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Since my original postings regarding Basil Human, I have received numerous emails and postings have been made by others which corroboroate my findings.
Evidence indicates that any "myth" of Cherokee roots in the Human family originated in the person of Basil Human, Jr. His father, Basil Human, Sr. is found in a 1790 tax roll for Wilkes Co., GA listed as a "mulatto."
Later generations of the family described Basil Human, Jr. as "Black Dutch" and even attempted to transform his Caucasian wife, Winnifred, into a "full-blooded Cherokee" in order to explain non-white features which Basil passed on to his descendants.
As further proof that Basil Human, Jr. was the source of this "myth" I wish to cite information unearthed through the research of Jessie Blaylock <blalock@netstorm.net>. Researching Civil War service records Jessie Blaylock found several physical descriptions of Humans from Morgan Co., TN who participated in that conflict, in the Union Army.
A brief review of the Morgan Co., TN Human family is in order before proceeding with Jessie Blaylock's findings.
Basil Human, Jr., according to an approximated date of birth provided by a descendant, was born about 1772. He settled in Knox Co., TN having left GA and married Winnifred (George) Gilliam, a widow, in 1797. Winnifred was some 15 to 17 years his elder and they had three children in short order: James G. Human born in 1798 and twins, Anna and Solomon G. born in 1800).
As the years passed, the age difference between the two may have become a problem, for Basil is found in Knox Co., TN records in a case accusing him of fathering a bastard child by his wife's widowed daughter-in-law, Jemima (Galloway) Gilliam, widow of Spencer Gilliam.
It is said that Winnifred divorced Basil, but a search for a divorce has not been made. At any rate, divorced or not, Winnifred eventually left Knox Co., TN and settled in West TN, perhaps in order to escape her husband's notoriety. Basil Human, Jr. and Jemima were to have several children of their own and founded the Human family in Morgan Co., TN. Jemima Human is found in the 1850 Census in Morgan Co., TN. Whether Jemima actually married him or was his common-law wife has yet to be ascertained.
Several of Basil and Jemima Human's grandsons fought in the Civil War and physical descriptions survive. I again thank Jessie Blaylock for providing them.
They are as follows:
Basil H. HUMAN served in 4th TN Cav; Co A. He enlisted Oct 15, 1862 at Morgan Co., TN. At that time his physical description was - age 18, 5' 5" tall, dark complexion, black eyes, black hair.
Edward F. HUMAN also enlisted in 4th TN Cav; Co A on the same day as Basil. His description is: age 20, 5' 5" tall, dark complexion, black eyes, black hair.
Jefferson HUMAN enlisted Sept 7, 1862 at Huntsville in 4th TN Cav, Co A. He was transferred to Co F July 1863. At the time of his enlistment his descrption was: age 23, 5' 7" tall, fair complexion, black eyes, dark hair.
Note that the three brothers all had black hair and black eyes, two of them having dark complexions.
Note that James G. Human, son of Basil Human, Jr. and his first wife, Winnifred, also had a dark complexion, dark eyes, and jet black hair, according to a tintype.
What did all of these men have in common? They shared a common descent from Basil Human, Jr. It is this Basil Human, Jr. whose father, Basil, Sr., is recorded as a "mulatto" in the 1790 Wilkes Co., GA tax list.
I offer this as further proof that myths which arose in the Human family which talked about the "Black Dutch" and Cherokee Indians stem from Basil Human, Jr. and not anyone else. I would refer readers to my previous postings on this topic.
I further provide the disclaimer that I am not a Human descendant. My research into this family has been in an attempt to demonstrate to some Human researchers the true source of the "myth" that has been falsely perpetuated in their family.
Charles Ward
CMW12635@aol.com
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