Dear Geoff,
The majority of the Family were Melungeon aka Mulatto, most of them intermarried. Its not lore, its history, documented fact from historical records. There are no Native American DNA markers. I can’t express it any other way. His third wife was Julia Scot. Her children rebelled against the family for whatever reason(s) (lots of speculation).
1850 United States Federal Census about Absalom Ailstock
Name: Absalom Ailstock
Age: 94
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1756
Color: Mulatto
Gender: Male
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): District 51 and A Half, Rockbridge, Virginia
Family Number: 285
Household Members:
Name Age
Absalom Ailstock 94
Nancy Ailstock 47
Margaret Ailstock 16
In 1850 Absalom aka Absaloma Alistock Cornstalk, and his wife Nancy lived in Rockbridge as did his son Absalom. He also, reports being born in 1756, which would have been around or after the death of his mother. Family believes him to have been born around 1748. These were very common mistakes. You have to check them against other documents from the time, but he (or someone else) reported his Color as Mulatto. Mulattos may also be an admixture of Native American, South American native and African Americans according to Henings Statutes of Virginia 1705, which reads as follows: “And for clearing all manner of doubts which hereafter may happen to arise upon the construction of this act, or any other act, who shall be accounted a mulatto, Be it enacted and declared, and it is hereby enacted and declared, That the child of an Indian and the child, grand child, or great grand child, of a negro shall be deemed, accounted, held and taken to be a mulatto.”
Due to this Historical document, today we have Caucasian people with birth certificates that read, as Negro, Black or African American due to their mixed-heredity; heredity lineage dating back that far.
Thanks for you comment, I do appreciate your input. I’m sure it won’t clarify it in your mind, nor change your thinking on the matter, but it does in mine.
As always,
Sheila Jean Adkins Metcalf
