Hello everyone, Boy, the response to the Melungeon concept has kept me hopping... most folks sent queries like the one below. Lynn, I am replying on the list to get the word out efficiently ;) I am even more fascinated than before as I grew up hearing we had "Black Irish" connections..... The following is form the information on this site: http://rosecity.net/cherokee/blackdutch.html "The Melungeons live mostly in the Appalachian Mountains. They are people whose ancestry has been shrouded in mystery. They are most likely the descendants of the late 16th century Turks and Portuguese stranded on the Carolina shores. Sir Francis Drake liberated some 200 young Turks on the North Carolina coast. They later intermarried with Powhatan, Pamunkey, Chickahominy, and Catawba Indians. These two groups combined later, settled in the Appalachians, and with further intermarriages with the Cherokees. The word Melungeon is both Portuguese and Turkish, and meaning "cursed soul." Today, Melungeon descendants can be found among all racial and ethnic groups. Like the Cherokee, these people were not out to advertise the fact that they were Melungeon, rather they were trying their best to hide it. There are also many Melungeon roots in southeastern Kentucky families." Follow the links I put in my first post for LOTS of informative reading! It makes more sense than ever why our surname is such a tricky one to prove... Jana Black Listowner, MATLOCK-L -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 1:09 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [MATLOCK-L] Melungeon Matlocks Hi Jana, I enjoyed reading your email on the Matlock-L about the Melungeons. Were they Native Americans (Indians) or Afro-Americans? I am currently working trying to find the parents of Stephen Matlock in SC, which may lead me to the Melungeons, although my latest clue is that the family may have been from Charleston and therefore would possibly have entered the country through the port at Charleston. Thanks for all the wonderful work that you and Shawn have done. I have enjoyed it and it has helped me so much. Anyway, who were the Melungeons and why were they called by that name? Thanks, Lynn