. My Upole grandmother told me we have “Indian blood”.

    My DNA results show I am 2% African, which I translate to black or mulatto. Am I correct?

  56. I was on Chestnut Ridge this week. There is clearly a Melungeon link, but these people are not primarily Black or Amer. Indian. The link is Portuguese, which is to say N. African Berber . White race, but black complexion. Women with olive skin and blue-green or blue eyes. Some brown, but always a very black glossy hair. Often wavy / curly hair. Heavy beard and body hair.

  57. I welcome anyone related or knowledgeable of the CRP
    to contact me. I am very interested in any DNA data of the people especially if more than 5% North Africa/Iberian Peninsula / or Mediterranean . Thanks.

    My email is: voa2013@gmail.com

  58. Hello cousins. I am a relative of Sam and Pretty Hair, both are buried on our family farm in Philippi.I believe it is Hackers creek that runs along the property. My grandfather is Jackson Norris, the great great grandson of Sam Norris.

  59. I was born and raised in WV and never knew this. I was raised around black people and always treated them and they treated me. I played with black children and ate at their table and was punished by their parents when I deserved it. I didn’t know they were any different until I reached the age of 12. Then I was told that i couldn’t associate with them anymore because they were black. I left home at 13 because I refused to do this.

    One thing that I could never understand growing up in the early 40’s was the need for two schools. One for the blacks and one for the whites. With WV being one of the poorest states, to me this was a huge waste of money.

  60. Update… Still no luck with the genealogy of my mother’s Barker relations, however she had a DNA test done through ancestry and it revealed a 3+% North African & Middle Eastern result, the other 97% being European. I am not sure if this is accurate, considering DNA tests are tricky with going from a woman to her father’s line (which is where our mystery resides) so I’m thinking of doing the DNA test for myself and see if that doesn’t produce a greater result.

  61. Hi, I am looking for My Grandmothers line,,Her Grandmother was Cherokee people,but she married a White Man,,Her familys name was Holcomb(e) , I was told that my Family were known as a Gateway familys, coming to America to open the door for The English to come, I was told that some of my family were burned as witches and had salves,,i can,t find any of this. My Grandmothers name was Prairie Flower Holcomb and she had a brother named Thomas,,she was born in 1860 and Thomas let my Grandfather have her when she was 13 and they married when she was 14,, and help at all would be appreciated,,Thanks!

  62. I am a Descendant of Sam Norris he was an Indian slave. I am related to Male, Mayle, Kennedy and Norris , My great grandfather was Samuel Kennedy he married Sarah Male.I am the 9 the generation It is some what strange that on some of the birth certificates they were listed as negro, colored, Mullatto, multiple ,white.There is Cherokee Indian started of with Sam Norris he was Cherokee and married 2 or three time to Cherokee women. One was called Pretty Hair.

  63. I have a lot of pictures Of Dalton, Boggess and many more I need help with finding out who they are. My Aunt was Colena Mayle, My grandmother Myrtle Weekly was married twice, she Married Hayward Kennedy his father and mother were Samuel and Sarah Kennedy.

  64. Hello. I am trying to find out who my family is. My father is Edward Mayle. His parents were Floyd and Ruth Mayles. The “S” was dropped for some reason. I know my dad has brothers and sisters out there. Also, I would like to know who Floyd’s first wife was. They had 4 children together. I’m so confused. I know Floyd had family in WV. Also some Native American family. Also family in Garrett, MD. Any information please email me at findingthemaylefamily@gmail.com

  65. I am looking for more information on George Male and his son Jesse. I believe I am a descendant of Jesse Male. Contact me at blinkysneaky at Gmail if you have more information.

  66. my grandmother maiden name is Mary Mayle my ante maiden named gini mayle and my great grandfather Sur Sidney Mayle. But im also related to the Norris family I have cousin that are both kennedy or newman. im tring to find out more about my possibly several time
    great grandmother “pretty hair” of the Lenape Tribe. all I know is she was born in deleware some time in the 17 hunderds but past in West Virginia I would like to know more about Sam Norris as well. any info would be of some help

  67. To the families of Abby Perlman, Brette Polin and Jonny Lichtenstein: your children got involved in dangerous business with crazy CBS anchor Otis Livingston to steal money from some pr companies. Be careful. If we will catch them they will go to jail !!!!!!!!!!

  68. I am a desendant of Kennedy, mayle, male, Norris, Collins, minerd, pretty hair and more this I my DNA Ethnicity Estimate
    Updates
    England, Wales & Northwestern Europe
    59%
    Ireland & Scotland
    20%
    Germanic Europe
    11%
    Sweden
    3%
    France
    2%
    Basque
    1%
    Ivory Coast/Ghana
    1%
    Norway
    1%
    Senegal
    1%
    European Jewish
    1%

  69. My mother is a Johnson from West Virginia born in New Jersey. Her folks are from Johnsontown, WV the Free African-American Johnsons that migrated to West Virginia. We don’t know much about our family outside of NJ. However, I know my paternal grandparents were from West Virginia and my grandmother was passing in WV. She came to NJ to be in the theater, which was bigger than NYC I read. She was a dancer for one of the colored girl troops. She was a Lena Horne type. The name fails me, but she wrote her own biography and plays, which states her dad was John Staunton and her mother was Mary Staunton a Cherokee. I can’t find any of these people in familysearch not even her! Which makes me think, she has another name. We were a close knit clan with my maternal grandparents from Athens GA who where also mulattoes. I think they were part of the Redbones. Since most of the elders passed on and my mom is the last in her Johnson line, I did her DNA. The results are amazing and shocking! Firstly, she has 1700 cousins, with the majority being Irish and British from Donegal alive today. We did not know any of the surnames at all. As we stumbled upon the melungeon forum in 23 and Me, it became clear that her DNA is connected to some of those melungeon last names.That was another shocker. While most of the melungeon intermarried with white, it seems they have lost their DNA patterns, where as my mom’s is still in tack. My mom is only 17% European and 69% African with an amazing mix of beautiful tribes and cultures, but stem from one of the oldest tribes called the Bantu Tribe that mix with tribes through-out Africa due to the Sub-Saharan becoming a desert. I expected West African cultures due to the slave trade which she has, but what I did not expect was East African culture like Sudan and Filipino-Austronesian like Madagascar. The Bantu are hunter-gathers who have been travelling out of central Africa and mixing into to tribes East, South and West of Africa for centuries. So in the 1600 she has a grandparent that is 100% Native American Indian another that is 100% Filipino and Austronesian,another that is 100% Hunter-Gather, 100 % Southern East Africa. If you look at the people of those countries you can already see a mix. Also, most of the African countries on the East and South was ruled by the Portuguese. So, that ad mixture is not so uncommon in Africans. In fact, in the 1700, she has a 4 grandparent that is 100% Spanish & Portuguese and another that is 100% Senegabian & Guinea (Maybe this is where that name Guinea came from) The names that come up as cousins from the Melungeons are many from WV to SC, but there are Mullins, Collins, Goins. Johnsons from WV plus other names like Taylor. Mom and these names seems to share a 3rd and 4th grandparent. We have no clue. The largest part of her DNA in the 1800s is Nigerians that intermarried with the British & Irish. That was another shocker. BTW Berber is North Africa, not Sub-Saharan.

  70. Putter is my married name. I am a descendant of Hulda Minard. In our family we also have Dalton, Mayle, Parsons, and Culberson. I don’t know a lot about our family history or heritage, but have heard bits and pieces. Our family originally moved from there to Canton Ohio and then Detroit. Of course everyone is all over now. I would love to find out more. It’s not been something that is openly discussed. Thank you so much!!

  71. My mother’s family name is Maley. My grandfather Moses Maley lived in The Back In West Virginia. He had about 12 kids. Harley Talkington was the last to move out of The Back In. Harley and his wife, Francis had about 10 kids that moved to Bergholz, Ohio in the 60s and on to Canton, Ohio where most settled down. One of Moses’s boys, Dorsey Maley married Leota Croston. I think two of his boys married women that spelled their last name Mayle. From these marriages is where I got lost. I am related to Mayle, Croston, Minard, and Kennedy and more. Great grandpa William Everett Talkington married Lillian Flowers who was Cherokee Indian and related to a woman who married Davy Crockett’s son. If anyone can add more it will be greatly appreciated.

  73. I am related to Male, Mayles, Kennedy, Dalton, Croston, Pritchard and many more I have a lot of pictures that I do not know who they are My great grandfather is Samuel Kennedy married Sarah Male West Virginia. If anyone call help me my Email is Kennedykathey@gmail.com I am also related to Sam Norris and pretty hair have also took 2 DNA test on Ancestry and My Heritage

  74. I’m related to the Mayle’s (Male), Kennedy’s, Dalton’s, Norris’s. I have information on the Mayle’s.

  76. Hello Yvetta,
    My grandfather was Hamilton Mayle, who married Norma Croston. I have relatives who are Kennedy’s also. I live in Michigan. When I was a kid, we would go to West Hill Church every year for a gathering of family and all day dinner on the grounds (something like that!)

  77. How wonderful that relative’s of this fascinating story can find each other using this post! What a rich and interesting history!

  78. I’m interested in learning about Martha “Mattie” Dalton or Dornton, who married Alan Blosser, who was my great-grandfather. They lived in Monongalia County, WV – if anyone can help, I can be reached at coyoteb1@aol.com

  79. I am related to the Gibson family their my Aunts never met any of them. I’m also related to the Barnes family. Took my Dna I found a lot of family members of the Gibson’s in West Virginia. Was wondering if any one else has the same family ?

  80. Oh Boy, I have been on a genetic journey of puzzling information to better understand my amazing ancestors, their communities, how I fit into all of it. Most importantly to find truth in my genealogy so I can link my children to their ancestors.

    My journey began when I finally discovered the name of my maternal G.Grandfather’s parents, Jacob Joseph Spangler and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Weaver (Both born in Germany),They may have arrived in Baltimore, and where known to live in Maryland where their two oldest children where born; Mary in 1836, and George in 1838. By 1841, they where living in Virginia, where daughter Elizabeth was born. I have no way of knowing if she was born in Preston County or somewhere else in VA. The 1850 Census has Jacob Spangler and his family living in District 45, Preston County, VA (I have no idea where this area would be), and the followin information from the Census reads:
    Jacob Spangler, 48,
    Elizabeth 41,
    Mary 14, George, 12, Elizabeth 4, Adam 6, Jacob 4, Philip 2, Zachary (my G.Grandfather, Daniel Zachariah) age 0.
    Following Zachary and stated living in the same household (#276) is Willmore Male 26, Mulatto.
    Continuing after Willmore Male, but listed as household number 276a, is
    James Hill 30, Mulatto
    Malinda Hill, 28, Mulatto
    Sally A. Collins, 8, Mulatto.
    In the “Estate” column (which I’m assuming is a remark to their financial worth of property) Jacob Spangler reads “100”, and Wilmore Male is also listed at “100”.
    While Willmore Male has a “‘Color” profile (Mulatto), Jacob Spangler nor any of his family have no “color” distinguishing remarks (no race profile). Those next in line listed in dwelling 276a following Willmore in the Census, James and Malinda Hill and Sally A.Collins, do have a race profile (Mulatto), and there is noted a YES in a census question column to whether they can read/write (“Can not read /write”, answered with a “Yes”, not sure how to translate that …Yes they can NOT read or write, or Yes, they CAN read and write?).

    The only other Census I can find for Jacob Spangler and family is in 1860, ten years later. The census records Jacob (typo Springley) and his family living in Tucker County, District 1, dwelling # 26, The closest Post Office was Hannasville, there were no other families listed living with them. and I checked the census neighbors of other dwelling houses for Willmore Male, James and Malinda Hill, and Sally A. Collins and didn’t discover them. Perhaps that needs to be further explored.

    Of note: the 1860 Census has an “X” placed in the “Color” column next to Jacob, his wife, Elizabeth, and their first three children, Mary, George and Elizabeth, the rest of the children (listed on the following page) do not have an “X” in the “color” column next to their names. I don’t know what this “X” means, or why the younger children don’t have an “X” next to their names.

    I have also recently discovered that Jacob and Elizabeth’s daughter, Elizabeth married a man named Joshua M. Robinson (I have a photograph on file of them later in life) who appears to be of African descent. I have information on this family, and am winding my way through this web.

    My mother Eleanor Spangler McNair who died at 94 in March of 2021, only knew of her granparents, Daniel Zachariah Spangler and Mary Agnes Campbell who lived in Tucker County on Miller Hill near Saint George. She said her father, (my grandfather), Lewis Ellsworth Spangler Sr., never talked about his grandparents, uncles, Aunts or cousins, however, she did mention that when she was a young girl, he would take her with him to attend picnic’s and attend the Chestnut Ridge Church on occasion, however she did not know the history of the Chestnut Ridge Church. She never thought anything of it, because her father was County Clerk, a School teacher, and also delivered mail on horseback, so he knew everyone in every household.

    My DNA profile shows that I have 1% Bantu people, from Eastern Africa, my mother’s DNA does not. So I’m puzzled to how this may have occurred.

    I would love to pin point the 1850 location of District 45 in Preston County, VA, I know that county borders where changed when WV became a state,
    I’m also interested to know more about why Willmore Male was living so intimately with my GG Grandfather’s family that he was included as living with the Spangler family and not with the Hill/Collins family in 276a, and furthermore, what happened to him and the Hill/Collins family.

    I do know that Jacob Spangler was a stone mason, and have seen mentioned he was also a scribe for the county. He may have worked on building the B & 0 Railroad. in 1861 at the age of 59 he joined the UNION Army, 6th Regiment, West Virginia Infantry, Co. B. as a private. This newly formed regiment’s duty was to protect the B&O train and rail system from Confederate mayhem.

    I continue to dig and discover, however there are so many backstories, which I’m trying to discover.

    If anyone has information to share with me, I can be reached at becky@redravenco.com, please put in subject “Spangler”.

    If you have read to here, bless you!

  81. Thank you for all of the comments. It only goes to show that God looks @our souls not the color of our skin. Also interesting how living with people teaches us to get along as brothers and sisters.I have Polish Ancestry on both sides but I always say that I am 100% Polish except for those raped by the.Russians and Germans. Keep up your great work.

  82. My great grandfather was Isaiah “Zaire” Mayle my great grandmother was Huldah Minerd Mayle – I would love to understand more of the true heritage of my ancestors- This family of siblings and step siblings was vast and I would just like to learn about my people from antiquity… i am so intrigued by the stories and articles that I’ve been reading about Chestnut Ridge and the people of Barbour County- but to hear the history from my descendants kin would be so thrilling – thank you!!!

  83. I am a direct descendant of Ann Dorton, according to my research; she was my g-g-g-g-g-grandmother. My research shows her son, Henry Levi Dalton married Eleanor Russell. Together they had several children, My ancestory begins with the birth of one of their sons, Nimrod, who had a son named Henry Nimrod Dalton, who had a son, George Dalton who married Hattie Marshall. They had a daughter named Maude Dalton, my grandmother. My grandmother married Thomas Ralph Needham and one of their daughter’s was Helen, my mother. My mother married Wesley McCuen. My father’s mother was Anna Cook “Goins”. My g-grandmother on my father’s side was Rebecca Minard. My family heritage has linked me to so many people from my hometown in Zanesville, OH. I have little information about my mother’s father’s family (Needham). I love reading how everyone is connected. My mother, Helen Needham McCuen was born in Parkersburg, WV and her father was from Pomeroy, OH. I heard also that some had passed for white and moved to Canada. My grandfather’s family on my father’s side (McCuen) are linked to Augustus McCuen, Goins (Minard) and Liggins. I also found that my g-grandfather, Augusta McCuen, last name was actually spelled incorrectly, according to data. It should be “McCowen”. I would love to know more about the Needhams from Pomeroy, OH and my g-grandfather’s family, Augustus McCuen McCowens.

  84. I am a grandaughter of John Mayle of Cutler, ohio, married to Maggie Mayle whom are now deceased. Their daughter wanda is still living, and in her 90’s. John Mayle’s son Charles B. Mayle was my dad

  85. There’s is one comment on here “Felicia Taylor” if you could email me @kylierenee.1257@gmail.com or Facebook: Kylie Osborne
    You said Sam Norris was your great grand father and him and pretty hair are buried on your grandpas farm? I’ve been doing crazy tone of research trying to find more out about pretty hair, I could help you as well just because I have found plenty of information. Pretty hair and Sam are my 7th great grand parents. I’m a direct descendent. I feel like we could possibly be closer in family. If anyone else is also related I would very much appreciate it if you would reach out ❤️❤️!!

  86. I apparently have a lot of family from in & around the general area of Barbour county & have assumed native ancestry, but the only name I could find in common with these people was Harris. Does anyone know if a Martin & Elizabeth Harris, daughter Lucinda Harris, is related o these people- early-mid 1800s?

  87. Also, while I’m thinking about this supposed Cherokee kid they came across in Western Maryland- I found a link once which said that one of the West Virginian tribes, all of whom were often also called Cherokee in the 1700s, relocated from West Virginia to a fort in Western Maryland. This was the Canaragay tribe. They seem to have originally been Yuchi, as Canaragay is the name of a Yuchi village on old Spanish maps of southern Appalachia. Yuchi also pronounce the letter c as s, so this name is most likely Sah-nah-lah-gee, which makes it very likely that this is just what the Shattara tribe called themselves. The claim has never been brought up anywhere on pages associated with West Virginia- I found it by accident once on a Wikipedia page for a small town in Maryland, where this fort apparently used to be. Don’t know when they moved, either- but, there you go.

  88. Sorry to comment 3 times in a row, but I had a MASSIVE breakthrough in tracking my own ancestry this morning & it affects a lot of the rest of you also. So, I don’t know if anyone realized, but the 1780, 1790 & 1800 censuses were destroyed, leaving a 40 year gap, which is roughly about where everyone loses track of their ancestry. The last hit I got on one family line, which I was certain had a Native ancestor somewhere- was a Robert Duelley & Mary Warner from around 1809 in neighboring Harrison County & Robert’s mother, Mary.

    So, this morning, I decided to try & track down a full assessment of the next earliest census record for Harrison Co. I could find before 1810 for a Duelley, which ended up being an English colonial census in 1785. The only name I found on it which was remotely close was a Henry Delay, born 1749 in Hampshire County. He was the Native ancestor I was looking for, though I don’t know for sure which tribe. He served as an Indian Scout in the Revolutionary War, though. Lenape were living along the Monongahela River until the 1760s, however.

    Now’s the part that affects everyone who claims Cherokee or Blackfoot ancestry, as well as Chestnut Ridge- Henry didn’t just live in Harrison County, he found it, served as County Commissioner, served as a judge & started a logging company, which recruited from Harrison County & sent people to logging camps on land he owned elsewhere in West Virginia, Kentucky & Ohio, with several of his sons helping to manage it. A lot of his people were also names of people he served with & used to live near in Hampshire County- this man single handedly founded a previously unknown Native American community, then used his money & political influence to spread them all over Central Appalachia & the Ohio River Valley. All potential Native names in my family beyond Delay are Harris, Black, Peters, Jones & Hardman. Other possible Native names closely associated with my ancestors’ family are Thompson, Carr, Sanders, Gibbs, Collins & Peterson. Thompsons in particular were from Hampshire County too.

  89. Nov 2022 – Southeast Kentucky is linked to the story, and to Cherokee Tribe too. The area is in southern Appalachia, not central Appalachia, of course. Rewriting history is popular. The truth is that the Cherokee links to our story are very real, including the Collins family, my Martin and Tackett families and others too. Kentucky, once part of Virginia had almost identical history to the rest of the Upper South. For example the wagon road ended in earlier times near Hazard, KY from Wise, VA, beyond Pine Mountain near the KY/VA border. cherokeeempire.bravehost.com

  90. Hello to all. My grandfather had family in what I know now as Chestnut Ridge. I remember meeting them once when I was very young. His last name was McDowell from Elkins. Is there anyone here that can connect the dots in any way? I’d love to know. Might need to connect with some older residents; if there still around. Lol! Reach out to me by email; “jessie.u23@gmail.com”. I’d love to find out something; it would be a great help. Thank you in advance!

  91. Hello! I’m looking for information on my great grandparents Vitalis and Vianna (Kennedy) Mayle. Their daughter Opal was my grandmother. In family pictures of 6 or 8 children she is the only dark skinned, dark haired and definitely appears indian while the others are more fair skinned. I believe we are of Pretty Hair’s lineage but I would like to confirm things for myself as the family members who knew this information have past on and I’m sure there has been more information made available through the years since their passing.

  92. My grandfather was Benjamin Franklin Mayle
    Buried in Michigan
    His father W. Boyer Mayle
    His mother Berthena (Collins) Mayle
    Of Webster, Taylor County West Virginia
    My grandmother was Virginia Marie (Uhl) Mayle
    Buried in Inglewood, California
    Her father George Uhl
    Buried in canton ,Ohio
    Her mother Huldah (Male) Uhl
    Buried in west hill cemetery, webster W VA
    Huldah’s parents Samuel Male and Lucinda
    (Ramsey) Male
    Married September 22, 1854 Chesterhill,
    Morgan County, Ohio

  93. My name is Deborah Stevens Curtis, I have been wondering about my ancestors for many years. I went to the Mayle reunion Sunday because my husbands mom was a Mayle. Several of the ladies approahed me and said that I looked identical to a lot of the Stevens relatives in their history. My father was Edwin Francis Stevens, his dad was Edwin Theadore Stevens, but I don’t know anything else about my grandfather. Can anyone help me if you can?

  94. I lived in Taylor County out next to Barbour County and some of the families you refer to were some of the nicest families, even though I was “out in the country” it was a great place to live and never a dull experience

  96. My name is Michael E. Curtis, I am not a true Curtis though. My mother was Celestine Alberta Mayle, Curtis, Viney, She gave the name Curtis when she a Curtis, I am really a Mayle. My grandmother was Myrtle Iva Norris Mayle, she married Ernest Mayle from either Harrison or Marrian Co. WV. She had a sister named Bernadine Mayle, her nickname was boobie she lived in Berkley W.V. She had a daughter named JoAnn, which is my cousin. Also had a brother named Richard Dick Norris that lived in Clarksburg WV as a mechanic at a Volkswagen Dealership in Clarksburg, WV. My wife and I attend the Mayle reunions every year here in Zanesville Ohio where we live. I had a cousin Toby who passed away when we were young that lived in West Virginia. I am proud of my background, but I didn’t know much about it until I was about 12 yrs. old. that’s when I found out I was biracial. but my family never talked about it. I’m also related to a lot of the people in this article. All of my children know their heritage because we never kept it from them, but we would like for them to know more! My aunt Margaret was a Jackson and she married a Collins. I am hoping to find more of my family. If anyone can connect me with family in West Virginia, please contact me at celestinemayle7@gmayle.com or call me at 1-740-334-7335 in Zanesville Ohio.

  97. Hi family! My halo group is u5a1b. I only found out days ago re: melungeos. Halo group and AI helped me. I guess my line is the longest and inter twined, intermarriage. So I have a wreath vs tree lineage. Not 1st cousin thing either. I have slot of history back to 1700s in just a few days. This is wildly wonderful and crazy! Oh I’m also very white with blonde have. I have the shovel teeth. Bump on head. All family has different colors and textures hair, from red to dark and kinky. I’m on 23&me and says not native American..however.. Sunsetwestinc@gmail.com is contact

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