Second Annual Melungeon Historical Society Conference

Revised and Expanded Program

Melungeon Historical Society
2nd Annual Conference
Saturday June 19th & Sunday June 20, 2010
Hancock County High School
2700 Main St. Sneedville, Tn.

9:30 am: Registration welcome committee. No admission charge, donations.

9:50 am Jack Goins MHS President Introductions.
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9:55 am: Mayor Greg Marion will welcome everyone to Sneedville.

10:00 am: Dr. Scott Collins-Foremost Melungeon researcher who has shared his research with others for over 40 years. Sharing some thoughts today.

11:00 am: Katherine Tucker James, MELUNGEONS: Who will tell their story? Using dna with traditional and reverse genealogy to tell the Gibson and Collins Story.

Noon-lunch break.

1:30 pm: Dr Richard A. Carlson Jr.,Senior Associates. Anthropology/Humanities, “Who’s your People.” Questions and answer session following presentation.

3:30 pm: Roberta Estes, "DNA Testing: Everything You Need to Know", which includes an introductory overview to DNA testing, the new Family Finder test, the current status of the Melungeon project and what we need to move forward. (Time may vary + or – 30 minutes.)

Vice-president Penny Ferguson and MHS Board Member Elizabeth Bunch Smiddy will have a table set up to answer any questions on the various DNA tests, kits from FTDNA will be available. We do not charge or receive money from DNA testing. Our purpose in using DNA with family genealogy is to locate ones kinfolks and common ancestors.

Sunday June 20, conference schedule.

10:00 am: Registration welcome committee. No admission charge, donations.

10:15- John Zachary, Old campaign card display, campaign cards of people running for various offices in Hancock County, The oldest one is 1929, they cover about all Melungeon names, including Goins, Collins, Gibson, Mullins.

10: 40 am: A panel discussion, questions from audience on everything arranging from genealogy to DNA. MHS members and board members who are present may volunteer to sit on this panel. Our present MHS board members are; Becky Nelson, Beverly Walker, Roberta Estes, Dennis Maggard, Janet Crain, Dr. Jill Florence Lackey, Jack Goins, Joy King, Tamara Hogshead, Kathy James, Kevin Mullins, Penny Ferguson, Elizabeth Bunch Smiddy, Tari Adams, Cleland Thorpe, Wayne Winkler, Connie Barber and Dave Gibson.

11:00 am: Jack Goins A few words about the latest Stony Creek Church minute books 1,2 and 3, which will be shown.

11:15 am: Bob Davis will set up his display depicting his Melungeon Grandparents and give a presentation on them.

Noon- Lunch Break

1:30 pm: Kevin Mullins a descendant of the Newman Ridge Mullins family gives a presentation on the legendary Mahala Mullins.

2:30 pm: Summing it all up. Also, some previous speakers may wish to add final thoughts to their presentations.

Disclaimer: All presentations, or opinions expressed at this conference are not necessarily the views of the Melungeon Historical Society, or its members.

Speakers' Vitae:

Dr. Scott Collins Educational Doctorate in "Educational Leadership" from ETSU. Served as a Court Administrator for 32 years here at the Hancock Courthouse. Now serving as Vice-President and Branch Manager for The Citizens Bank of East Tennessee here in Sneedville. Actively involved in the Chamber and Community Partners. Has shared with others his heritage and Melungeon Research for over 40 years.

Katherine Tucker James of Spartanburg, SC. is author of family histories, church histories, technical books and material. She is an avid genealogist, researching Hawkins and Hancock families for over 40 years (particularly Gibson, Collins, Sexton, Roberts, Mullins, Bunch, Bells, etc.)She is Vice-Regent and chair of the Genealogy Committee of the Kate Barry D.A.R. Chapter in Spartanburg, is one of the founding board members of the Melungeon Historical Society, and a member of many historical and genealogical societies. She has a B. S. Business Administration, Summa Cum Laude, from Limestone College and is a retired Senior Human Resource Manager with Milliken & Co. She has recently published a book “From Newman Ridge to the Carolina Foothills.”

Richard Allen Carlson Jr. Ph.D.,Senior Associates. B.S. Anthropology/ Humanities, University of Maryland. M.A. Cultural Anthropology/ Ethnohistory, Michigan State University. Dr Carlson is author of several legal reports and journal articles, as well as author of “Who’s Your People?:Cumulative Identity Among Salyersville Indian Population of Kentucky’s Appalachia and the Midfield Muckfields, 1677-2000.(2003, Ann Arbor, Mi:Proquest Information-UMI Press).Since 1994, Dr. Carlson has worked as the primary researcher in support of expert witness testimony for Aurora Associates, Inc.,led by renowned ethnohistorian Dr. Charles Cleland (Professor Emeritus). Working for both Aurorora Associates, as well as leading CARLSON & ASSOCIATES, Dr. Carlson has worked on behalf of over a dozen federally recognized tribes in the United States and Canada pursuing treaty rights in court. Contact at: CARLSON & ASSOCIATES 1015 Braman Street, Lancing, Mi 48910.

Roberta Estes founded and owns DNAeXplain, a company providing individual analysis of DNA results and genealogical assistance (www.dnaexplain.com). She produces the Personalized DNA Reports for Family Tree DNA. Roberta is a founding board member of the Melungeon Historical Society and DNA advisor of the Core-Melungeon DNA program. In addition, she is the founder of the Cumberland Gap and Lost Colony DNA Projects, along with others. Her specialty is early colonial, southern and mixed-race research.

Johnnie Rhea . A native and current resident of Hancock County. She has assisted many researchers with genealogical and other information. She is the author of two books “The Alexander Goins Family of Newman Ridge.” and co-author with Dorothy Cameron of “Our Stories from The Depression Years.”

Bob Davis a resident of Hamblen County, Tennessee is a descendant of Newman Ridge Collins and Biggs family. He holds a BS degree from Carson Newman College and attended graduate school at the University of Tennessee. Bob is now retired after teaching in the Hamblen County school system for 30 years.

Kevin Mullins is a descendant of the Newmans Ridge Mullins family, and has been researching Melungeon families for well over a decade. Employed by the Knoxville News-Sentinel for 25 years. And a founding MHS board member.

Jack Goins is president of the Melungeon Historical Society and founding board member. Author of two books “Melungeons And Other Pioneer Families.” and “Melungeon, Footprints From the Past” As the Hawkins County Archivist, he initiated the restoration of the county records and the formation of the Hawkins County Archives. Coordinator of the Core Melungeon, Goins and Minor DNA projects with Family Tree DNA. These projects are listed on his website http://www.jgoins.com and on Family Tree DNA public sites.

Registration Welcome Committee:

MHS board members Penny Ferguson, Tamara Hogshead, Elizabeth Bunch Smiddy, and Tari Adams. A table will be set up for book sales. MHS Board member Johnnie Rhea will oversee the book sales.