Melungeon History

The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Stephen Chinn for providing this information.

Melungeon Names

*Collins/Colins, *Gibson/Gipson, *Mullins/Mellon, *Goins, Boulden, Bunch, Fields, Freeman, Bean, Bolin, Bowlin, Bowling, Coal, Cole, Delp, Goen, Goodman, Gowins, Hale, Jones, Minor, Moore, Moseley, Nichols, Ramey/Remy, Sexton, Williams
* = common Melungeon names

Melungeon Places

State: Town,County:          Year:      Group:

NC     OrangeCo              1755
       WilkesCo              1782
       RobesonCo

SC     Buford, LancasterCo

TN     Sneedville, HancockCo 1790       NewMan's Ridge
       HawkinsCo             1830
       Tazewell, ClaiborneCo 
       HamblenCo
       RheaCo
       RoaneCo
       Loudon, LoudonCo

VA     LeeCo
       ScottCo               1820
       WiseCo
       DickensonCo

KY     LetcherCo             1840-1860  Coe Clan
       DickersonCo                      Pea Ridge
       MagoffinCo            1800-1825

"Irish Jim" Mullins Family History

The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Stephen Chinn for providing this information.

14-Sep-2000              Family Group Sheet

Husband: Jim "Irish Jim" MULLINS  
       Born:                 in:                                           
       Died:                 in: HawkinsCo, TN                             
Father:
Mother:

Wife: Clara MARTIN  
Married:                 in:                                           
       Born:                 in: HawkinsCo, TN                             
       Died:                 in: HawkinsCo, TN                             
Father:
Mother:
Clara MARTIN was a Melungeon.

M Child 1  John MULLINS  died at age: 27 
Born:        1819/1823       in: HawkinsCo, TN                             
Died:        AFT 1850        in: HancockCo, TN                             
Spouse:   Mahala  "Big Haley" COLLINS  b. 30-Mar-1824  
Married:  ABT 1845        in:                                           

14-Sep-2000              Family Group Sheet

Husband: John MULLINS  died at age: 27 
       Born: 1819/1823       in: HawkinsCo, TN                             
       Died: AFT 1850        in: HancockCo, TN                             
Father: Jim "Irish Jim" MULLINS 
Mother: Clara MARTIN 

Wife: Mahala  "Big Haley" COLLINS  
Married: ABT 1845        in:      his age: 22   her age: 20 
       Born: 30-Mar-1824     in: KY or HawkinsCo, TN                        1
       Died:                 in: WiseCo, VA                                
Father: Solomon "Old Sol" D(ickinson) Collins 
Mother: Virginia Goins 

Mahala Mullins was the most popular Melungeon.  Mahala sold whiskey to
travelers in order to earn a living; Mahala Mullins of moonshine fame.
Bible, Jean Patterson. "Mahala "Big Haley" Mullins."  The
Appalachian Quarterly, vol. 1, no.3: 16-17, December 1996.
The Wise County Historical Society, P.O. Box 368, Wise, VA.

F Child 1  Jane MULLINS  
Born:        1841            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
F Child 2  Sally MULLINS  
Born:        1842            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
F Child 3  Milla MULLINS  
Born:        1843            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
M Child 4  Larkin MULLINS  
Born:        1844            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
M Child 5  James MULLINS  
Born:        1845            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
M Child 6  Burton MULLINS  
Born:        1846            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
M Child 7  Ealy MULLINS  
Born:        1848            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           
M Child 8  Richard MULLINS  
Born:        1850            in:                                           
Died:                        in:                                           

1 1850 Census -- Hawkins County, TN.

Melungeon Sources

Adair, James. The History of the American Indians. London: E. and C. Dilly, 1975.

Davis, Louise Littleton. "The Mystery of the Melungeons." Frontier Tales of Tennessee (pp. 165-179). Gretna: Pelican Publishing Company, 1976.

Dykeman, Wilma. "Mahala Mullins." Tennessee (p. 126). Portland: Graphic Arts Publishing Company, 1979.

Gilbert, William Harlen, Jr. "Red Bones of Louisiana." Social Forces, May, 1946.

Hale, Will T., and Merritt, Dixon L. A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans. Vol. 6. Chicago: Lewis, 1913.

Haun, Mildred. The Hawk's Done Gone. New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1940.

Hunter, David. "Dark Mystery: Who are the Melungeons, and where did they come from?"

Morgan, James. "The Melungeons: Exotic Theories 'explain' the Origin of a Mysterious, Dwindling Hill Clan. Printed in THE NATIONAL OBSERVER (published by the Wall Street Journal) April 9, 1977.

Moore, John Trotwood, and Foster, Austin P. Tennessee: The Volunteer State, 1769-1923. 4 vols. Nashville: Clarke, 1923.

Worden, William L. "Sons of the Legend." Saturday Evening Post, October 18, 1947.

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Melungeon History