Randy, We have had no reason at all to suspect a mixed ancestry. I would note that Elisha Williams sent his oldest son, William Williams, to Harvard, where he graduated in 1798, and to Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1801. William Williams' Harvard records show that he was a signer of Tennessee's Deed of Secession from the Union. Elisha Williams also send another son, my ancestor, Josiah Frederick Williams, to one of the first classes as the then newly formed University of North Carolina. Josiah Frederick Williams then married a prominent woman in Nashville, and most of their twelve children either were themselves, or were married to, leading citizens of Nashville in the middle of the 19th century. It seems to me that it is unlikely that any of this would have been possible in the South of that time had there been indications of black ancestry. I can only assume that since Elisha Williams' mother was described as a mulatto, and his father was white, he must have been quite light skinned, and that his children were even more so. Steve Feldhaus sf@feldhauslaw.com -----Original Message----- From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Randy Williams Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:15 PM To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) Stephen and Larry, Also, I was just wondering if you had ever had any reason to suspect that you might have come from mixed ancestry before these recent findings. Thanks, Randy Williams ----- Original Message ----- From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> To: <WILLIAMS-DNA@rootsweb.com> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:39 AM Subject: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) >I just received word yesterday that my older brother, Larry Feldhaus, > has uncovered some most interesting and heretofore undiscovered > information about Elisha Williams (born in NC in 1749, died in TN 1811). > If Larry's research is correct, we now know who Elisha Williams' parents > were, as well as who his father's ancestors were. I haven't seen any of > the supporting source documents, or cross checked any of this against > the sources in my files, but Larry is a very careful guy, and I think > there is a high likelihood that he has finally cracked the mystery of > Elisha's parents. > > > > You can see all of Larry's work on his web site, > http://lfeldhaus.tripod.com/holthousefamilygenealogy/id13.html. > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: 8/27/2007 > 6:20 PM > > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dear Folks, This finding of black blood in white lines isn't really all that surprising considering that everyone on this planet evolved from common ancestors from Africa. DNA tells the story. It's either a recent addition or an old, very ancient lineage or both in this case. The more we study genealogy, the more we understand that all of us are intertwined within one single genetic ball. The pity is that some suffer because of "cultural" impositions and discriminative judgments on how that ball gets bounced around with such surface variations. Just "one drop" of the "wrong" blood and Harvard and high society would have been out of reach for that entire generation (or two or three). Now in this time and age, we just might have a President (or Vice President) from Harvard who is at least certifiably a "mulatto". And the ironic question is, not whether he is "white enough", but is he "black enough." How times change!! Thank you for sharing the Elisha Williams story. Joyce Williams Leo DNA group 42 in the Williams group, via my brother Joel. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:47 AM Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) Randy, We have had no reason at all to suspect a mixed ancestry. I would note that Elisha Williams sent his oldest son, William Williams, to Harvard, where he graduated in 1798, and to Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1801. William Williams' Harvard records show that he was a signer of Tennessee's Deed of Secession from the Union. Elisha Williams also send another son, my ancestor, Josiah Frederick Williams, to one of the first classes as the then newly formed University of North Carolina. Josiah Frederick Williams then married a prominent woman in Nashville, and most of their twelve children either were themselves, or were married to, leading citizens of Nashville in the middle of the 19th century. It seems to me that it is unlikely that any of this would have been possible in the South of that time had there been indications of black ancestry. I can only assume that since Elisha Williams' mother was described as a mulatto, and his father was white, he must have been quite light skinned, and that his children were even more so. Steve Feldhaus sf@feldhauslaw.com -----Original Message----- From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Randy Williams Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:15 PM To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) Stephen and Larry, Also, I was just wondering if you had ever had any reason to suspect that you might have come from mixed ancestry before these recent findings. Thanks, Randy Williams ----- Original Message ----- From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> To: <WILLIAMS-DNA@rootsweb.com> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:39 AM Subject: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) >I just received word yesterday that my older brother, Larry >Feldhaus, > has uncovered some most interesting and heretofore undiscovered > information about Elisha Williams (born in NC in 1749, died in > TN 1811). > If Larry's research is correct, we now know who Elisha > Williams' parents > were, as well as who his father's ancestors were. I haven't > seen any of > the supporting source documents, or cross checked any of this > against > the sources in my files, but Larry is a very careful guy, and I > think > there is a high likelihood that he has finally cracked the > mystery of > Elisha's parents. > > > > You can see all of Larry's work on his web site, > http://lfeldhaus.tripod.com/holthousefamilygenealogy/id13.html. > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release > Date: 8/27/2007 > 6:20 PM > > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks for your reply. Not sure whether you will find this relevant to the discussion but it may be interesting to note that Elisha's brother, Isaac, married a Nancy Bunch. She is the daughter of Henry Bunch, b. 1690, and listed as a 'mulatto' landowner and slaveholder in NC records. Also note that the term 'mulatto' had a somewhat different meaning in the 1700's. Rather than defining simply a black-white mixture, the term was used to classify a wide variety of mixed-blood peoples. So the Bunches and others could easily have been mixed-blood Indians and not Africans. Or some combination of both, and/or other admixtures such as Turkish and Portuguese. The Lumbee and Melungeon groups would seem to fit this description. Do you have any photographs of your early Williams ancestors from this Elisha line? Thanks, Randy Williams ----- Original Message ----- From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:47 AM Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > Randy, > > We have had no reason at all to suspect a mixed ancestry. I would note > that Elisha Williams sent his oldest son, William Williams, to Harvard, > where he graduated in 1798, and to Harvard Law School, where he > graduated in 1801. William Williams' Harvard records show that he was a > signer of Tennessee's Deed of Secession from the Union. Elisha Williams > also send another son, my ancestor, Josiah Frederick Williams, to one of > the first classes as the then newly formed University of North Carolina. > Josiah Frederick Williams then married a prominent woman in Nashville, > and most of their twelve children either were themselves, or were > married to, leading citizens of Nashville in the middle of the 19th > century. It seems to me that it is unlikely that any of this would > have been possible in the South of that time had there been indications > of black ancestry. I can only assume that since Elisha Williams' mother > was described as a mulatto, and his father was white, he must have been > quite light skinned, and that his children were even more so. > > Steve Feldhaus > sf@feldhauslaw.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Randy Williams > Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:15 PM > To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > > Stephen and Larry, > > Also, I was just wondering if you had ever had any reason to suspect > that > you might have come from mixed ancestry before these recent findings. > > Thanks, > Randy Williams > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> > To: <WILLIAMS-DNA@rootsweb.com> > Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> > Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:39 AM > Subject: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > > >>I just received word yesterday that my older brother, Larry Feldhaus, >> has uncovered some most interesting and heretofore undiscovered >> information about Elisha Williams (born in NC in 1749, died in TN > 1811). >> If Larry's research is correct, we now know who Elisha Williams' > parents >> were, as well as who his father's ancestors were. I haven't seen any > of >> the supporting source documents, or cross checked any of this against >> the sources in my files, but Larry is a very careful guy, and I think >> there is a high likelihood that he has finally cracked the mystery of >> Elisha's parents. >> >> >> >> You can see all of Larry's work on his web site, >> http://lfeldhaus.tripod.com/holthousefamilygenealogy/id13.html. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: > 8/27/2007 >> 6:20 PM >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: 8/27/2007 > 6:20 PM > >

Hi Steve, Randy and others, I want to concur with Randy's statement that "mulatto" often referred to any dark-skinned, mixed raced persons. I have seen a few people in early 1800s census data marked as mulatto by the census taker when those persons are known to be Native American or another ethnicity. In regards to the Bunch family, there are some good articles about them, the Gibsons, and other related lines. At one time, these families were thought to be of mixed African ancestry, but some researchers have questioned that theory and now think they may have been of Native American descent. If you are interested, search on Google for those names. For those interested, the following online book provides some very good information on early laws (particularly in VA) regarding mulattos: http://www.fullbooks.com/A-Social-History-of-the-American-Negro1.html Marty Grant gives a brief - yet good- explanation of race in early census data at the following site: http://www.martygrant.com/gen/origins/race-codes.htm The Library of Congress also has some good information regarding colonial law and mulattos: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awlaw3/slavery.html Good luck in your research of Elisha Williams' ancestry. Catherine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Randy Williams" <randywilliams@verizon.net> To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 7:08 PM Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > Thanks for your reply. Not sure whether you will find this relevant to the > discussion but it may be interesting to note that Elisha's brother, Isaac, > married a Nancy Bunch. She is the daughter of Henry Bunch, b. 1690, and > listed as a 'mulatto' landowner and slaveholder in NC records. > > Also note that the term 'mulatto' had a somewhat different meaning in the > 1700's. Rather than defining simply a black-white mixture, the term was > used > to classify a wide variety of mixed-blood peoples. So the Bunches and > others > could easily have been mixed-blood Indians and not Africans. Or some > combination of both, and/or other admixtures such as Turkish and > Portuguese. > The Lumbee and Melungeon groups would seem to fit this description. > > Do you have any photographs of your early Williams ancestors from this > Elisha line? > > Thanks, > Randy Williams > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> > To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> > Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> > Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:47 AM > Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > > >> Randy, >> >> We have had no reason at all to suspect a mixed ancestry. I would note >> that Elisha Williams sent his oldest son, William Williams, to Harvard, >> where he graduated in 1798, and to Harvard Law School, where he >> graduated in 1801. William Williams' Harvard records show that he was a >> signer of Tennessee's Deed of Secession from the Union. Elisha Williams >> also send another son, my ancestor, Josiah Frederick Williams, to one of >> the first classes as the then newly formed University of North Carolina. >> Josiah Frederick Williams then married a prominent woman in Nashville, >> and most of their twelve children either were themselves, or were >> married to, leading citizens of Nashville in the middle of the 19th >> century. It seems to me that it is unlikely that any of this would >> have been possible in the South of that time had there been indications >> of black ancestry. I can only assume that since Elisha Williams' mother >> was described as a mulatto, and his father was white, he must have been >> quite light skinned, and that his children were even more so. >> >> Steve Feldhaus >> sf@feldhauslaw.com >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com >> [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Randy Williams >> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:15 PM >> To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com >> Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) >> >> Stephen and Larry, >> >> Also, I was just wondering if you had ever had any reason to suspect >> that >> you might have come from mixed ancestry before these recent findings. >> >> Thanks, >> Randy Williams >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> >> To: <WILLIAMS-DNA@rootsweb.com> >> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:39 AM >> Subject: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) >> >> >>>I just received word yesterday that my older brother, Larry Feldhaus, >>> has uncovered some most interesting and heretofore undiscovered >>> information about Elisha Williams (born in NC in 1749, died in TN >> 1811). >>> If Larry's research is correct, we now know who Elisha Williams' >> parents >>> were, as well as who his father's ancestors were. I haven't seen any >> of >>> the supporting source documents, or cross checked any of this against >>> the sources in my files, but Larry is a very careful guy, and I think >>> there is a high likelihood that he has finally cracked the mystery of >>> Elisha's parents. >>> >>> >>> >>> You can see all of Larry's work on his web site, >>> http://lfeldhaus.tripod.com/holthousefamilygenealogy/id13.html. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the >>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> -- >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>> Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: >> 8/27/2007 >>> 6:20 PM >>> >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: >> 8/27/2007 >> 6:20 PM >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi, One thing to also consider is that many Welsh were very dark skinned then as well as now. I have included a bio chart that shows a bit of this. Duncan Rea Williams -----Original Message----- From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of catcoop@bellsouth.net Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:03 PM To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) Hi Steve, Randy and others, I want to concur with Randy's statement that "mulatto" often referred to any dark-skinned, mixed raced persons. I have seen a few people in early 1800s census data marked as mulatto by the census taker when those persons are known to be Native American or another ethnicity. In regards to the Bunch family, there are some good articles about them, the Gibsons, and other related lines. At one time, these families were thought to be of mixed African ancestry, but some researchers have questioned that theory and now think they may have been of Native American descent. If you are interested, search on Google for those names. For those interested, the following online book provides some very good information on early laws (particularly in VA) regarding mulattos: http://www.fullbooks.com/A-Social-History-of-the-American-Negro1.html Marty Grant gives a brief - yet good- explanation of race in early census data at the following site: http://www.martygrant.com/gen/origins/race-codes.htm The Library of Congress also has some good information regarding colonial law and mulattos: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awlaw3/slavery.html Good luck in your research of Elisha Williams' ancestry. Catherine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Randy Williams" <randywilliams@verizon.net> To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 7:08 PM Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > Thanks for your reply. Not sure whether you will find this relevant to the > discussion but it may be interesting to note that Elisha's brother, Isaac, > married a Nancy Bunch. She is the daughter of Henry Bunch, b. 1690, and > listed as a 'mulatto' landowner and slaveholder in NC records. > > Also note that the term 'mulatto' had a somewhat different meaning in the > 1700's. Rather than defining simply a black-white mixture, the term was > used > to classify a wide variety of mixed-blood peoples. So the Bunches and > others > could easily have been mixed-blood Indians and not Africans. Or some > combination of both, and/or other admixtures such as Turkish and > Portuguese. > The Lumbee and Melungeon groups would seem to fit this description. > > Do you have any photographs of your early Williams ancestors from this > Elisha line? > > Thanks, > Randy Williams > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> > To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> > Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> > Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:47 AM > Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > > >> Randy, >> >> We have had no reason at all to suspect a mixed ancestry. I would note >> that Elisha Williams sent his oldest son, William Williams, to Harvard, >> where he graduated in 1798, and to Harvard Law School, where he >> graduated in 1801. William Williams' Harvard records show that he was a >> signer of Tennessee's Deed of Secession from the Union. Elisha Williams >> also send another son, my ancestor, Josiah Frederick Williams, to one of >> the first classes as the then newly formed University of North Carolina. >> Josiah Frederick Williams then married a prominent woman in Nashville, >> and most of their twelve children either were themselves, or were >> married to, leading citizens of Nashville in the middle of the 19th >> century. It seems to me that it is unlikely that any of this would >> have been possible in the South of that time had there been indications >> of black ancestry. I can only assume that since Elisha Williams' mother >> was described as a mulatto, and his father was white, he must have been >> quite light skinned, and that his children were even more so. >> >> Steve Feldhaus >> sf@feldhauslaw.com >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com >> [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Randy Williams >> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:15 PM >> To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com >> Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) >> >> Stephen and Larry, >> >> Also, I was just wondering if you had ever had any reason to suspect >> that >> you might have come from mixed ancestry before these recent findings. >> >> Thanks, >> Randy Williams >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> >> To: <WILLIAMS-DNA@rootsweb.com> >> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:39 AM >> Subject: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) >> >> >>>I just received word yesterday that my older brother, Larry Feldhaus, >>> has uncovered some most interesting and heretofore undiscovered >>> information about Elisha Williams (born in NC in 1749, died in TN >> 1811). >>> If Larry's research is correct, we now know who Elisha Williams' >> parents >>> were, as well as who his father's ancestors were. I haven't seen any >> of >>> the supporting source documents, or cross checked any of this against >>> the sources in my files, but Larry is a very careful guy, and I think >>> there is a high likelihood that he has finally cracked the mystery of >>> Elisha's parents. >>> >>> >>> >>> You can see all of Larry's work on his web site, >>> http://lfeldhaus.tripod.com/holthousefamilygenealogy/id13.html. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the >>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> -- >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>> Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: >> 8/27/2007 >>> 6:20 PM >>> >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: >> 8/27/2007 >> 6:20 PM >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Randy, Many thanks for those insights. We do have paintings of at least one of Elisha's sons. I could send you a photograpgic copy of that if you are interested. Regards, Steve Feldhaus -----Original Message----- From: "Randy Williams" <randywilliams@verizon.net> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:08:35 To:<williams-dna@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) Thanks for your reply. Not sure whether you will find this relevant to the discussion but it may be interesting to note that Elisha's brother, Isaac, married a Nancy Bunch. She is the daughter of Henry Bunch, b. 1690, and listed as a 'mulatto' landowner and slaveholder in NC records. Also note that the term 'mulatto' had a somewhat different meaning in the 1700's. Rather than defining simply a black-white mixture, the term was used to classify a wide variety of mixed-blood peoples. So the Bunches and others could easily have been mixed-blood Indians and not Africans. Or some combination of both, and/or other admixtures such as Turkish and Portuguese. The Lumbee and Melungeon groups would seem to fit this description. Do you have any photographs of your early Williams ancestors from this Elisha line? Thanks, Randy Williams ----- Original Message ----- From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> To: <williams-dna@rootsweb.com> Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:47 AM Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > Randy, > > We have had no reason at all to suspect a mixed ancestry. I would note > that Elisha Williams sent his oldest son, William Williams, to Harvard, > where he graduated in 1798, and to Harvard Law School, where he > graduated in 1801. William Williams' Harvard records show that he was a > signer of Tennessee's Deed of Secession from the Union. Elisha Williams > also send another son, my ancestor, Josiah Frederick Williams, to one of > the first classes as the then newly formed University of North Carolina. > Josiah Frederick Williams then married a prominent woman in Nashville, > and most of their twelve children either were themselves, or were > married to, leading citizens of Nashville in the middle of the 19th > century. It seems to me that it is unlikely that any of this would > have been possible in the South of that time had there been indications > of black ancestry. I can only assume that since Elisha Williams' mother > was described as a mulatto, and his father was white, he must have been > quite light skinned, and that his children were even more so. > > Steve Feldhaus > sf@feldhauslaw.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:williams-dna-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Randy Williams > Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:15 PM > To: williams-dna@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > > Stephen and Larry, > > Also, I was just wondering if you had ever had any reason to suspect > that > you might have come from mixed ancestry before these recent findings. > > Thanks, > Randy Williams > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Feldhaus, Stephen" <sf@feldhauslaw.com> > To: <WILLIAMS-DNA@rootsweb.com> > Cc: "Larry Feldhaus" <feldhaus@comcast.net> > Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:39 AM > Subject: [WILLIAMS-DNA] Elisha Williams 1749(NC)-1811(TN) > > >>I just received word yesterday that my older brother, Larry Feldhaus, >> has uncovered some most interesting and heretofore undiscovered >> information about Elisha Williams (born in NC in 1749, died in TN > 1811). >> If Larry's research is correct, we now know who Elisha Williams' > parents >> were, as well as who his father's ancestors were. I haven't seen any > of >> the supporting source documents, or cross checked any of this against >> the sources in my files, but Larry is a very careful guy, and I think >> there is a high likelihood that he has finally cracked the mystery of >> Elisha's parents. >> >> >> >> You can see all of Larry's work on his web site, >> http://lfeldhaus.tripod.com/holthousefamilygenealogy/id13.html. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: > 8/27/2007 >> 6:20 PM >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.10/976 - Release Date: 8/27/2007 > 6:20 PM > > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WILLIAMS-DNA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message