I'm just wondering if anyone here with North Carolina Gaskins have oral history of Indian heritage.

I know there was a time when it was shameful to talk about -- but thank goodness times have changed! Now it's something everyone can take pride in!

In my own family, there is a lot of oral tradition of Indian lineage. A look at my family tree (pictures) gives proof:

http://www.saraemily.com/aug2005

One of the oral traditions in my family is that my great-grandmother, Mary Susan Wetherington's, grandmother, Penelope Barrington was a full-blooded Indian.

Well... it's unlikely that she was full-blooded, but certain half or even a quarter would be believable.

Penelope Barrington's father was Nathan Barrington. Her mother was Mary Gaskins, daughter of Harmon Gaskins & Elizabeth Squires.

Assuming that Mary IS the daughter of Elizabeth Squires, that would fit perfectly with the oral tradition in my family, as the Squires family is historically documented as Mattamuskeet Indians.

On my mother's side, the oral tradition has been that my great-great grandmother Betty Spears (m. Dorsey Samuel Morris) had Indian roots.

Well... guess who she descends from? Adam Gaskins, son of Harmon Gaskins. The line goes like this...

1. Harmon & Elizabeth
2. Adam (m. Elizabeth Bland)
3. Serena (m. Seth Gaskins)
4. Lovie (m. Lewis Spears)
5. Mary Elizabeth Spears. (my g-g-grandmother)

Boy... this is some interesting stuff!