Chief Donahoo descendants,members of Nuluti Equani Ehi Tribe,attend PDA Reunion
For all you Chief Donahoo researchers, I have exciting news for you.June 21-24 in Clemmons, North Carolina, the Poindexter Descendants Association is holding its Annual Family Reunion.This year much of our time together will be centered on Captain Thomas Poindexter and his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Pledge.Our bus trip will be going to the acheological dig mentioned below and the cemetery where these two and numerous other POINDEXTERs are buried.Archelogists from Wake Forest University who oversee this site will be presenting a seminar for us prior to our Bus Tour.
There has been an archelogical dig going at Bailie Bottoms since 1972 by Wake Forest University's Archeology Department. The excavations are on land once owned by Captain Thomas Poindexter III and his wife Elizabeth “Betty” Pledge Poindexter. Thomas was a captain in the American Revolutionary War.
Bailie Bottoms, located on what is now the Yadkin County side of the Yadkin River. Captain Thomas purchased the land from Andrew Bailie, its first landowner. It is also a site of Native American occupancy prior to arrival of Europeans. [Some believe it is possibly where Chief Donahoo's tribe may have resided at times.]
Thomas and Betty lived on this site for some time, purchasing more tracts of adjoining land. They operated a ferry, known as the Poindexter Ferry, which carried people, animals and supplies across the river. They built a house nearby, often referred to as “a mansion”, most likely atop a bluff overlooking the river and bottom land. They are buried in the “Old Poindexter Graveyard” in these bottoms.
In 1991, a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated a monument to Elizabeth “Betty” Pledge Poindexter for her bravery of sending messages to the American Militia, through British enemy lines, sewing notes inside her and some of her children’s clothing. The monument was placed by her tombstone in the graveyard.
In addition, the Nuluti Equani Ehi Tribe will be at our reunion.They are a BIA recognized tribe which has a number of Elizabeth and Frank Pledge's descendants as members.Frank is Elizabeth's brother and married Elizabeth "Jane" Poindexter, Captain Thomas's sister.
We have lots of facts, many family legends, and a number of well researched theories regarding these families and this lineage to discuss.We are hoping a large number of descendants will be present to participate.We are already approaching 100 registrants.We have one 57 passenger bus filled for our bus tour and a second one filling rapidly.
For more informaton about this fantastic genealogy opportunity go to www.poindexterfamily.org.There you will find additonal details, prices, and a registration form.
I am looking forward to meeting all my cousins in Clemmons, North Carolina this June.