Melungeon Mine (Tennessee)

[Kentucky Kache]

Nobody has ever solved the mystery of where the Melungeons came from. Some said they were descendants from shipwrecked Portuguese sailors or from Walter Raleigh? lost colony on Roanoke Island or ancient Phoenicians who arrived centuries ahead of Columbus. In any case, they were a separate race when first discovered by John Sevier in 1784. Originally they occupied several areas in Eastern Tennessee, especially the Clinch River Valley section. But gradually the arriving white settlers pushed them up into the higher elevations, primarily the areas of Newman? Ridge, 24,000 feet above the Clinch River in Hancock County. To survive at this elevation, they were forced to turn to activities outside the law such as moonshining and counterfeiting.

The Melungeons counterfeited both gold and silver coins, and it is said that their gold coins contained more pure gold than those which were issued by the U.S. Mint. Naturally, a lot of attention has been given to the source of this gold; but so far, it has not been discovered. Suspicions focus on the area around Newman? Ridge. In 1795, the Melungeons were thought to be getting their silver from a secret mine along Straight Creek in Clairborne County, but the exact location of their source of silver has never come to light.

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

The actual elevation is a little over 2600 ft. I guess it was a typo. Sorry.

 

[Las Vegas Bob]

LOL glad you corrected that.

I couldn't remember Tennessee having a Mountain a few thousand feet lower the Everest....

 

[Kentucky Kache]

LOL glad you corrected that.

I couldn't remember Tennessee having a Mountain a few thousand feet lower the Everest....

They have some pretty big hills, but not that big.

 

[chipveres]

Just a tip that may or may not help: The story of the Lone Ranger firing silver bullets originated with mountain folks casting their own from native ore that contained a lot of silver. So if you can relocate an old-time "lead" mine, it would be a good idea to have the ore assayed for silver.

Chip V.

 

[emtrescue]

Just thought I would throw this in here - I think some of you might be interested in it. KGC - if you read this which family name of the Melungeons can you trace back to? My Grandparents were from Sneedville (Hancock County) so and on both sides we have family member with the traits. For those of you interested heres an interesting, yet long, link.

http://www.geocities.com/ourmelungeons/history

 

[blurr]

Nobody has ever solved the mystery of where the Melungeons came from. Some said they were descendants from shipwrecked Portuguese sailors or from Walter Raleigh? lost colony on Roanoke Island or ancient Phoenicians who arrived centuries ahead of Columbus. In any case, they were a separate race when first discovered by John Sevier in 1784. Originally they occupied several areas in Eastern Tennessee, especially the Clinch River Valley section. But gradually the arriving white settlers pushed them up into the higher elevations, primarily the areas of Newman? Ridge, 24,000 feet above the Clinch River in Hancock County. To survive at this elevation, they were forced to turn to activities outside the law such as moonshining and counterfeiting.

The Melungeons counterfeited both gold and silver coins, and it is said that their gold coins contained more pure gold than those which were issued by the U.S. Mint. Naturally, a lot of attention has been given to the source of this gold; but so far, it has not been discovered. Suspicions focus on the area around Newman? Ridge. In 1795, the Melungeons were thought to be getting their silver from a secret mine along Straight Creek in Clairborne County, but the exact location of their source of silver has never come to light.

Why would someone counterfeit coins with more precious metal in them than a real coin? Doesn't sound too smart to me.

John

 

[emtrescue]

Everything I've heard it was always silver instead of gold. And the coins had more silver in em. Never really heard of the gold part. I guess I need to visit with my Grandmother sometime (Born and raised on Newman's Ridge)

 

[Rebel - KGC]

You know... the Melungeons sound like Gypsies, except Melungeons settled in the mountains, and Gypsies moved around. Common denominators for BOTH, was SILVER!!! And MYSTERIES!!! And then, there was that old "MOUNTAIN MAGIC.".. like Scot-Irish Magic "rituals"; and of course... GYPSY MAGIC!!! NO wonder, pp were afraid of 'em...

 

[Rebel - KGC]

beale DOES have some good stuff, going on... MY Melungeon "root family" is BOWLING... I ALSO have GIBSON, ALLEN, & COLLIN(S)... I have the "ridge" on top of my skull, ALMOST "shovel upper front teeth"... love GARLIC & RAMP, eat WILD Onions (RAW!)... love ISLAMIC/JEWISH MYSTICISM... LOTS of "hall-marks"... including, being a MOUNTAINMAN... beale knows me; I LOVE da MOUNTAINS, and to be left alone... 8) (SUNNY out...). GOT da "MOJO" working...

 

[emtrescue]

Graduated H.S. with a Bowling. Myself I have the Gibson (grandparents) & Collins (above them) thing also - dunno about Allen. Never heard of the ridge on the skull - but if it's what I'm thinking I'm pretty sure I've got that too. One other thing I noticed is that there's a knot at the base of the skull that is uncommon in other people.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I never had extra"digits" (little fingers/little toes) removed after birth; HOWEVER, one of my co-worker
told HE did... DID NOT mention MELUNGEON "thingie"; I saw his scars where EXTRA little fingers (BOTH hands...) were. Dr. Brent Kennedy is MY "fave" author for books on Melungeons... SO! "Google" MELUNGEONS, MELUNGEON TRAITS, MELUNGEON CHARACTERISTICS. IF... it is in the "blood"... NO wonder, I am interested in Silver Mines of SOUTHWEST Virgina, etc. Gotta get the MOJO working, and "call up" my Melungeon Ancestors... LOL.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

YW, T.T. BACK to SILVER MINES in Tenn., I would certainly KIT with beale re. "Melungeon Village"... ALSO check the Tennessee "DISCUSSION BY LOCATION" "thread"... look for the GARLAND SILVER MINE(S) in Tennessee; ALSO some info in the "TREASURE LEGENDS": THE LOST SILVER MINES OF JONATHAN SWIFT "thread". I would "hit" those mountains in the HANCOCK COUNTY section of Tennessee HARD!!! 8) (SUNNY out...). 8)

 

[Ken from Atlanta]

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyperry3/Blue_Fugates_Troublesome_Creek.html

This link is to a site with some history of the "Blue Fugates" in the Troublesome Creek area of Kentucky. Not Melungeons, but interesting nonetheless.

Here's a link to a good site with the history of the Melungeon folks : http://www.whatisamelungeon.webs.com/


I do know that there is a LOT of gold in North Georgia, it's estimated to me a bigger lode than California ever had, but harder to get at. It's not to big a stretch to think there would be pockets of gold in Kentucky as well.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Sticking with "Melungeons"... (do we need another "thread"?); they were known as the "Blues", "Red Bones", "Meccas"... LOTS!!!

 

[emtrescue]

Garland mine is interesting, some symbols on trees and rocks in the area. Gotta go exploring some more up that way to see what I can find... Do turtle heads point or do the tail? Tail is straight. I highly doubt it is spanish for some reason, and that's the only thing I can find on turtles - spanish. I seem to be stumped when it comes to the natives......

 

[Rebel - KGC]

http://www.treasurehuntersuniversity.com/turtle.html

 

[Rebel - KGC]

em... the "clue" is given in the above "post"; looking at the tree with "signs" @ http://www.mathandstuff.freeservers.com/custom2html I would go in the direction that the turtle points with the LEFT front fore foot... it is "different" from the others... how far? DUNNO; maybe, THAT is where the NEXT "clue" is... DANG!!! There was a "PIC" of the tree, at the bottom of the hill!!!

 

[emtrescue]

yea there's some others in that area too. I don't have any pics, when I found em I didn't know squat about turtles. I was young, dumb and had "other" things on my mind if you know what I mean. I just remember seein em and it hit me after I read up on it lately. As soon as I get a couple of days I'm goin to head back up that way and see what I can see. Gotta go in there b4 everything "leaves". I wondered about the head - it's lookin right. And the mark above it I dont have a clue what that would be. But I'm a noob at this but I think I got an idea - not sure.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

em... When I saw the "pic", it looked like a "hill" or mountain above the turtle... and yes, the turtle was looking to the right (or "up", I think...); There must be a "hill" or mountain, in the direction of the front fore foot that the turtle is pointing to, THEN... you go "up"... to what? DUNNO...
p.s. BEST book on the GARLAND MINE, for ME is... SILVER IN THE UNAKA by Buddy Johnson (with James W. MINTZ)... with "map" & "pics".
p.s. Looked at "pic" again... I would go to the direction "turtle foot" is pointing to; "up" the mountain... keep looking to the "right"... MUST be something there... hmmmmmmm...