who married in to the Chowan Bennett family.
Our Blackman (alternate Blackmon) family early in the 18th century resided on
Potecasi Creek in Chowan Precinct and later Bertie Precinct at Ahotsky
on the Roanoke (Morattock) River. Ahotsky is believed to have derived from the Skarure (Tuscarora) word
Rahsuta'?kye (Rah-soot-ock-yeh) or Ressootska which means "Our Ancestors",
meaning "this is the place where our ancestors lived". Ressootska was the name
of King Blount's Tuscarora town in the 1700s. After 1733 some of the Chowan
and Saponi joined the Tuscarora there. Our relations of the family names Baker, Black, Blackman (Blackmon),
Brazil (Brazeal, Brazeel), King, Lee, Stanley, and Williams, are American Roma
who married in to or coalesced with Native American communities in
the southeast.
the first Indian reservation so designated by the English ca 1701.
In 1733 Chowan were given leave to join the Tuscarora at Ressootska:
"A Representation of Thomas Blount King or Chief man of the Tuskarora Indians
by Mr Francis Pugh one of the Commissioners for Indian affairs was read
in these words Vizt No 8
"This Board taking the same into Consideration are Willing that the Supponees
do live with the Tuskarooroes in case both parties agree to the same, and that
the Chowan Indian Indians* have Leave to live with the Tuskarooroes Indians
provided King Blount Will Recieve them."
Source:
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina,
Minutes of the North Carolina Governor's Council,
North Carolina. Council April 03, 1733, Vol. 3 p. 537-38
Notes
American Roma is the modern 'politically correct' term for peoples who were formerly known as "Gypsies" who originated with the Romanichal of southern England. Some, but not all, today consider the term "Gypsy" offensive, and it's inaccurate as well, because it was based on an erroneous belief the people had originated in Egypt. Today it's known their origins are in India (Southeast Asia).
Chowan is the English spelling of Sawon which means 'south, southern' in the
'Virginia Algonkin' language. Another English spelling of the same word is Shawnee.
Chowanoke is Sawano'ki, -o'ki is locative, so it means 'southern place', and
usually refers to the southernmost reach of the territory of
southeast Algonkin language speakers.
