Record Number:
LOWR004
Citation:
Origin of the Croatan Indians. As told by James Lowry of Robeson Co., now of State Prison, Raleigh, N. C. 3 p. No date.
Annotation:
James Lowry traces Lumbee origins back to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who sailed to the American coast in 1583 with two ships, the Golden Hind and the smaller Squirrel. A hurricane hit, and most of Gilbert's crew escaped on the Golden Hind; but Gilbert stayed on the smaller Squirrel with its crew. Gilbert and his crew weathered the storm, repaired the Squirrel as best they could, and sailed to Roanoke Island in North Carolina.
At Roanoke Island they waited for rescue, but no one came. The crew intermarried with the Indians; Sir Humphrey married Cherona, the daughter of Chief Cahwachaw. When Chief Cahwachaw died, he asked Sir Humphrey to be chief of the tribe. The Indians wanted more wealth, so they convinced Sir Humphrey to lead them west. When they reached Robeson County, Sir Humphrey, who was elderly, died. The Indians buried him there and settled near his grave.
First Appeared in 1994 Book?:
no
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Additional Information:
Thaddeus Ferree was a research editor in Raleigh with the Federal Writers' Project from Oct. 1939-April 1941. He probably received this manuscript during that period.
Access to Full Text:
Thaddeus S. Ferree Papers (#4258), Folder 20. Southern Historical Collection. Manuscripts Department. Wilson Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.