# 69 -- THE BLACK CARD, THE REDBONE CARD?

By Gary J. Gabehart

I have a cousin, at least she claims to be, who insists she is actually Black. She insists that I, and the rest of my family, is Black as well. She of course does not have any genealogy or any other proof that there is any Black blood in the family other than she wants to be Black. In fact, DNA studies do not indicate, in any of the lines so far, that there is any "Black" blood. (Yes, Ray Bridges, a 4 th cousin claims I am a Mexican, but it is not so).

Yeah, you can say "so what, what's the big deal?" I say everyone needs to be somewhere, but being Black might not be that easy. What do you do to be Black? If I want to be Indian, I just braid my hair and speak in halting English, eat fry bread and spend my time at Pow Wows. See how easy it is to be an Indian? I gave you the Hollywood image and you bought into it right away.

Now it would seem to me if I was a Black Man or Woman, I might find it some what insulting to have an obviously "White" Woman insist that she is Black, then, on the other hand, I might just blow it off as a crazy White Woman. Personally, I don't care what she wants to be because it does not affect me directly. But what do you do with a relation who accuses you of being a racist because you refuse to go along with her "Black" plan?

I think there is a need for a "Black" card. Call it a "Certificate of Degree of Black Blood," (CDBB). This of course would be proof that you had "Black" blood -- this card is long overdue. In fact, they need to issue one in this country for Jewish people as well. It would be the "Certificate of Degree of Jewish Blood," (CDJB). This would do away with the wannabe factor and protect various cultures from contamination...hmmmmm, seems like a 1930-40 German leader had the same idea.

Why a card? North American Indian people carry the card, "Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood," (CDIB) -- I carry one. If it's good enough for Indians, it should be good enough for Blacks, and -- it would protect them from my goofy wannabe cousin. It would also create new jobs, the Bureau of Black Affairs, (BBA), and the Bureau of Jewish Affairs, (BJA), or the Bureau of Chinese or Turkish Affairs, (BCA or BTA). And, finally, everyone in the country would know who they really were.

These cards would also put the race baiters out of business (well, I'm just saying that because it sounds good). Does this all sound bizarre? Is it bizarre that Indians carry a card to prove they are Indian?

So what do you say to a cousin who insists you are Black and calls you a racist because you question her comments? Some peoples kids!

Best,

GARY J. GABEHART, Mishiho (Mish-eh-ho)

Mishiho@aol.com

# 66 -- INDIANS AMONG THE REDBONES

By Gary J. Gabehart,

Indians hung out with Indians -- Redbone people hung out with Redbone peoplke. Did Indians and Redbones hang out together? Seems so! "I am convinced that the Glue for the Redbone enclaves in Louisiana, opposed to the Redbones of the Carolina's, was more 'social, economic status' than it was Ethnic.' They simply sought out people of their own ilk, they were the advance party, the Redbone pioneers of Nation builders."

The Indian families I was exposed to, my families, were the Goins (Choctaw); Thomas (Pushshukke), (Chickasaw); and Gabehart's likely (Cherokee) -- these were all family surnames. My family members were not wild Indians in the likeness of Hollywood imaging, they were all assimilated Indians and although they often wore outlander clothing, they dressed like everyone else of the day.

My families worked in Law-enforcement, Civil Service, Farming, Ranching, Oil Fields, Ship building, Automotive, yet many of their families had been divested of their homes and forced West by society-- with of course, the exception of the ones who took off on their own to Mississippi and Louisiana (we are talking early 1800's). Even though they were Indians and were often looked down on by some societies, they were able to avoid the stigma of Redbone, Free People of Color or that of an Indian and make a life for themselves and their families.

Some of my family members were known slavers [Goins and Drakes] in Louisiana and contrary to Frank Sweet, A Legal History of the Color Line, they were not Creole slaveholders (1). Also, the Goins, more so than the Drakes, were of another seldom mentioned race, and I take the liberty of using the term race -- they were North American Indians. Could they have had other blood in their veins as well? It was likely they did.

It is these North American Indians in Louisiana, who mingled with "Redbones," and who were ignored by society of the day that Frank Sweet and just about everyone else seems to miss. We know they were there, we know they were not Black nor White or Creole -- shades of gray, we just don't have an answer even today of who they were.

Albert Rigmaiden, with his 1892 letter to Donald Furman, is the fly in the ointment, as he states that the family names of Redbones were Drake and Goins among many others and they were neither White or Black and were from the Carolina's. Some of the Drakes lived up on Bearhead Creek (not a Creole enclave, but a Redbone redoubt), and the Goins appeared to have migrated to around St. Martin Parish before migrating further West and North.

The Drakes were known to have Indian blood from Virginia and the Goins were known Choctaw and they were living around or with Redbones. Were Redbones Indians? I think Redbones were every race of people who did not fit into society very well, and -- they were ignored then, as they are today.

My close family line, left Mississippi and migrated into Louisiana and later Texas [Stephen, Philip, Jeremiah Goins line]. Another line left Mississippi and migrated to Louisiana and later Oklahoma [James Goins, Martha Patsy Goins]. Still another group [Black River Band] containing more Goins left Mississippi/ Louisiana area and migrated to Oklahoma. All these folks were Choctaw Indians without a doubt, and related. All these folks were migrating Redbones.

Let me tell you how Indians were mixed up between tribes and tell you from a first hand perspective -- about my own family. Remember, Indians hung out with Indians.

Beginning with Jeremiah Goins, Sr. and Sharafina Drake [my third grandparents], we find Jeremiah the Choctaw marrying into a family with Eastern Indian ties. The tribal affiliation of the Drakes are unknown or uncertain, but we can say they were from Virginia stock and according to family lore, there seems to be a Powhatan connection.

Adaline Goins [my second great Aunt], Choctaw daughter of Jemeriah M. Goins, Sr. and Sharafina Drake Goins, married Lewis Mulkey, nephew of Cherokee Chief John Ross. Her children were enrolled in the Cherokee Nation.

Rueben Calvin Goins [my second great Uncle], Choctaw son of Jeremiah M. Goins, Sr. and Sharafina Drake Goins, married Susan "Sookie" Thomas, neice of Cyrus Harris, first Governor of the Chickasaw Nation and also the niece of Nelson Chigley, Chickasaw Senator. Her children were enrolled in the Chickasaw Nation.

Ransom Goins' [son of Jeremiah Goins] daughter Nancy Azenia Goins [my Great Grandmother], a Choctaw, married Charley Thomas a Chickasaw Indian. Their children were all registered as Chickasaw Indians and Nancy became Chickasaw by marriage.

These family Indian connections in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma lead me to believe that there is more Indian blood among Redbones than might be thought. Certainly the view of the white guy in Louisiana was Indians and Africans were classed as being alike [during the 1800's]. In fact, Indians were often purchased at Natchitoches as slave labor as a cheaper alternative to African slaves.

Of course, if you were living West of the Mississippi in the 1800's -- Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, it would be quite logical to find "mixed Indian blood" families as well as an Anglo mix, but more importantly, Indians sought out people of their own likeness -- Indians hung out with Indians.

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

# -- A GOINS-- REDBONE MIGRATION

By Gary J. Gabehart

Recently, Harvey Morris, descendent of Spencer Morris ca. 1830's (husband of Caroline Goins), sent me an interesting interview by one of Henry Goins (son of Jeremiah Goins) daughters -- Callie Goins Edwards.

Her interview evolves around her "rearing" in Texas prior to the Civil War and her subsequent migration to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) in 1878 to visit with her mother Sarah Simmons Goins. Callie, also known as Catherine, born 1856 would have been about 22 years of age at the time of this trip.

Henry died in 1870 in Plesanton, Texas and it would appear that Callie remained in Texas after his death.

There are a number of points in this interview that are extremely important to the family and others that should be noted. First, the interview was taken in Oklahoma in 1937. Callie lived around Henryetta and was listed as a Choctaw Indian. The investigator lists her Grandfather as Jerry Goien. You will remember that in the Bevil Census, in Texas, Jeremiah was listed as Jerry.

Two things here, put them in the back of your mind, first Jeremiah seems to use the name Jerry quite often and second, his surname was recorded as GOIEN.

In her interview, Callie speaks of having a conversation with Patsy Hall of Mississippi where she was told that her Great Great Uncle, Jeremiah's uncle, "was with one of the first loads of Indians to come to this country (Oklahoma Indian Territory). She also mentions that they were driven like stock by the soldiers and when one of the old folks fell out, they left them where they fell.



Further, Callie states that, "My grandfather, was a Choctaw Indian but he didn't come with the soldiers. He came to Texas on his own accord so didn't suffer the hardships that the others who waited did."

Here, it is very plain that two groups of Goins came from Mississippi. One via Louisiana (Jerry Goins) and one from Mississippi to Indian Territory -- both families were directly related.

Callie stayed a year in Indian Territory and talked her mother into moving back to Texas, but after a year, abt. 1880-81, Callie, her mother Sarah Simmons Goins, and other family members left Texas again for Indian Territory.

Best,

Gary J Gabehart, Mishiho
Mishiho@aol.com

# 54 -- THE SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH CONTINUES!

By Gary J. Gabehart

The search for the truth about "Free People of Color" (FPC) continues.

If you have a problem with an idea and attack it, and if you are serious in your beliefs, you should have a legitimate answer to the problem -- a fix so to speak. But enough, back to the discussion.

I think we can agree from Blog #52, that there is way more to "Free People of Color;" they certainly were not Black, and they were treated differently than Whites. This separation accounts for the word colored -- many colors in the case of FPC.

Now throw out the thought of Louisiana/FPC and start looking at the term Redbone as having started in the Carolina's -- maybe, even in Virginia. What did "Redbone" mean on the East Coast? You tell me!

Folks who I have spoken with, among them Dr. James Nickens, are adamant that the term back East referred to an Indian connection by blood [or by association-writers note]. Certainly, if not a slur, the term Redbone would have at least been considered a slang term of that era to describe a group of people. It likely could have been used to describe an area as well.

Now I do not have a citation for what I have described, but does everything have to have an exotic or mysterious explanation? What about an uncomplicated and simple answer? You tell me!

The FPC coffee can was the coffee can where Blacks and Whites did not go. Indians, Redbones, Cajuns, you name it went in the FPC coffee can. So if you are looking for a Moor connection or a Black Dutch connection or a Middle East connection, you're going to find those folks in the FPC file.

Best,

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

# 52 -- FPC, SO WHERE DID ALL THE INDIANS GO?

By Gary J. Gabehart

So, after reading the last blog, tell me, where did all the Indians go? Were they indeed wiped off the face of the earth by the White guy? Did the White guy kick ass and ride on?

You really have to take a hard look at the color line within the entire United States, not just Louisiana. Louisiana, Mississippi and in general the entire South was just the fall guy in all this Black and White crap.

It broke down this way, if you were educated, had money, power and were light skinned, you could be White even if you were not White. But the latter was a given in most societies. If you were dark skinned and did not have African features, sans money, power etc. you were likely placed in the "Free People of Color" category -- "the I don't really know category, but we're being politically correct category." Most civilized and assimilated Indians were placed in this category, but -- there were others!

Ever notice how the "Other" is used even today when you just can't make a decision and need to move on?

So, if we look at the record (what, thought I was going to do all your research?) we can easily see Black and White, and if you look further, you'll see "Free People of Color," now there where three, but where are all the Indians? Not to change the subject, but back in the late 1900's, the King and Queen of Spain visited San Antonio and were a guest of then Mayor Henry Cisneros. They asked the same question, "where are all the Indians?" With a sweep of his hand, Henry responded, "why they are all around us." Were Indians included in "Free People of Color." What do you do with an Indian in bib coverall's, put a watermelon under his arm and call him Black? Outlaw bib overalls for "Free People of Color?" Strange that the words Slaves, Blacks and Negro is often used, but the African word in these old records seldom was.

So this Indian problem has been going on in some peoples minds right into the 20 Th century and beyond. Where......did all ....... the Indians go?

But wait, what about the others? Were Creoles and Cajuns Black.....or White,.......or just not mentioned, or -- "Free People of Color?" You see, there were not too many choices.

I can hear the curses from the past wafering on the breeze from the dank dark swamps; "Dammit, I told you I was from Turkey!" So where did the Turks, near East -- far East Indians, Moors, Portuguese, Brazilian Indians, Chinese and Afghan's go? "Dammit, I said Moor, not more!" And, the list goes on; it would be silly to list them all here, and besides, we don't have the space.

But, aside from LV Hayes, in his racist posts, he lives in Disney Land with his jar of Metamucil, the world has never just been Black and White and Moors lived other places besides Delaware.

At this point, I will speak to the so called clannish Redbone People? Clannish? Well, who wouldn't be clannish when they wouldn't call it like it was. Granted, as I said before, Redbones, when it came to national origin, and I bet there were some Aggies in there, were as diverse as they come -- like the strips on a Zebra -- they were "Free People of Color."

"So why wouldn't people of like color seek their own?" That was a question which Jim Serra of KPLC-TV posed even though he knew the answer, and it is a good question. Why did the Italians of St. Louis claim "the hill" (known Italian area of St Louis). They obviously wanted to be among like people and people of their social economic status (SES).

More Later

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