A Peculiar Race of People

The Melungeons
A Peculiar Race of People Living [in] Hancock County
1890-09-28
The Knoxville Journal

The newspapers of the country are again wrangling with the 'Melungeons' or 'lungens' a peculiar race of people living along Newman's Ridge in Hancock county. They are also scattered along Clinch mountain in Hawkins and Grainger in isolated settlements. Even that bright and fascinating young writer, Miss Will Allen Dromgoole has taken it upon herself to journey all the way from nashville to the wilds of Hancock for the evident purpose of settling once and for all the much disp... (?) question of their origin. Unfortunately she gleamed little information other than that already published. It might be -- that she made a mistake in going among these strange people for that purpose, .... having they know about as much concerning the matter as any one else and that is not adding much. They themselves know virtually noting of their origin or antecedents from whence they came or the character of the mixed blood that courses through their veins.

In color they range from nearly white to a strong copper tint. They are of the average stature and general physical bearing; eyes always black, and short wavy or kinky hair, impressing one at first sight with the idea that they are of mixed white and negro blood. They are as a rule ignorant, uneducated and the knowledge and practice of virtue among them is woefully missing. Until quite recently they believed it was the inherent right of man to make moonshine whisky and take human life. They are growing better in this respect, however and the number of arrests for violation of the internal revenue laws in Newman's ridge district is growing beautifully less.

A large section of Hancock along the sides of Newman's ridge and in the valley of the Blackwater and Sycamore is almost entirely given up to the 'Melungeons.'

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