Sunday, August 29, 2004

Melungeons and Redbones

I happened onto an article by Jack Goins writing about Micajer "Cajer" Bunch. "The first record ... on Micager was this 1749 tax list of Lunenburg County, Virginia (from Sunlight on the Southside) William Howard’s list; Gedion Bunch and tithe Cage Bunch. Note; Obviously, Cage is the son of Gedion Bunch. I am convinced this is the same Micajer “Caiger” Bunch who has such a close association with the Riddles, Collins and Gibsons. Who later moved 1790’s into Hawkins County, Tennessee."

Lee County, Virginia tax list. 17th March 1795.
Drury Bunch (1 horse)
Micajah Bunch (1 horse)
Torel Bunch (1 horse)
Clem Bunch (no horses)

The Bunches were being listed as "mulatto" as early as the middle 1700s. At this point, I'm assuming that my 4th great grandfather, Drury Bunch, is the same one listed above, and related in some degree to Micajer Bunch. Jack traces the migration of Cajer Bunch and several other families from Virginia into Kentucky. My 4th great grandfather, Drury, married Rhoda Moslear and settled near present-day Starks, Louisiana. I think on one of the censuses they said they were born in Kentucky.

Jack also appears to have reached the same conclusions about Melungeons that I have about Redbones. I'm not sure if they began their journey as an identifiable group, but rather became an indentifiable group after several generations of shared experiences. Moses Ashworth and Anna Bunch may not have been Redbones, but their children probably were. Cajer Bunch may not have been a Melungeon, but his grandchildren were. Does that make sense?






2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was looking for your family tree. I have Micajah in my linage, but I don't know where Drury comes in .

Micajah Bunch
Solomon Bunch
Craven Bunch
King Solomon Bunch
Miles D. Bunch
Martha, my dad, me

Ray Bridges said...

I do not know who Drury's parents are, or if he's related to Cajer Bunch. Strongly likelihood, but nothing for sure.

Here's my Bunch line:

Drury Bunch
Ann Bunch Ashworth
Thompson Lorraine Ashworth
Owen Ashworth
Minnie Ashworth Droddy
Dorothy Droddy
Me

I heard a speaker once who said "our ancestors are looking for us, too. There are clues everywhere."

I believe that. It's a matter of time.

Cheers.