How Do You Serve Your Black Eyed Peas?

If you're from the South, chances are your New Year Dinner will include Black Eyed Peas, long held to bring good luck and prosperity.

Black-Eyed Peas
Start the New Year with a dish of good luck!

A staple in the Southern diet for over 300 years, black-eyed peas have long been associated with good luck. A dish of peas is a New Year's tradition in most areas of the South, thought to bring luck and prosperity for the new year. According to Jessica Harris, author of "Welcome Table," some add a dime to the peas for an extra "boost" of luck to the recipient. Greens, thought to symbolize folding money, are often eaten eaten with the peas. Hoppin' John, a dish made with black-eyed peas and rice, is one of the more popular ways of serving them, but many serve them in salads or simply cooked as a side dish.

Whether you're serving a full meal, appetizers, or gathering around the football game, one of these recipes is sure to fit into your New Year's menu plan.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-eyed_pea#Lucky_New_Year_food




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Family Tree DNA Holiday Test Prices to End Dec. 31st

DNA Tests Holiday Sale Prices at Family Tree DNA

Family Tree DNA, the company with the world's largest DNA database, has announced a sale on Y-DNA, mtDNA and Family Finder tests. 

ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR BY MIDNIGHT DECEMBER 31st 2010 TO RECEIVE THE SALE PRICES.

Click for more info

If you have never tested, go to Family Tree DNA and search for your surname or a geographical group and choose a group. There are several sales here. Of special mention; the 37 marker Y chromosome test for $119.and the 67 marker test for $199.

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Improved Ancient DNA Extraction Methods May Lead to Greater Yeild

Journal of Archaeological Science doi:10.1016/j.jas.2010.11.010

Survival and recovery of DNA from ancient teeth and bones

C.J Adler et al.

The recovery of genetic material from preserved hard skeletal remains is an essential part of ancient DNA, archaeological and forensic research. However, there is little understanding about the relative concentrations of DNA within different tissues, the impact of sampling methods on extracted DNA, or the role of environmentally-determined degradation rates on DNA survival in specimens. We examine these issues by characterizing the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content of different hard and soft tissues in 42 ancient human and bovid specimens at a range of fragment lengths (77–235 bp) using real-time PCR. Remarkably, the standard drill speeds used to sample skeletal material (c. 1000 RPM) were found to decrease mtDNA yields up to 30 times (by 3.1 × 10⁵ mtDNA copies on average) compared to pulverization in a bone mill. This dramatic negative impact appears to relate to heat damage, and disappeared at very low drill speeds (e.g. 100 RPM). Consequently, many ancient DNA and forensic studies may have obtained false negative results, especially from important specimens which are commonly sampled with drills to minimize signs of damage. The mtDNA content of tooth cementum was found to be five times higher than the commonly used dentine (141 bp, p = 0.01), making the cementum-rich root tip the best sample for ancient human material. Lastly, mtDNA was found to display a consistent pattern of exponential fragmentation across many depositional environments, with different rates for geographic areas and tissue types, improving the ability to predict and understand DNA survival in preserved specimens.

Link:

http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2010/12/survival-of-ancient-dna-from-teeth-and.html


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Revealing American Indian and Minority Heritage by DNA Testing and Traditional Genealogy

 It is an honor to announce the publication at JOGG by Roberta Estes, Administrator of the Lost Colony of Roanoke and the Cumberland Gap DNA Projects along with co-administrator of the Melungeon DNA Project, Hatteras Island, Carolina Native Heritage and several other DNA projects. This is a peer reviewed article which has passed scrutiny by a panel of highly respected DNA experts. This paper is a must read by genealogists who are using any of the various types of DNA testing available.  -  History Chasers

Roberta Estes's new academic paper has been published as of Sunday. It's free in the Journal of Genetic Genealogy sponsored by ISOGG.

The paper, titled "Revealing American Indian and Minority Heritage using Y-line, Mitochondrial, Autosomal and X Chromosomal Testing Data Combined with Pedigree Analysis" is at the link below:

http://www.jogg.info/62/files/Estes.pdf 

The index of the entire journal is available at this link:

http://www.jogg.info/62/index.html

It is a long process to publish a paper at JOGG. Roberta was invited to write this article in March of 2009 and it was submitted a year ago with final revisions in July.

It will also be on her website shortly as well at www.dnaexplain.com under the Publications tab. Lots of free goodies there too.

Abstract:

As a project administrator of several historically based genetic genealogy projects, such as the Lost Colony, Cumberland Gap, Melungeon, Carolina Native Heritage and Hatteras Island projects which involve thousands of participants, I routinely receive questions from individuals who have an oral history of Native American heritage and would like to use genetic genealogical tools to prove, or disprove, their oral history.  This paper documents the various discovery steps and processes using different types of DNA testing for a typical individual participant and appropriate family members whocarry an oral Native history combined with genealogical evidence that has been forthcoming during the elapsed years since genetic testing for genealogy first because available.  Each test along with associated benefits and detriments are discussed in relation to the analysis of minority ancestry.  The conclusion combines the information from all the various tests, pedigree analysis and genealogical evidence, discussing which tests are beneficial and most accurate, and which ones are not useful, and why.

    

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Very Important New Native American Haplogroups Identified

Roberta Estes is a co-administrator of the Melungeon DNA Project and the Hatteras Island DNA Project and the Administrator of the Lost Colony DNA Project, among others. These are projects in which identification of Native American DNA is extremely important. This is a major break through! - History Chasers


Roberta Estes, robertajestes@att.net, http://www.dnaexplain.com
December 20, 2010

Sometimes scientific breakthroughs result from a combination of newly developed scientific techniques, synchronicity and opportunity.  In other words, being at the right place at the right time, sprinkled with a little bit of luck.

For the tens of thousands of Americans today who seek their Native American ancestors via Y chromosomal DNA testing, that search just got a little bit easier, thanks to Leonard Trujillo, Thomas Krahn at Family Tree DNA and Rebekah Canada, the haplogroup Q project administrator.

For the past decade, since the advent of genetic genealogy, it has been accepted that subgroups of haplogroup C and Q were indicative of Native American ancestry.  Specifically, subgroups C3b and Q1a3a, alone, are found among the Native peoples of North and South America.  Other subgroups of haplogroup C and Q are found elsewhere in the world, not in North or South American, and conversely, C3b and Q1a3a are not found in other locations in the world.  This makes it very easy to determine if your direct paternal ancestor was, or was not, Native American.  Or so it seemed.

And then, of course, there were the baffling and tantalizing exceptions that caused me to suspect that there was yet at least one more Native American Y haplogroup.  A few years ago, in the course of my business, I ran into a gentleman whose paternal line did not have an oral history of Native heritage, but his family was associated with a specific isolate group who did indeed have both a strong native oral heritage combined with documented (paper) Native ancestry.  This grouping of individuals was found in colonial Virginia and may have been Saponi descendants.  His haplogroup proved to be Q1.  Q1 was not thought to be Native American at that time, but I was very suspicious, especially since his haplotype, meaning his actual marker values, matched no European people.  Neither did he match any Native people.  However, at that time, we had no further tools to address this mystery.

A few years later, another gentleman tested to be Q1a3, and his ancestor hailed from the PeeDee River region of South Carolina, an area known to be heavily populated with Native people historically, many of which became the Pee Dee and Lumbee today.  However, haplogroup Q1a3 is also known to exist in people of European ancestry who have never lived stateside and who have absolutely no ancestry from the Americas.  However, the haplotypes of these two Q1 and Q1a3 gentlemen were very different, suggesting no recent genealogical link, perhaps not within thousands of years.


I desperately wanted to know if perhaps the subgroup Q1a3 held different SNP markers for a European and a Native American subgroup within Q1a3, but again, the technology did not yet exist at that time to answer the question.

In 2009, 23andMe introduced wide spectrum testing, and both the Q1 and Q1a3 American gentlemen underwent testing at 23andMe with the hopes of isolating new SNPs that would shed light on their ancestry, but that was not to be.  However, the SNPs we could confirm indeed did match each other, proving that both men were actually Q1a3.  Their SNP values were  P36.2+, MEH2+, M346+, L53+, L54+, L55+, L56+, L57+, L213+ and M3- which confirms haplogroup Q1a3 by virtue of M346+.  The negative M3 indeed reaffirms that they are not Q1a3a.   However, at that time, the SNPS designated by L were not yet available, and they turn out to be quite important in this story.  All SNPs designated by L were discovered or confirmed by Thomas Krahn at Family Tree DNA and have been discovered in the past two years since the advent of the Walk Through the Y project.

In early 2009, two things happened at Family Tree DNA that would ultimately provide the building blocks to solve this mystery.  Thomas Krahn began to offer the "Walk Through the Y" specialized test designed to be taken by only select individuals within haplogroups in order to discover additional SNP markers that will further define the haplogroup subgroups.  To date, over 400 markers have been found in various haplogroups using this methodology.  These new markers provide tools to further understand both recent and ancient genealogy and the movement and settlement of the Earth's peoples.

The second thing that happened in early 2009 is that Family Tree DNA began offering the Personalized DNA Reports for Y-line (and mitochondrial DNA) results through their website for clients who have tested at 37 markers or more.

Recently, Leonard Trujillo purchased the Y-line Personalized DNA Report.  Leonard had tested at 67 markers and had also purchased the Deep Clade test, which reported his haplogroup results as Q1a3, but not Q1a3a (M3-).  Leonard's question to me that he wanted to be answered in the Personalized DNA Report was whether or not his paternal line was indeed genetically Native.  Unfortunately, I could not, at that time, give him a definitive answer.  However, that was all about to change.

Leonard's situation is a little different from the earlier two.  Leonard has a compelling family history that includes not just an oral history of Native ancestry on his paternal side, but the actual marriage record of his ancestor, Juan Estevan Trujillo (1739-1816) found in the Mission books of the Church of Santo Thomas de Abuquiu, NM (Marriages 1756-1826), that states: "Juan Estevan Trujillo, Indian of this pueblo, marriage to Juliana Martin, coyota and resident".  The term coyota (the feminine form) is a term specific to New Mexico and indicated a person of mixed ancestry.  The term is no longer in use.  Juan Trujillo was called an Indian, not coyote (the masculine form), so he was not admixed.

Further investigation shows that Juan Estevan Trujillo was probably a Genizaros, a detribalized Plains Indian who was likely captured as a child by the Pueblo tribes and sold into slavery to either the Spanish or at the Pueblos.  These Indian children were given Spanish names, taught to speak Spanish and were raised as Catholics.  They often thought of themselves as Spanish, but they were indeed Indians, but without a tribe which equates in Native society to a cultureless soul.  Many of these displaced individuals joined together and formed the Pueblo de Abiquiu in the 1750s, which is indeed where Juan Estevan Trujillo was married.
Leonard Trujillo's story was indeed compelling.  Of the three individuals who were not Q1a3a (M3-), but looked to potentially be Native American, his genealogical history clearly stated that his ancestor was Native.  But how do we scientifically prove this?

Leonard agreed to order the Walk Through the Y test with the hopes of discovering new SNPs that would identify him as an individual of Native ancestry within haplogroup Q1a3.  At about the same time, and unbeknownst to us, a French haplogroup Q1a3 gentleman from Rebekah Canada's haplogroup Q project also ordered the Walk Through the Y test.

Testing only Leonard wasn't enough.  His results, if any new SNPs were found, would need to be compared to a Q1a3 individual from Europe.  Our firm hope was that there would be at least one differentiating SNP between the European sample and Leonard's sample which could then be used to separate European Q1a3 from Native Q1a3, assuming they were indeed separate haplogroup subgroups.

Indeed, Leonard's investment in science paid off, and he is the first person in the world to be proven as a member of the new haplogroup Q1a3a4 with two new SNPs discovered, L400 and L401.  Furthermore, the European gentleman hit the bonanza as well, with 6 new SNPs discovered, L329-L334.  Only one of these was also carried by Leonard, L331, meaning that between them, there are now 7 SNPs that differentiate European from Native Q1a3.  Their common SNP lowest on the tree is L213, which both of them carry and is now a designator of the new subgroup Q1a3a.

If you're following closely at this point, you'll be wondering how Leonard and the French gentleman suddenly came to be included in haplogroup Q1a3a, when it was previously a Native American ONLY subgroup.
Well, our haplotree sprouted a new branch and the existing haplogroup branches are in the process of being shifted on the tree and renamed.  So the branch previously known as Q1a3 is now Q1a3a.  Confusing, yes, but also very necessary as science pushes forward with new discoveries.

Below is a chart with the new SNP discoveries and how those discoveries have shifted the haplotree relative to Native American ancestry.  You can see that an entirely new group of SNPs has been discovered, and they now indicate haplogroup Q1a3a.  This group includes the SNP, L213, common to both European and Native American groups.  However, the next group, which includes M3 and three new "pages" SNPs now is the designation for subgroup Q1a3a1 which used to be Q1a3a.  Q1a3a1 is now a Native American only haplogroup and Q1a3a now includes both Native and European members.  The newly discovered haplogroup, Q1a3a4, designated by L400 and L401 is shown last on the list and is the new Native American haplogroup discovered thanks to Leonard Trujillo.

Table omitted here due to limitations of blog software. To view the article in its entirety click here:

http://www.genpage.com/NAHaplogroup.PDF

Testing of the old SNPs above was accomplished at various times and utilizing differing tests including the Backbone test, Deep Clade, individual SNPs, 23andMe and the Walk Through the Y.  The new SNPs have been recently discovered and not everyone has been tested for these SNPS.  Many are not yet commercially available and are used only in a research setting.

Below is a chart with the known haplogroups, individuals involved in this testing, their old and their new haplogroup designations.

Table omitted here due to limitations of blog software. To view the article in its entirety click here:

http://www.genpage.com/NAHaplogroup.PDF

 Of course, this begs the question of whether Gentlemen 1 and 2 also carry SNPs L400 and L401.  Yes, we are in the process of testing them as well as others who fall in the Traditional Native American haplogroup, formerly Q1a3a, now Q1a3a1.


The story is not yet over for haplogroup Q.  Additional branches may be found on the Q haplotree, both for Native Americans and Europeans.  This means that the haplogroups listed today may indeed change in the future as a result of new discoveries.

The current draft tree for haplogroup Q, compliments of Thomas Krahn and Rebekah Canada, is shown below, with the two Native American haplogroups, Q1a3a1 and Q1a3a4 and their associated SNPs underscored and shown in red.  Reordering of the haplogroup Q tree also provides us with 3 additional Native subgroups, Q1a3a1a, Q1a3a1b and Q1a3a1c, shown in their new location on the haplogroup Q tree.  Q1a3a2 is red, but not underscored as it is suspected but not yet confirmed as Native.

Table omitted here due to limitations of blog software. To view the article in its entirety click here:

http://www.genpage.com/NAHaplogroup.PDF
These discoveries to date, especially the discovery of the new Native American haplogroup, long suspected but never before proven, are thanks to pioneers Leonard Trujillo and Thomas Krahn, both of who were willing to tread ground previously unbroken.  Without the unfailing support of Bennett Greenspan at Family Tree DNA, none of these discoveries would have been made.  Family Tree DNA has subsidized the Walk Through the Y Project heavily by supporting this non-profit-making testing in the name of research.  Funding for various tests has come from the various participants, but also from Rebekah Canada, myself and other donors.

To keep up with this project, watch Rebekah Canada's haplogroup Q project, Dr. Ana Oquendo Pabon's Q-AmerIndian project, Randy Garcia's Southwest US and Mexico Native project, the draft Y tree at Family Tree DNA and the Y haplotree at ISOGG.  Links for references are provided below.

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/yDNA_Q/default.aspx
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/MexicoAmerindian/default.aspx
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Amerind%20Y/default.aspx
http://ytree.ftdna.com/index.php?name=Draft&parent=31182976
http://www.isogg.org/tree/ISOGG_HapgrpQ.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_Q_(Y-DNA)
http://www.dnaexplain.com/Publications/Publications.asp

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400 Year old Artifacts Revealing Jamestown's Past

Jamestown pipes sit atop fragments of a sagger, a small, clay, pipemaking oven (file photo).

Photograph courtesy Michael Lavin, Jamestown Rediscovery

Paula Neely in Jamestown, Virginia

for National Geographic News

Published November 29, 2010

Bearing perhaps the earliest printing in English America, fragments of 400-year-old personalized pipes have been found at Virginia's Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World, archaeologists say.

Stamped with the names of Sir Walter Raleigh and other eminent men back in England, the pipes may have been intended to impress investors—underscoring Jamestown's fundamentally commercial nature.

(Explore an interactive guide to colonial Jamestown in National Geographic magazine.)

"Finding these pipes has illuminated the complex political and social network in London that was behind the settlement," said William Kelso, director of archaeology for Historic Jamestowne, a public-private partnership that works to preserve and interpret the settlement site. (See a Jamestown map.)

The personalized clay pipes, which archaeologists say were probably made between 1608 and 1610, also provide new insights into Jamestown's early pipemaking industry.

Detail of a personalized-pipe found at Jamestown.

Photograph courtesy Michael Lavin, Jamestown Rediscovery

Cont.

 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/11/101129-jamestown-personalized-pipes-virginia-history-colonial-america/

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Sir Richard Grenville

Article by Andy Powell 
  

Mention the name Sir Richard Grenville to anyone, and chances are that apart from a vague recollection that he had something to do with Bideford and died fighting a losing battle in the Azores, few will be able to add more detail, yet add more detail we must, for Grenville’s life had far more influence in Elizabethan history than he has ever been given credit for.

 

Grenville’s date of birth is a mystery in itself, with various sources quoting anything from 1540 to 1543. The truth lies in a portrait painting hanging in the National Gallery, a later copy of which hangs in Bideford’s Town Hall. Upon this painting is an inscription that tells us the painting was produced in 1571 “in the year of his life 29”, meaning Grenville was 29 in 1571 and thus was born in 1542. Where he was born remains a mystery though, as does much of his early life, but there is evidence that he was raised at Clifton House near St. Germans in Cornwall as a Ward of Court. Why a Ward of Court? Few people realize his father was Captain of the Mary Rose which sank so catastrophically off Portsmouth when our Grenville was only 3 years of age.

Cont. here:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~molcgdrg/nl/currenta.htm http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~molcgdrg/nl/currenta.htm

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Holiday Sale is on at Family Tree DNA

Family Tree has a great offering of special prices this year.  This sale is for the month of Dec.

http://www.familytreedna.com/products.aspx

There are also goodies in store for those who "like" Family Tree DNA on Facebook. This one is just for a few days so check it out now.


Happy Holidays!!!!


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Roanoke Hundred by Inglis Fletcher

From the book: Roanoke Hundred by Inglis Fletcher


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Thumbing my way back home.....

by Janet Crain

As informative and fun as the 6th Annual Family Tree DNA Conference was, there were more treats in store for me when I left the conference. My niece, Angie Applebe, picked me up because I don't do "Houston traffic". We headed out toward La Porte and were soon ascending the High Bridge. Don't know its real name, but it is certainly high. It afforded a view for many miles.

Arriving in La Porte, we revisited several haunts (appropriate for Halloween Night). Then I visited with my sister in her very nice apartment overlooking Galveston Bay, while we got ready to go out to Dinner. My wonderful niece picked us back up and we went to El Toro, a popular local Mexican food resturant where the wait staff was wearing Halloween costumes. This really sweet girl let me take her picture.

There we were joined by three great nephews (and they really are great people) Jason, Jamie , Big Jordan, and friend Little Jordan, plus Big Jordan's fiance Jennie. Since my sister's name is Joan and mine is Janet, you might say the J's had it.

After a great meal of various Mexican food favorites, we headed out for Jason's home at Morgan's Point. Jason, who owns Galveston Bay Guile Service is a great sportsman on land as well as water. Last year he managed to take a 16 point non-typical buck with double drop tines..............with a bow!

In the home he shares with his lovely wife, Yvonne and their very cute daughter, Madison, Jason has filled a game room with his trophies. I was surprised when a buck seemingly jumped through the wall.

And then I was shocked by a huge Rattlesnake about to strike at my purse. But thank the Lord, it was a stuffed one. Just kidding!

We really did enjoy our visit as Yvonne and Madison came in from Trick or Treating and we took some more pictures before we called it a night and headed back for a Slumber Party at my sisters.

Tomorrow would be another event filled day. But that's a story for another day.

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Family Tree DNA 6th International Conference on Genetic Genealogy

Debbie Williams, Roberta Estes, Jim Kvochick, Penny Ferguson and Ron Deaton were among the attendees enjoying the great luncheon at the Family Tree DNA 6th International Conference on Genetic Genealogy held October 30-31, 2010 at the Hotel Sheraton North in Houston, TX.

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Lively Session in Geographic DNA Projects led by Roberta Estes at DNA Conference

 Roberta Estes,  Lost Colony of Roanoke and Cumberland Gap Administrator, demonstrates a "hands on" approach as she leads the session on Geographic DNA Projects during the break out session where attendees could select a session in their own interest.

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Lost Colony Represented by Four Administrators at the FTDNA Conference

 The Lost Colony of Roanoke DNA Project was represented by four administrators at the 6th Annual Family Tree DNA Conference in Houston, TX this past weekend. The conference was held in the beautiful Sheraton North Hotel where the staff of both Sheraton and FTDNA did everything possible to make our stay pleasant and productive.




Those attending were Roberta Estes, Penny Ferguson, Rob Noles and Janet Crain.  I will have more photos later along with a personal narrative of my side trips on the way home.

Roberta Estes and other attendees at the first day's fabulous luncheon.

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The Lost Colony may now be found

By Erin James
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 1, 2010

It’s a typical day at the Hatteras Histories and Mysteries Museum in Buxton, N.C., and Scott Dawson is buzzing around glass cases full of centuries-old arrowheads and broken pottery. Puzzled visitors listen as he explains for the gazillionth time the difference between fact and speculation. • He speaks with certainty in a voice tinged with more than a hint of frustration. • “Anybody who researches it knows that the colony came down here,” he says, confidently dismissing competing theories on America’s oldest unsolved mystery. • The artifacts, many unearthed during archaeological digs in the past year, may hold the clues that finally answer the question: What happened to the Lost Colony, a group of 117 Englishmen who settled on a tiny island off the North Carolina coast and then vanished with barely a trace?

Hatteras Island native Scott Dawson stands in his Hatteras Histories and Mysteries Museum, which he opened in Buxton after the April dig. (L. Todd Spencer | The Virginian-Pilot)

The 32-year-old Dawson has a personal stake in what happened to the early settlers. The son of a family whose roots can be traced back to the Croatoan Indians, he thinks his ancestors have been falsely maligned by the legends that have grown up around the case of the missing Englishmen.
“The two drops of Croatoan blood that I have have boiled over,” he said. “I want the history of this tribe and this island to stop being ignored.”
He’s counting on science to help him set the record straight.

It was 1587 when the group now known as the Lost Colony sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World on an adventure that ultimately fell far short of its intended purpose.
European explorers had been making the journey for years, and the first English contact with Native Americans on the Outer Banks is credited to a military expedition in 1584. Similar expeditions followed in 1585 and 1586.
The next year – 20 years before Jamestown was founded and 33 before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock – Sir Walter Raleigh dispatched the group of men, women and children in his bid to establish the first permanent English stronghold in America.
The colonists intended to settle near the Chesapeake Bay, but when their captain refused to sail farther north, they were forced to make a temporary home on Roanoke Island, where they’d planned to pick up 15 men left there the year before.
All they found were bones.
Less than a week after arriving, one colonist was killed, presumably by Indians.
In a desperate attempt to save the struggling colony, which included his newborn granddaughter Virginia Dare, Gov. John White and some colonists sailed back to England for help. White’s begging would go unheeded for three years.
With their leader gone and surrounded by strangers, the colonists lived out their final days. Nothing is known about what happened to them after White left.
Today, their legend lives on at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island, where they were last seen by a white man. There, at Waterside Theater, an outdoor symphonic drama mixes fact with romantic speculation about the colony’s fate.
White returned in 1590, only to find the entire group gone. But they’d left behind one clue that continues to haunt modern-day historians and amateur sleuths: the word “Croatoan” carved into a tree.

Cont. here:


http://hamptonroads.com/2010/10/lost-colony-may-now-be-found


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Roberta J. Estes was honored with the Prestigious Paul Jehu Barringer, Jr. and Sr. Award of Excellence

Roberta J. Estes

Receives Barringer Award of Excellence 

The North Carolina Society of Historians held its 69^th Annual Awards Banquet October 23^rd 2010 in Mooresville, NC at the Hilton Garden Inn. Awards were presented in several historical and genealogical categories relating to local, regional or statewide people, places or events in the following categories: History Books, Publishers, Multimedia, Journal, Newsletter, Society, Religious History Books, Newspaper & Magazine Articles, Family History Books, Historical Fiction and Museums.

Roberta J. Estes was honored with the Prestigious Paul Jehu Barringer, Jr. and Sr. Award of Excellence in grateful recognition of her Dedication and Devotion to Preserving and Perpetuating North Carolina’s Rich History. This award was conferred for her academic research paper,  Where Have All the Indians Gone?  Native American Eastern Seaboard Dispersal, Genealogy and DNA in Relation to Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony of Roanoke, published by the Journal of Genetic Genealogy.  It can be read here: http://www.jogg.info/52/index.html

These are special awards given to those doing outstanding or unusual work on behalf  of North Carolina history, genealogy or preservation. These entrants “fall between the cracks” of the other award categories and the Historians of the Year Awards. There were 22 entries in the particular category with 6 winners.  

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Lost Colony Group Receives Joe M. McLaurin Newsletter Award

Lost Colony Group Receives 
Joe M. McLaurin Newsletter Award
Roberta Estes, Editor

The North  Carolina Society of Historians held its 69th Annual Awards Banquet October 23rd 2010 in Mooresville, NC at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Awards were presented in several historical and genealogical categories relating to local, regional or statewide people, places or events in the following categories: History Books, Publishers, Multimedia, Journal, Newsletter, Society, Religious History Books, Newspaper & Magazine Articles, Family History Books, Historical Fiction and Museums.

The judges collective comments were:  "This is a magnificent newsletter that keeps its members well-informed as well as educated about the 'Lost Colony." It is not your typical newsletter in that it has the layout of a mini-journal; however, due to the many technicalities involved in this type of historical and genealogical research, a 'typical' newsletter would not be suitable. Members are 'educated' with exceptional research, data re: web addresses of sites that inform about...Dare Records, Colonist Family Locations, Welsh Surnames and Research, William Powell's Papers, the Berry and Lowry Families, the Berry an Payne Families,Where Have All the Indians Gone? Buxton Research, Articles include; How Many Colonists Were There? Who Else Was Lost? Christmas Wish List (in which the Editor makes a plea to readers to help provide research books and materials for further research). 

"She covers the Colonists' surnames, their origins. There is a 'Demographic Summary,' color-coded maps; warnings about DNA scams; and, a vast amount of information regarding surname research.  We found the newsletters to be very scholarly and fascinating. This entry won by unanimous decision." there were 44 entries in this particular category with 7 winners. 

The photo is of Jennifer Sheppard accepting the award on behalf of the Lost Colony Research Group. 

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Lost Colony Group Receives Malcolm Fowler Society Award

Lost Colony Group Receives
Malcolm Fowler Society Award
By Jennifer Sheppard

The North Carolina Society of Historians held its 69th Annual Awards Banquet October 23rd 2010 in  Mooresville, NC at the Hilton Garden Inn. Awards were presented in several historical and genealogical categories relating to local, regional or statewide people, places or events in the following categories: History Books, Publishers, Multimedia, Journal, Newsletter, Society, Religious History Books, Newspaper & Magazine Articles, Family History Books, Historical Fiction and Museums. The multimedia category includes historical plays, videos, oral histories, poetry, music, web sites, brochures, pamphlets, demonstrations, etc. A Presidents Award was given to the President's personal choice of all entries that won by the unanimous decision of a distinguished panel of judges. Only one prestigious Historian of the Year Award was presented this year.

The society was formed on December 26, 1941 by a group of men whose main goal and interest was to collect, preserve, share and promote North Carolina history. This year there were a total of 729 entries with only 95 winners. The judges (which number from 3 to 5) are all experts in their field, are not members of the society and do not know the officers or the directors.

Following are the Judges collective comments: "If any group can solve the mystery of the so-called 'Lost Colony,' we believe this group can. In reading all of the information provided to us about the colony, it still puzzles us as to why the Croatoan were not followed. If this knowledge was known, as is stated, why did research not begin with them, or has it? And, it seems probable that if the colonists did migrate with the Croatoan and were assimilated into the local Indian population, that they produced descendants. A DNA study will prove valuable in determining these descendants when DNA from colonial ancestors can be located."

"And, we feel that this research group is serious enough, determined enough and has enough energy, curiosity and persistence to answer any long-asked questions. We hope to continue to visit the group's website to stay abreast of any new findings. Every aspect of this organization fascinates us, and what we have learned thus far only saturates us with questions that we hope will be answered in the future.  We wish them luck in their quest? (sic)  And, we thank them for being brave enough to take on one of the oldest mysteries in North Carolina and the surrounding states."

The photo above is Jennifer Sheppard with Elizabeth Bray Sherrill, the president of the North Carolina Society of Historians.  You can read more about this nonprofit group and support their efforts at:  The North Carolina Society of Historians


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Kids to get schooled on genealogy research

 Michelle Edmonds     2 hrs ago

In celebration of Family History Month during October, the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies is offering a kid-friendly basic genealogy course.

Participants will learn how to use online databases, city directories and how to archive family documents.

Led by local history specialist and Butler Center staffer Rhonda Stewart, the sessions will be a fun and creative way to learn about the past.

The course will be today at the Arkansas Studies Institute Research Room (401 President Clinton Ave) from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
It's open for kids ages 10 and up but a parent must be present. To reserve a seat, call 501.320.5754.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=124020&catid=2

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Searching for Secotan

Secotan panel is formed

By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE
jonathan@wdnweb.com
Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 2:17 AM EDT

The Beaufort County Committee of 100 has announced the formation of a committee devoted to a search for the lost Algonquian Indian village painted by English watercolorist John White as part of an expedition 425 years ago.

The village, known as Secotan, was the capital of the Secotan nation, said Tom Thompson, Beaufort County’s chief economic developer.

Some experts believe the village, painted by White in 1585, was located in Beaufort County, perhaps on Bath Creek-adjacent land now owned by PotashCorp.

The newly hatched committee, named Secotan 1585, was designed to “support the efforts of the Beaufort County Committee of 100 and its partner, the First Colony Foundation, in the archaeological search for Secotan,” reads a news release. “Members may volunteer to be engaged in the archaeological excavation at such point as it begins. They will be kept abreast of the progress being made in finding and documenting the village by a monthly newsletter.

“There is no charge (for) being a member of the Secotan 1585 committee and the only membership (criterion) is a strong interest in Indian history in Eastern North Carolina, particularly in Beaufort County.”

Interested parties are asked to call 252-946-3970 or e-mail the Beaufort County Economic Development Commission at info@beaufortedc.com.

The Committee of 100 is a nonprofit partner of the publicly funded EDC.

First Colony’s website reads this nonprofit “is dedicated to conducting archaeological and historical research, combined with public education and interpretation, relating to the story of North Carolina and America’s beginnings with the attempts by Sir Walter Raleigh to establish English colonies at Roanoke Island in the 1580s under his charter from Queen Elizabeth I.”

First Colony’s members include Gordon Watts, the underwater archaeologist who helped discover the remains of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor.

Despite its renowned associates, Secotan 1585 is open to all comers, its backers indicated.

“The committee was started in response to a large number of calls and e-mails and personal contacts” from people interested in the search for Secotan, said Tom Thompson, Beaufort County’s chief economic developer.

Thompson said he counts the approximately 450 members of the Committee of 100 as being involved with Secotan 1585.

“Most of them appear to be very interested,” he said.

The formation of this committee was announced soon after Steven Beckel, general manager of PotashCorp’s Aurora facility, sent county officials a letter detailing the company’s response to calls for further archaeological work on land the company owns at Beasley Point in Bath.

More here: 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.wdnweb.com/articles/2010/10/19/news/doc4cbce52e67297013149262.txt&ct=ga&cad=:s7:f1:v0:d1:i0:lt:e0:p0:t1287469954:&cd=_HsVFr8ycEM&usg=AFQjCNGmeCLswIqX7XmDEYyUPIunrCdNkQ

SeeRelated:


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Surviving Indian Groups

By William Harlen Gilbert, Jr.

Library of Congress, Washington, DC

From the Smithsonian Report for 1948, pages 407-438

Introduction

The following paper was prepared for the purpose of indicating the extent to which Indian blood still remains noticeable in our eastern States population in spite of the depletions arising from over 300 years of war, invasions by disease and white men from Europe and black men from Africa. Any attempt to estimate the total amount of this Indian and mixed population must be based on an arbitrary classification as mixed-bloods as Indians who may frequently be more white or Negro in appearance. Anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 persons may be included in the groups described in the following pages.
 

Surviving Indian Groups

Surviving_Indian_Groups

Click on Picture to Read the Entire Booklet (when viewing image, be sure to click on the magnifying glass icon on the upper right to enlarge the image)



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Don't Just Muddle Through; Really Understand those Genealogical Documents

   Those just starting to do genealogy research often feel as if they need a crash course in such subjects as Geography, Law, and History. That is one reason many find Genealogy research so challenging as well as fascinating. Here is a very interesting list of terms one may encounter. 

 Genealogy researchers encounter many terms which are rarely used except in legal documents, or genealogical reports, this list is intended to aid with interpreting those terms.

Abstract - Summary of important points of a given text, especially deeds and wills.
Accordant (with) - Agreeing.
Acre - 43,560 square feet; 4,840 square yards; 160 square rods
Administration (of an estate) - The collection, management and distribution of an estate by proper legal process.
Administrator (of an estate) - Person appointed to manage or divide the estate of a deceased person.
Administratrix - A female administrator.
Ae. - (latin) Aged; Aet, "aetatis suae": at the age of.
Affidavit - A written statement confirmed by oath, for use as evidence in court. 
 

Cont. here:

http://www.genealogy-quest.com/glossaries/terminology.html

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We're looking for a few good blogs......

 Here is a collection of Genealogy blogs where you will surely find something you like:

http://blogfinder.genealogue.com/ 

And if you have a Genealogy blog, be sure and submit it here. There is no charge for this service.


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Lost Colony Drama's "Eleanor Dare" Speaks in Manteo

Photo courtesy Lost Colony 

Marjalene Thomas, and long time Elizabeth City educator and actor will speak today at 10:30 a.m. at Bob-BQ's to the Museum Guild. Thomas played Eleanor Dare in "The Lost Colony" for seven seasons. She had performed in the drama in one part or another since its second season in 1938.

Viewing Photo 1 / 1 Photo courtesy Lost ColonyMarjalene Thomas, and long time Elizabeth City educator and actor will speak today at 10:30 a.m. at Bob-BQ's to the Museum Guild. Thomas played Eleanor Dare in "The Lost Colony" for seven seasons. She had performed in the drama in one part or another since its second season in 1938.

Albemarle Players alum returns home

By Robert Kelly - Goss

Marjalene Thomas remembers the good old days. Oh, these days life is good too, but Thomas, a long-time area educator and actor, recalls with fondness when she was involved with Encore Theatre’s precursor, Albemarle Players.
“This area has been so strong in the arts and that is one reason my whole family just loved it,” said Thomas from her home in Manteo this week.
Thomas, 83, will be in Elizabeth City today to speak to the Museum Guild about her days with the Albemarle Players and share photographic memories. Friend and fellow Albemarle Players member Nancy Ferebee says the many productions put on by the players were great fun and says Thomas was instrumental in making those plays exciting, quality entertainment for the area.
“One reason we moved to Elizabeth City from Burlington, N.C. was because it was so active in the arts and had a good school system and was close to the Outer Banks where we had a summer home,” said Thomas.
That was in 1958.

cont.

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