Mixed Blood Notes, the Best and Worst of 2015

2015 was a good year for me, in my family research. During this interesting journey I run across all sorts of things. I'm gonna post the best and worst articles, books, blog posts, and websites I've come across in the past year. The thumbs up icon denotes good. The thumbs down icon denotes not so good. Let's start of with what I consider good first:

Probably the very best blog on the internet concerning genetic genealogy is Roberta Estes'  blog, DNAeXplained. If you want to keep up with the latest news in the genetic genealogy world, need /want to understand genetic genealogy, this is the blog to subscribe to.

I really enjoy her personal family research where she combines traditional genealogy with genetic genealogy.

Jack Goins blog,  Jack Goins' Melungeon and Appalachian Research is a premier Melungin blog. Jack is a Melungin descendant, Hawkins Co TN resident, a veteran genealogist and archivist. If you are interested in Melungin history, based on documented facts, this is the blog to subscribe to.

I really like these 2 books written and published this past year by Lumbee Tribal member Kelvin Ray Oxendine. Seven Generations -Ancestors of the Present Day Lumbee and Direct Descendants of Henry Berry Lowery. I have a copy of both books in my personal research library. These are important documents for anyone researching Lumbee and Lowery family genealogy. Thank you Kelvin for your good work, and for serving our Country.

I find this hilarious, but it deserves a thumbs down, but not a thumbs down to Jack Goins involvement. Follow along with me as I observe this debate argument, between non-Melungin descendant Joanne Pezzulo and Melungin descendant Jack Goins. Now please keep in mind, as I have noted on this blog before, Joanne Pezzulo could start an argument in an empty house.

It started here, Mr. Jack Goins posted the following on his blog:
" I especially want to point out one Family Finder test -This person attended Vardy School and by documentation is blood related to Vardy Collins, Shep Gibson, Joseph Goins and others to numerous to name. And presently lists 1762 cousins. Most of these cousins are descendants of the old Melungeons who lived 1800s in Hancock County, TN. This persons Origin 89% European and 11% African, a child of said tester shows 93% European and 7% African. "

http://jackgoins.blogspot.com/2015/07/melungeon-dna-update_26.html

Joanne Pezzulo retorts with this on her blog:
"Lastly Goins then tries to paint Vardy Collins, Shep Gibson, Joseph Goins, etc. with African DNA because 'a descendant' of Vardy's has 11% African DNA in his autosomal results. I would expect if Vardy, Buck, and the Goins etc., had African DNA and MOST of this man's cousins were Melungeons, the African would be somewhere around at least 25%?  11% would be likely from the Goins/Minors as they married into the Minor who were also Sub Saharan."

http://the-melungeons.blogspot.com/2015/07/jack-wrote-i-believe-this-review-would.html

 " the African would be somewhere around at least 25%? " based on what ? Citation please.
Are you following me so far ? Please keep in mind the high lighted words above.

Next Joanne Pezzulo posts on her blog:
"You tested the Y DNA of these men, only representing the male side and did NOT even attempt to include the female lines in your study"

http://the-melungeons.blogspot.com/2015/11/open-letter-to-jack-goins.html

You might have noticed Jack Goins never mentions the 'said tester's' gender. But Joanne Pezzulo takes it upon herself to assume the 'said tester' was a male, when in fact the 'said tester' is a female.
How do I know this ?, because she is a FTDNA Family Finder match to me, she shows as a 2nd to 4th cousin.

I left her name out to respect her families privacy, but I can guarantee she is a descendant of  multiple Melungin lines.

Coincidentally, she shares the same mtDNA haplogroup as my maternal side T2, my maternal line is not of Melungin descent, my maternal Grandmother was borned and raised in Ireland.

Joanne Pezzulo assuming that the Melungeon DNA Project and it's participants did not attempt to test the female lines is just pure foolishness on her part. Not many females were found that would work, and the one's that did were part of the project. Melungin females lines are being researched to this very day. By what I posted above, who is leaving out the female lines ? Not Jack Goins. 
As my Irish Grandmother used to say "The proof is in the pudding".

Sometimes I wonder where people get their information misinformation, and then post it to a blog. Here is a hilarious example: "Vardy Collins, also know (known ?) as Valentine Collins,"
Looks like this person got their 'V's' mixed up. I have no idea where this came from, it's the only place I've ever seen this misinformation stated. It's fact that Valentine Collins and Vardy Collins are different people.

http://www.randyspecktacular.com/2009/07/big-indian.html

Here is an other blog post with 'dubious' information. Again posted by a non Melungin descendant: "Many of the Melungeons, but not all, have DNA haplogroups that show roots in Portugal, Spain, and Italy."
What haplogroups might these be ? Citation please. I'm not aware of haplogroups that show roots in Portugal . Spain, or Italy, maybe this blogger should have given an example.

http://blog.eogn.com/2015/11/19/the-origins-of-the-melungeons/

I ran across this website during 2015. It might just have more misinformation on the people who were called Melungins than any thing on the internet. It's called 'Everything Melungeon', it's owned by some person named  Gordon Bigham, out of Crescent City, California. Take a look: http://emelungeon.com/

This site appears to like to promote old proven to be myths. Like the article ' Was Abraham Lincoln a Melungeon?' he has posted, with a link to an old Brent Kennedy article, or his article 'You Just Might Be Melungeon if:", with a list of foolish rubbish, with a link to a Donald Yates article.
The words 'opinion' and 'theories' are commonly used on this site, theories and opinions don't hold much water in genealogy. Facts with documentation do. Genealogy without documentation is mythology.

He states 'The Oxendines are a common Melungeon and Lumbee Indian name.' Oxendine is most certainly a common Lumbee surname, but not a common Melungin surname. What facts does he have that Oxendine is a 'common' Melungin surname ?
The difference between the Lumbee's and the people who were called Melungin, is that the the Lumbee self identify as such, the Melungin's didn't as it was a 'racial slur'. It was considered  an insult.

I would challenge Mr Bigham to go to  Pembroke, NC and call Lumbee's Melungin and see what the reaction would be, better yet go to Snake Holler in Hancock County Tennessee and call the Collins'. Gibson's' or Goins there Lumbee's. 

He talks about his 'family tree', which isn't posted, Where's the beef ? He mentions DNA testing, did he take any DNA tests ?, again where's the beef ?

To add insult to injury, this site is peddling t-shirts with the logo 'One People All Colors', with DNA icons in the graphics.

He claims the 'One People All Colors' is the 'creed' of the MHA, when in fact it's the politically correct 'slogan' of the MHA. I don't know a one direct descendant of the people who were called Melungins that agrees with that slogan. Did he get the MHA's permission to use this ?

As a participant of the Melungeon DNA project, conducted by Jack Goins et al, I must say I smell a carpetbagger, and I ain't happy about it. This site is the worst thing I found in 2015.

A special thanks to Libby Bunch Smiddy and Janet Crain for their encouragement and support in 2015. 

Well that about wraps it up for 2015, I'm hoping for a better 2016, and wish everyone a Happy New Year

That's my 2 cents....