Re: Adkins,Hamilton,Harper,Powhantan????
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In reply to:
Re: Adkins,Hamilton,Harper,Powhantan????
4/01/00
Paul and others,
I have been following your conversations about the Melungeon connections with interest. I descend from Matthilda Adkins who married Isaac Petrey (he was born in 1811). I don't know where they were married or when, but Isaac and sons moved to the Pulaski, and Lincoln Co., areas of KY by around 1850-1860. Last night I was talking to my older second cousin, a descendant of these same people. She mentioned that she is dark, with black, wavy hair, and has the Anatolian ridge at the back of her head. Her mother and at least two brothers were also very similar looking. I have just found pictures of this earlier generation and thought I was looking at people who were definitely from the Mediteranean area.The weird part, is that siblings of the three darker children were redheaded, with bright blue eyes. And, again, the family legend of an Indian grandmother is included, but nobody knows just which group, or which grandmother.
The Petreys lived in Stokes Co., NC, around Knoxville in TN., travelled north through the mountains, and through eastern Kentucky, then into the more central part. I feel it is highly likely that the marriage with Matthilda Adkins was at least one point where the Melungeon, or whatever, entered the German line of the Petreys.
Do you or anyone have any information on this Matthilda Adkins or even which county she might have been from?
Thanks,
Sherry Henke