# 55 SERIES # 1 -- FIRST IN A SERIES -- RUEBEN CALVIN GOINS -- TEXAS RANGER, CONFEDERATE CAVALRYMAN, CHOCTAW INDIAN COWBOY -- REDBONE!

By Gary J. Gabehart

First in a series on Ruben Goins.

Rueben Calvin Goins b. 08 Aug 1837 Newton, Texas, d. 17 Jul 1930 Ardmore Oklahoma. Rueben/Ruben was the seventh son of Jeremiah M. Goins of Lawrence Mississippi and Sharafina Drake (Goins) of St. Martinsville, Louisiana.

I sometimes find it amazing the amount of mis-information on the web concerning whether the Texas Goins family were or were not Indians, and if they were Indians, what kind? And, why were they deleted from the Choctaw Rolls?

Unfortunately, there is a lot of bum information out there on the Goins family for the unwary to stumble upon. The Gowen Manuscript itself is rife with supposition without citation and much of it proven, ancient mis-information (my opinion). However, the following commentary on Rueben/Ruben Calvin Goins will be the first on various Goins family members and should provide a more comprehensive insight to this Texas Pioneer -- Choctaw family.

The father of Ruben Goins was Jeremiah Goins/Goings who was born the son of Philip Goings & Ooti Montro, Grandson of Stephen Goings, in Lawrence Mississippi. It is believed that the family originated in Tennessee prior to Mississippi, but those references are vague as to just where.

I wouldn't make too much out of the surname spellings as they bounce back and forth throughout history. The elder Goins/Goings/Gowen/Goen/Goien/Gohens/Goyens and others likely could not read or write and were at the mercy of the scribe making the record -- had nothing to do with anyone being ashamed of the name -- just an urban legend.

So the story goes, Jeremiah Goins migrated to Louisiana from Mississippi where he met and married Sharafina Drake about 1820. But keep in mind, that migration is a big word, and it is likely, considering the distance, Jeremiah, I expect, was making the trip back and forth between the two areas routinely. Territory or later State lines, meant little to these folks, and it's not like there was a barrier here.

The Jeremiah Goins family left the Calcasieu, Louisiana area in the early 1830's, apparently bound for Texas. We know for instance, that Caroline Goins was born in Louisiana about 1830. Caroline again shows up on the Jasper, Texas or what is referred to as the Bevil District census in 1835 as a five year old child. Jeremiah is listed as 35 years and Sharafina age 28 years in this 1835 census. These ages agree pretty much with other estimated ages based on previous records of Sharafina Drake.

ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/census/1835/1835jasp.txtJohn
Droddy age 45 and his wife Elizabeth Hays 53, along with four children were also listed on this census. These were Redbone relations of Raymond Alexander "Houston" Bridges who were moving West into Texas. Other members of Raymond's Ashworth Family (quasi-Redbones by some accounts, as they had left Louisiana) previously moved into Texas (1820's and 1830's) from Louisiana.

(Fact of the matter is, Ray Bridges is a Texas Redbone by his own admission and had not returned to Louisiana for nearly 50 years. Prior to that, it was short summer visits, I'm just saying, you know).

These Ashworth's were the basis for the Texas Ashworth Act; however, some of this family was later driven out of Texas during the Orange County, Texas War of 1856, as being Murderers and Thieves, but -- some of it may have been political. This is another story for a later blog.

The next time we find the Goins family is in the 1850 Limestone, Texas census.

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/limestone/census/1850/1850cen1.txt

163 25 Goins Jeremiah 58 M I Farmer MS
163 26 Goins Charity 58 F I LA
163 27 Goins Ransom 24 M I LA
163 28 Goins Sebern 22 M I LA
163 29 Goins Caroline 20 F I LA
163 30 Goins Robert 19 M I LA
163 31 Goins James 16 M I TX
163 32 Goins Robert 14 M I TX
163 33 Goins Reuben 13 M I TX
163 34 Goins Adaline 15 F I TX
163 35 Goins Emaly 9 F I TX
163 36 Goins Jerimiah 5 M I TX
163 37 Goins Mary 2 F I TX

* person # 30 was incorrectly listed as Robert Goins in this census and should have been listed as Rayborn Goins b. 1829 in Louisiana. During the enumeration process, it is unlikely that all members of the family were present and information was taken from any member who would give it -- correct or incorrect. As an enumeration supervisor, I've seen this first hand.

You will also note that Jeremiah has gained 8 years between the 1835 Bevil Census and the Limestone Census. Sharafina has gained 15 years in listed age since the Bevil Census. The squiggle marks in the race column mean only that the enumerator was confused.

Sebern/Seaborn/CB Goins was killed at San Saba in May of 1861 in a nighttime Indian attack. Henry Goins was listed in his own household in this 1850 census.

I had made a comment to a translator about the race thing as what appeared in that column prior to transcription was what resembled a small cursive "z." Some folks call it a small "y," but the truth of the matter is, in that year, neither was used. The transcriptionist changed it to Indian "I" and made a note at the top of the page.

First in a series on Ruben Calvin Goins -- More to follow.

Gary J. Gabehart, Mishiho (Mish-eh-ho)
Mishiho@Aol.com

# 48 -- SOME PEOPLE'S KIDS!!

By Gary J. Gabehart

Some People's Kids?

Latest discussion on the RanD site concerns something I said on the Redbone site (Blog #47), about the Drakes concerning a 1705 Virginia law or ruling on the definition of the term Mulatto (according to a 1705 Virginia Law). Remember to dot all "i" and cross every "T," or she will attempt to spin something.

Now it seems pretty clear to me, and others, what the law states. But to "one" individual it just can't be so, even -- when supplied with overwhelming data, laws and references, and -- don't forget the important time of the RanD group. Of course, you can be charitable and write it off to good will or some such. Some People's kids, jeez.

But, let's do this, go to Blog #47 and read it over -- make notes and then tippy toe back over to Blog #48 and we will continue. Seen enough?

Let me first explain that the thrust of the article was two-fold in concept, but I guess you could read more into it. First, I thought it might be helpful to get some stuff on the record about the John Aaron Drake, Sr. family, as well as, the John Aaron Drake, Jr. family and some of their children. Note, that in Blog # 47 I even stated that all this stuff was under construction, and if you didn't like it, "let's talk."

Secondly, I was attempting to explain my concept of the color line and how really complex it was with "People of Color," in this country in the 1700's and 1800's, and perhaps even today. It was not a Black, White issue -- it never was! Even Indians were monkeyed around with when it came to the terms FPC and Mulatto.

What was offensive to this person was the term "Mulatto," and perhaps as it was applied to John Aaron Drake, Jr. -- the latter was never clear to me. But, his marriage bond was clear, it stated he was a Mulatto. What could be clearer than that?

Now John Aaron Drake, Sr., and his wife Elizabeth Charity Smith Chrieves (Chavis or Chevis)(better get it all on here so I don't get jumped on again) were born about 1750 -- both in Elizabeth, Virginia.

John Aaron Drake, Jr. was born about 1776 in the Carolina's. It was here, that he was known as a Mulatto, the offspring of an Indian. The family was Catholic or they could have been converted Anglicans, hard to know. We do know that the family attended St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in Louisiana and their children were baptised there.

Since John Aaron Drake, Jr. was known as a Mulatto, he could not be married in the Catholic Church, to Rosalie Abshire, without the Church investigating his background -- it was Louisiana Law -- Negro's, Blacks could not marry a White. But, the offspring of an Indian or Indian Mulatto could.

So, the way it would break down would be White only were married in the Church. Indian/Black could not be, Black/White could not. White/Indian or Indian Mulatto could be. I expect that other cases were FPC and White "but a Church investigation had to be performed," and I expect there were many. As I said in Blog # 47, it's a complicated situation, but the one thing that "did not happen," by law, any where in Louisiana, was to officially allow a White/Black marriage.

Now, either Barbara Ellison is blind or she sees what she wants to see.

http://www.vagenweb.org/hening/vol03.htm

Here is the actual statue and citation from Virginia law:
ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- OCT. 1705 (Acts IV-XI) page 252

"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."

Now you read the actual language -- child of >an Indian< ("and" the connector) and the child, grand child, or great grand child, >of a Negro<. Can you see the word White in that? Can you see the words "Offspring of an Indian and a Negro" in there? The law is written so the "Indian" could be Male or Female. Certainly another twist.

The problem with Barbara Ellison is she includes or excludes the term White -- hard to tell what she is doing, and -- she connects Negro with Indian.

Now this is what Barbara Ellison wrote:

The *new* law was to ***include*** offspring of an Indian and a Negro, an Indian and the child of a Negro, an Indian and the grandchild of a Negro, and an Indian and the great grandchild of a Negro. Is she rewritting the law? If she keeps putting it in print, some folks will begin to believe it.

Now is that what the law stated or is this what Barbara Ellison is trying to palm off on you? She does not even understand what she is writing. She is the corrupter of fact!

Pony hill writes: I could refer you to about 50 census pages from 1850 of Indian reservation areas here in the southeast where it lists the Indian people there as "Mulatto"...even the ones who had very famous Indian-White ancestors (absolutely no African ancestors at all)!!!

Or how about in the historic compilation "Woodward's Reminences" written in the 1830's by a military officer who took part in the Creek and Seminole Wars....Woodward made reference to Jack McGee (if I remember the name right)..as "McGee that old Mulatto" and then goes on to talk about McGee's Indian mother and white Polish trader father.

Another private email gave me this link.

http://web.archive.org/web/20070416123630/http://www.heite.org/Indians/invisibleindians.html

Barbara Ellison admitted in one of her emails:

In a message dated 9/7/2007 9:39:18 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Falaya200@XXXXXX.XXXX.com writes:

As for our particular family, I can only go on circumstantial evidence and intuition that our Goins and Drakes do have African ancestry..everything I have seen thus far points heavily to that...(Not to mention my obviously African heritaged living Goins relatives) I DO care about the racial make-up of the family partly BECAUSE other people seem to want to negate part of the family...They want to double-talk any African ancestry into oblivion, and I SEE that...and it does bug me as well....

So now you can see what kind of researcher she is, "circumstantial?"
"Intuition?" "Shall we play let's suppose or make believe?"

The problem with this kind of research is that it leads the unwary down false genealogy paths. It takes time to research the phony stuff and separate it from the real deal.

Hopefully we have opened some eyes to the other people, the ones who did not exist, the "Free People of Color," the "Hombre Mulatto Libre de Carolinas," my fourth Great Grandfather.

http://www.tarver-genealogy.net/aids/spanish/sp_racial_terms.html

I told her I was offended by her personal attacks. If you think I'm too hard on her, wake up and ask yourself if you want someone misrepresenting your family?

Ask her to put her pedigree in print.

Jeez, some people's kid's! There is more to come to clear the air!

Gary J. Gabehart, Mishiho (Mish-eh-ho)
Mishiho@aol.com

# 47 -- JOHN AARON DRAKE, SR., JOHN AARON DRAKE, JR. & ROSALIE ABSHIRE

By Gary J. Gabehart

Get well soon Nick!

One Redbone Family.

From a recent discussion, with William Gomez, aka "Fruitloop" I began to realize issues I had slaved over years ago were now the issues of other folks, who now slaved over the same documents and family members.

With that said, it is often critical to others that we again address some of the interesting members of our families for the benefit of the masses who come behind us -- get it on the record!

For example, the older father and son Drake's, were referenced in records as John Drake, Aaron Drake, John Aaron Drake, John Aaron Drake, Sr. (abt.1750 - 1813) and John Aaron Drake, Jr. (abt. 1776 -- 1828). Confusing to say the least when you are dealing with just two people. But, if you are concerned as to whether there was a junior or senior, I direct your attention to the Camp Orcoquisac census of 1807 that indicate both a junior and senior with wives and children although they are listed (both) as Juan Erondraque by the Spanish Officer Geronimo (Her-ron-nimo) Herrera.

Also, to compound the problem of whose on first, John Aaron Drake, Jr. and his wife [1] Rosalie Abshire (15 Jan 1872) name two of their sons, Aaron Drake (abt. 1802 -- 25, Aug 1857) and John Drake (abt. 1805). The only thing that saves you from further confusion are the birth date's, Camp Orcoquisac [2] records and Father Don Her'bert's record translations, both Church and Civil, for Southwest Louisiana (the work is attributed to him, but he had help doing it). However, with these three records, the four Drakes can easily be accounted for.

Still later, Aaron Drake, Sr., son of John Aaron Drake, Jr., names a child Aaron Drake, Jr. (3 mar 1847--23 Oct 1939). There is confusion in this generation however, as Aaron Drake was married to Caroline Bass (1811-1860) and Sarah Ashworth. And, Caroline Bass was also married to Elisha Jacobs (b.1790) who was married twice as well (Martha Calvit).

It is this Aaron Drake, Sr., who seems to be associated with Bearhead Creek, Louisiana (Singer) near Lake Charles (Redbone Country).

Of course, this is always information that is constantly under construction, so if you see something curious, let's talk.

Another bone of contention concerns the term "Mulatto." In present day, the term Mulatto, in many peoples mind, means "Negro or African White mixture," but that is far from being a true statement.

The fact is, it meant then, and now, a number of things but "primarily the mix." Here it becomes complex. I've said before the term essentially meant White/Indian, Indian/Black or Black/White, according to various laws of the land, but it does not. You have to dig deeper. It is far more complex.

If you are thinking White, Black and American Indian in Louisiana or anywhere (the entire US), I ask you, what happened to the other ethnicity's other than White, African? Did those other groups only come in through Ellis Island in the late 1800's? Wrong!

The answer is that Mulatto meant White/Free People of Color (including American Indians), FPC (including American Indians)/Blacks or White/Black (Negro or African). The trick is, American Indians were included in Free People of Color by White Society. Some American Indians were light in color and others were quite Black.

John Aaron Drake, Jr. was known as a Mulatto. The simplest way to explain the following is to say if you were the wrong kind of Mulatto, you could not be married in the Church. When it came time for John Aaron and Rosalie Abshire to marry, the Church performed an investigation of his status and concluded he was the right kind of Mulatto. I might add, those original marriage documents are held by LSU in Louisiana, and I expect a copy at McNeese University in Lake Charles as well.

So what kind of Mulatto? He could have been a FPC or FPC/White mix, but -- not African or Negro. We know, from Don Her'bert records, that John Aaron, Sr. stated in marriage records he was from Virginia, right in the middle of the Powhatan Confederacy. Family lore of the John Aaron, Jr. family indicates a connection to the Powhatan Confederation. Also, it is speculated the Drakes could have been either English Drakes or Irish Drakes; however, very few Irish Drakes were known to be in New England prior to 1775. Beyond this, we can only speculate for now, but I expect there was an American Indian heritage from the Virginia Drakes [3].

I'm not knocking Africans or Negro's here, I'm just stating that Mulatto meant much more than Black/White. If you are tracking your family, it is important to know this -- your FPC family could have been any ethnicity other than White/African -- Turk, Asian, Pakistan, India, Middle East, Portuguese, American Indian and it goes on. If you want to be tri-racial, bi-racial, multi-racial or what ever you might believe, so be it, but -- it would be a good idea to shake out these other groups if in any doubt. I might add that "some" of these so-called Black/White Mulatto issues are now turning out to be, White and "other than Black" -- through DNA research.

One argument we hear is the Drake's at Bearhead were only Redbone by virtue of a marriage into the Ashworth family, and that could certainly be so. This is a good case for Redbone by marriage or guilt by association.

(1) Rosalie Abshire was First Cousin to Isaac Ryan (Alamo) and Elisha Ryan Rigmaiden of Lake Charles, Louisiana; and, Grandmother to Jeremiah Goins and Sharafina Drake's children. Rosalie Abshire was also the 4th Great-Grandmother of this writer, Gary J. Gabehart.

(2) November 1, 1807 Elizabeth Shown Mills, transcription. - Lost Spanish Towns, Jean L. Epperson, p.38; http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/la/calcasieu/history/pioneers/settlers.txt; Bexar County Archives, Reel 37, frames

(3) In 1705 the Virginia Legislature passed into law that “the offspring of an Indian is a Mulatto.” Ponyhill.

Bless LVH and WAG for their latest temper tantrums.

Gary J. Gabehart, Mishiho (Mish-eh-ho)
Mishiho@aol.com