Hello Group: Just for your information: I have read the report which the e-mails linked to, and some of the ancestors, claim that their ancestor Joseph Willis was born in Robeson, which was at that time western Bladen County, to Agerton Willis, a white man, and an un-named Indian (Willis claims Lumbee) slave woman. Basicly, the history of the Indians of southeastern North Carolina, would make this allegation incorrect. Here are the point of correction to this allegation: 1) It is true, and primary records document, that Agerton Willis and siblings were in Bladen (Robeson)County during the period of time of Joseph's, the mulattoe slave's birth. 2) It is true, and primary records document, that Agerton Willis was the white master who apparently fathered Joseph, making him "mixed blooded" between a white father and a slave mother. 3) It is true, and primary records document, that Agerton Willis sought to emancipate said Joseph by his Last Will and Testament (after his death), and did later with the help of his cousin John Willis. - - - - - - - What is not true: 4) It is not true that Joseph's mother was a Lumbee Indian mulattoe slave. Here is the true and accurate facts about Lumbees, Waccamaw, Coharie and all other Indian peoples of southeastern North Carolina. These Indian people of southeastern North Carolina were not slaves, but some of them did own slaves. They were always, from the beginning of recorded history, "free people". When the first censuses were created, there were three categories of people, i.e. White, Slave and Other Free People. They later became classified as "Free People of Color", "Mulattoe" in 1850-1880's, then Indian (the true title) in the 1890's, and in the 1900 Census was designated as "Indian". To summarize: If Joseph, was born to Agerton Willis and one of his slave women in the 1750's, then the mother would have been either African, or of African descent; as no Indians in southeastern North Carolina were slaves. 5) This is not meant to disrespect the compiler's point of view, but rather it is to correct it. We understand and acknowledge that Joseph Willis signed affidavit that his father was English and his mother was "Cherokee". Now a point of correction is also due here: Cherokee Indians were over two hundred miles west of Robeson County in the mountains of North Carolina. Cherokee Indians were never even close to Robeson County. In trying to rationalize the alleged "Indian Claim" in Joseph Willis'case, when he left Bladen/Robeson County he moved to the "up country region" of South Carolina, and being mixed blooded with darker skin tones, this is probably where he became identified by the local up country people as being connected to the "Cherokees". This was probably due because he was probably of his darker skin tones, and the fact that he was a free person of color living in the upcountry which actually is the foothills of the mountains were the "Cherokee Indians" were, and still is located. He probably personally knew some of the Cherokees or at least had contact with "Cherokee Traders". More than likely, this is probably when he became identified with the Cherokee Indians, and is where the "Indian Claim" comes in. I have looked on the early Cherokee Rolls, and his name does not appear. By claiming this himself, we also must be reminded that were Joseph Willis lived down in Louisiana, many who had any amount black blood in you, no matter of the degree, denied it because, it would have brought much hardship and cruel treatment by neighbors and officials due to the "Black Code". Therefore, it is obvious why he denied their African roots. Now down where my family were from, there were some families like the Spauldings who had simular white and slave ancestry. These people did not claim Indian, but they were all known as "Free Issues". One reason why they didn't claim Indian was maybe because they were in North Carolina and not Louisiana. At this point I would like everyone to know that I am not closed minded, so if anyone (including the author of the paper out there on the internet on Joseph Willis, his ancestry and family) or anyone else, can show proof through any primary documents of that day and time, i.e. Robeson, Bladen, New Hanover, or North Carolina General Assembly Records, that Joseph's mother was a Lumbee Indian Slave, I personally challenge them to do so. If anyone can give any real primary documentation to this claim, will be glad to publicly retract everything I say; otherwise, "the truth shall make you free"! Betty Jo Eastern North Carolina Indian descendant -- betty jo [email protected] -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Access your email from home and the web