FYI: Hugh Gwin used to be the president of the Bath County, VA historical society. He is a descendent of Capt. David Gwin, I believe. David's son or a grandson is buried at my father- in-law's old home place in Bath County, near Bolar, VA. The property is no longer in the family and my father-in-law is deceased. He inherited the property from his father whose grandmother was Nancy Gwin, married to James or John Wiley. This is my husband's line of Gwin's, so I have done little research on the family, basing information from Mr. Cleek. Mr. Cleek was also a descendent of this family and was or is rather old, so I imagine a lot of his information was orally passed down. I was never successful in getting much information from the historical society, but maybe someone else can. Thanks. Sharon Guynn Wiley ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 7:43 PM Subject: Re: Related Guinns/Gwins > Hi Cindy-- > > I am certainly interested in hearing the results of your research and am > willing to keep an open mind as new evidence arises. However, based on the > circumstances of Robert Gwin's settlement on the Calfpasture River, I think > it is much more probable that Robert was one of many settlers that Colonel > James Patton imported from Northern Ireland in order to gain title to a large > tract of land on the Calfpasture River. With authorization from the Council > of Virginia, Patton, John Lewis, and William Beverley had entered into a > joint venture to obtain title to 30,000 acres on the Calfpasture by settling > at least one person upon each 1,000 acres of land. > > While I do not say that I have proven this theory, the weight of the evidence > that I have uncovered to date certainly supports it and is generally > consistent with our family tradition. I will make a commitment to write down > what I have found so far and share it with everyone on the list--hopefully no > later than the end of this month. > > Concerning connections to the line of Colonel Hugh Gwyn of Gloucester County, > while I would not preclude that some relationship existed, I do not find it > likely. Contrary to what many people believe, I do not think that all > Gwins, Gwyns, etc. in this country share a common ancestry. No more than all > people with the surname White share a common ancestry. By the way, some > researchers have tried to link Colonel Hugh Gwyn with the famous Wynn family > of Gwydir Mansion. Here is an interesting website that points out that there > is no documentation to support > this---http://www.geocities.com/ttg13/mylespage.html > > Concerning Patrick Gwin (by tradition a brother of Robert) I have not done > much research on his line. From the research of several others, it has been > my understanding that Patrick's descendents moved from Augusta County, > Virginia into Eastern Tennessee--which is very typical of migration patterns > into the New River valley settlements by the Ulster Scots (again an area > opened up by Colonel James Patton before his murder at Draper's Meadows.) > > Concerning Patrick Gwin's descendents, I can't comment on whether or not they > had any melungeon blood. A description of the early Gwins that I have read > generally describes them as fair, blue-eyed, short but , athletic and wiry, > with a tendency to early baldness in life. A. R. Gwinn's written remembrance > of the verbal testimony of Isabella Hogshead Gwin describes James Gwin as > being entirely bald at an early age. Millers' History of Summers County, WV > has pictures of Samuel Gwinn, Sr.'s grandchildren, Harrison and Marion (sons > of Ephraim J. Gwinn) and Andrew "Long Andy" Gwinn. All three men appear to > be light skinned---especially Marion (a WV State Senator). So all things > considered, I would have to say it is unlikely that the Samuel and James Gwin > line had much, if any, melungeon blood. > > Best wishes! Ron Gwinn > > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB