1. Abraham¹ Mullins was born Bef 1685. He married Rachel Broret.

Notes

Abraham DesMoulin came to the United States on the ship "Mary and Ann" from France. The King of England provided this ship to send the French Huegenots out of the country.

 Child of Abraham Mullins and Rachel Broret is:

2. William² Mullins, Sr. (Abraham¹) was born Abt 1704, and died September 02, 1734. He married Kathryn Smith, daughter of Joshua Smith.

Child of William Mullins and Kathryn Smith is:

3. William³ Mullins (William², Abraham¹) was born 1723 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and died 1787 in Franklin Co., VA. He married Katherine Elizabeth Varner Abt 1748 in Virginia.

Notes

Other information shows his father as William Grancer Mullins who married Katherine Smith. William Grancer Mullins died in 1734 in St. Martins Parish, Hanover Co., Virginia.

I will not change my information until I find further proof as to which it is.

 The Mullins are considered Melungeons by some people.

WHO ARE THE MELUNGEONS?

The Melungeons are most likely the descendants of the late 16th century Portuguese and Turks stranded on the Carolina shores when the settlement of Santa Elena, South Carolina was abandoned by the Spanish. They later intermarried with the Powhatan, Pamunkey, Chickahominy and Catawba Indians.

After being abandoned in the outlying Spanish forts, they settled in the Appalachians and further intermarried with the Chreokees and much later with the northern European settlers; primarily the Scotch-Irish, becoming part of the American Melting Pot.

The word Melungeon is both Portuguese, meaning "white person" and Turkish, meaning "cursed soul."

The following surnames are considered to be of Melungeon descent

Adams, Adkins, Allen, Allmond, Ashworth, Barker, Barnes, Bass, Beckler, Bedgood, Bell, Bennett, Berry, Beverly, Biggs, Bolen/Bowlen/Bolling/Bowling, Boone, Bowman, Badby, Branham, Braveboy, Briger/Bridger, Brogan, Brooks, Brown, Bunch, Butler, Butters, Bullion, Burton, Buxton, Byrd, Campell, Carrico, Carter, Casteel, Caudill, Chapman, Chavis, Clark, Cloud, Coal/Cole/Coles, Coffey, Coleman, Colley, Collier/Colyer, Collins, Collinsworth, Cook(e), Cooper, Cotman, Counts, Cox/Coxe, Criel, Croston, Crow, Cumba/Cumbo/Cumbow, Curry, Custalow, Dalton, Dare, Davis, Denham, Dennis, Dial, Dorton, Doyle, Driggers, Dye, Dyess, Ely, Epps, Evans, Fields, Freeman, French, Gann, Garland, Gibbs, Gibson/Gipson, Goins/Goings, Gorvens, Gowan/Gowen, Graham, Green(e), Gwinn, Hall, Hammon, Harmon, Harris, Harvie/Harvey, Hawkes, Hendricks/Hendrix, Hill, Hillman, Hogge, Holmes, Hopkins, Howe, Hyatt, Jackson, James, Johnson, Jones, Keith, Kennedy, Kiser, Langston, Lasie, Lawson, Locklear, Lopes, Lowry, Lucas, Maddox, Maggard, Major, Male/Mayle, Maloney, Marsh, Martin, Miles, Minard, Miner/Minor, Mizer, Moore, Morley, Mullins, Mursh, Nash, Nelson, Newman, Niccans, Nichols, Noel, Norris, Orr, Osborn/Osborne, Oxendine, Page, Paine, Patterson, Perkins, Perry, Phelps, Phipps, Pinder, Polly, Powell, Powers, Pritchard, Pruitt, Ramey, Rasnick, Reaves/Reeves, Revels, Richardson, Roberson/Robertson/Robinson, Russell, Sammons, Sampson, Sawyer, Scott, Sexton, Shavis, Shepherd/Shephard, Short, Sizemore, Smiling, Smith, Stallard, Stanley, Steel, Stevens, Stewart, Strother, Sweat/Swett, Swindall, Tally, Taylor, Thompson, Tolliver, Tuppance, Turner, Vanover, Vicars/Viccars/ Vickers, Ware, Watts, Weaver, White, Whited, Wilkins, Williams, Williamson, Willis, Wisby, Wise, Wood, Wright, Wyatt, Wynn

Many of the names in my family appear in this list.

 Researchers have long struggled with the question of who were the Melungeons and where did they come from? In simple terms, the Melungeons were a group of dark-skinned people with European features found living in the mountains of Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia by explorers as early as the mid-1600's. These people were farmers living in cabins and spoke broken english. They were clearly not Native Americans nor black or white. They practiced Christian religion and when asked who they were they replied that they were 'Portyghee.' No one has proven where the term Melungeon originated, however, it was long speculated to be of French origin meaning melange or mixture. Recent linguistic experts have shown that phrases with similar pronounciation to Melungeon (me-lun-juhn) existed in old Turkish/Arabic meaning cursed soul or one who's luck has run out.

Over the years this mysterious group of people was pushed further west and higher up in the mountains as Scotch, Irish, English, and other settlers moved into the areas where the Melungeons had been living for years. During the struggle for land, the white settlers declared that the Melungeons were "Free Person of Color" or "mulatto." In many cases, this legal designation stripped the Melungeons of many of their rights including the right to vote, to send their children to school, and to defend themselves in a court of law. This led to the new settlers taking the land of the Melungeons. The loss of political rights and land caused many Melungeons to start over in new areas where no one knew them as Melungeons and they could "pass" for white and enjoy legal rights and education for their children. These families denied that they were Melungeons and told people they were "Black Dutch, Black Irish, Black Italian, etc." or Native American, ususally Cherokee, to account for their darker coloring or refused to talk about their ancestors at all. As generations passed, people accepted the stories that grandparents handed down about who their ancestors were and the term Melungeon came to be applied mainly to isolated groups in Hancock Co., TN, and Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Co., VA.

It was here that researchers found them in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and began speculating anew on their origins. The most popular theories on the origins of the Melungeons were:

1) Survivors from the Lost Colony of Roanoke;

2) Tri-Racial Isolates (isolated groups of white, black, and Native American populations);

3) Survivors from Portuguese shipwrecks;

4) Descendants of the Welsh explorer "Madoc";

5) Descendants of one of the "lost tribes" of Israel; and

6) Descendants of early Carthaginian or Phoenician seamen.

Current popular theory suggests that the Melungeons were descendants
of Spanish and Portuguese settlers who abandoned the Spanish settlement
of Santa Elena in South Carolina during the late 16th century. These settlers
eventually mingled with several Native American tribes including

Powhatans, Pamunkeys, Creeks, Catawbas, Yuchis, and Cherokees. They may
have also mingled with the survivors of several hundred Moorish and Turkish
galley slaves and Portuguese and Spanish prisoners left on Roanoke Island (in
modern North Carolina) by Sir Francis Drake in 1586.

Children of William Mullins and Katherine Varner are:

4. Ambrose⁴ Mullins, Sr (William³, William², Abraham¹) was born Abt 1758 in Franklin County, Virginia, and died Aft January 30, 1838. He married Nancy Mullins 1775.

Notes

Ambrose Mullins was born in Franklin County, VA in 1752. The first County
Court for Henry County, VA was held on the third
Monday of January 1777 and Ambrose Mullins was among the 630 who took
the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Ambrose was drafted into the Virginia Militia May 9 or 10, 1781 and served
in James Peteet's Company under General Greene at the battle of Guilford's
courthouse. He was released from service in September 1781 and returned home.

On January 30, 1835, Ambrose appeared in court in Russell County, VA and applied
for a pension as a veteran of the Revolution. The Russell County Census for 1820 lists
Ambrose Mullins' household: Ambrose Mullins Sr. Ambrose Jr., Isham, James
and Jseph Mullins.

 He resided at Ambrose branch about 1810 in the Birchfield section of Wise Co on Dotson Creek.
He was one of the first settlers on this creek. Ambrose Branch is an east flowing tributary of the
Birchfield. His house, a story and a half of hewn log construction, stood on a slight rise above
Ambrose Branch. It was built before the Indian raid on his plantation about 1810. Ambrose
had fought with the Indians in Pike Co. KY before moving to this location so he built port holes
for firing on attackers. The 1810 raid was beaten off, but Ambrose was later killed by Indians
when he attempted to rescue a small daughter who had gone to a nearby spring for water. Sometime
before 1930 the chimney tumbled and the porch caved in. After that time the house was used as a barn.

 Child of Ambrose Mullins and Nancy Mullins is:

5. Nancy⁴ Mullins (William³, William², Abraham¹) was born Abt 1760 in Virginia. She married William Stanley, son of William Stanley and Judith Stanley.

Child of Nancy Mullins and William Stanley is:

6. James Booker⁴ Mullins (William³, William², Abraham¹) was born Abt 1762 in Franklin County, Virginia, and died 1864 in Bold Camp, Wise County, Virginia. He married Nancy Stanley, daughter of William Stanley and Nancy Mullins.

Child of James Mullins and Nancy Stanley is:

Generation No. 5

7. Ambrose⁵ Mullins, Jr (Ambrose⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born 1795, and died 1849. He married Nancy Mullins, daughter of Dave Mullins and Virginia Short.

Child of Ambrose Mullins and Nancy Mullins is:

8. Nancy⁵ Stanley (Nancy⁴ Mullins, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born 1764. She married James Booker Mullins, son of William Mullins and Katherine Varner.

Child of Nancy Stanley and James Mullins is:

9. Dave⁵ Mullins (James Booker⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born 1798 in North Carolina, and died July 1877 in Virginia. He married Virginia Jane Short February 19, 1820 in Floyd County, Kentucky, daughter of William Short and Elizabeth Bolling.

Child of Dave Mullins and Virginia Short is:

Generation No. 6

10. William Thomas⁶ Mullins (Ambrose⁵, Ambrose⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born 1813 in Wise County, Virginia, and died 1864. He married Judia Hannah Guidious Osborne September 01, 1842, daughter of Benjamin Osborne and Susannah Baker.

Notes

The following article was taken from "A Brief History of Buchanan County" by Hannibal Albert Compton, March 1958. The Mullins' first came to Buchanan County from Letcher County, Kentucky and from Wise County, Virginia. Some of those who came from Wise were from the part that is Dickenson County now. Old Tommy Mullins (William Thomas Mullins) was one of the earliest of the pioneers, who came here before the county was even thought about. He settled on the ridge between Slate Creek, Sprucepine and Harry's Branch. Old Tommy performed marriage ceremonies and made his returns to the court at Jeffersonville, now Tazwell. (The history of Tazwell County has many, many marriages signed by Thomas Mullins.) He was the father of Preston Mullins, Ambrose, Bill, Squire, and Henderson, Old Wylie Stacy's wife, Matilda, and aunt Daicy, the second wife of Henry Horn.

Some of the Mullins' were skillful distillers and took great pride in their art. And will they might have, for Old Pres Mullins pure corn whiskey acted as a stimulant and a sedative at the same time, have the most soothing effect on tired nerves and muscles, bringing sleep to the insomulent, and wakefulness to the Drowsy. Old Pres lived to be a ripe old age. The last time I him he was in the late eighties, and was working for W.M. Ritter at their camp on Looney's Creek. As long as I knew him he lived on the State Line Ridge, between Knox and Panther Creeks. Alert, but not alergic, he lived out his days in his own old haunts, in the elevated eerie, like an eagle, immune and aloft.

Child of William Mullins and Judia Osborne is:

12. Nancy⁶ Mullins (Dave⁵, James Booker⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born in Wise County, Virginia, and died 1860. She married Ambrose Mullins, Jr, son of Ambrose Mullins and Nancy Mullins.

Child of Nancy Mullins and Ambrose Mullins is:

13. Squire⁷ Mullins (William Thomas⁶, Ambrose⁵, Ambrose⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born May 16, 1854 in Tazwell County, Virginia, and died May 10, 1922. He married Martha Jane Stacy November 14, 1876 in Buchanan County, Virginia, daughter of William Stacy and Rebecca Blankenship.

Notes

Squire and Martha Jane had a niece age 14 to live with them according to the 1910 census. Squire's sister Susannah married Mose Addair. The niece's last name was Addair.

Grandpa Squire was a very quiet man with a mustache. He liked to roast corn he raised on his farm. He died from old age and was buried in the Ira Stacy Cemetery.

Martha Jane was a very large woman. She had a brother, John R. Stacy. the last time she saw her father he gave her his pipe. Later, he was killed by a group of people because he refused to fight in the civil war.

Squire's birth certificate shows his birth date as November 9, 1855 while his death certificate shows a birth date of May 16, 1854.

Child of Squire Mullins and Martha Stacy is:

15. Ambrose⁸ Mullins (Squire⁷, William Thomas⁶, Ambrose⁵, Ambrose⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born April 13, 1879 in Paynesville, West Virginia, and died March 02, 1950 in Paynesville, West Virginia. He married Mary Cooper March 14, 1898 in Paynesville, West Virginia, daughter of Joseph Cooper and Jane Blankenship.

Notes

Grandpa Ambrose was a very tall man. He was quoted as saying he could sleep in two states at the same time. He lived between the Virginia and West Virginia state line. His living room and bedroom were on the dividing line. The bed apparently sat near the line. Grandpa was a logger. He filed saws for 32 years for W.M. Ritter Lumber Co. in West Virginia.

Grandpa died from a heart attack. He worked during the day and died around 10pm that night.

The tombstone inscription reads "In heaven there is one more angel"

Mullins' were high tempered and wanted to fight.

Grandma Mary died Easter Sunday at 3:10pm of a stroke. The inscription on her stone reads "In heaven where all is joy, peace, and love"

Child of Ambrose Mullins and Mary Cooper is:

16. Edward⁹ Mullins (Ambrose⁸, Squire⁷, William Thomas⁶, Ambrose⁵, Ambrose⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born August 29, 1904 in McDowell, West Virginia, and died October 25, 1986 in Grundy, Virginia. He married Geneva Grace Christian February 23, 1923 in Wolford, Virginia, daughter of Thomas Christian and Mary Stacy.

Notes

Grandpa was born just below where the Ambrose Mullins Cemetary is now located at Paynesvill, West Virginia. He went to Justus school at Panther creek. Grandpa was named after his grandpa Joe Edd Cooper. Shortly after grandpa's 18th birthday, he took the measles. He had a high fever and was said to have turned black in the face. As a result of this, he lost his hair or most of it. Sheep tea was used to cause the measles to break out.

Child of Edward Mullins and Geneva Christian is:

17. Arville¹⁰ Mullins (Edward⁹, Ambrose⁸, Squire⁷, William Thomas⁶, Ambrose⁵, Ambrose⁴, William³, William², Abraham¹) was born September 09, 1928 in Blackey, Virginia. He married Evelyn Marie Smith November 03, 1945 in Pikeville, Kentucky, daughter of William Smith and Lottie Rowe.

Child of Arville Mullins and Evelyn Smith is: