New-York tribune., 1896-01-05
THE JACKSON WHITES.s
CURIOUS FOLK OF THE RAMAPo H1LLA
A HYBRID RACE OF MoUNTA1NEERs WHO RIVAL
IN DEGRADATION THE sAvAcEs FROM
WHOM THEY sPRANG-FEATUREs
OF BACK COUNTRY LIFE.

IN DEGRADATION THE SAVACES FkOA
WHOM THEY spRANG-FEATUREs
OF BACK COUNTRY LIFE.
more northwest OF New-York. scattered over the
great ridge OF that rocky range OF mountains
known as the Ramapo. the wall OF boundary b.
tween New-York and New-Jersey. are living now
as they have been living for lN years strange
race of people, half-savage-little moro than AMI
NAL The most ignorant Crackers OF mioo'e
Georgia and the "Clay-eaters' OF the south are no
lower in the human scale than this "tr.be"-for Il
has lived for generations by itself-that Is known
in Jersey as the jackson Whites
So full OF cliffs and so steep. so hidden ana
wretched when found are the roads. and so ferce
and brutal these mountain people," that the men
who have actually explored these denies OF almost
| unbroken woodland can fairly be counted on tho
fingers of a mans two hands. Even these men
would have to be guided by jackson "hte
should they go up into the mountains again. tor
the roads are so unbeaten that they present Simply
tangled and confusing pathways. Dotcng inc
maintains here and there sometimes In New.
york state sometimes in Jersey with only small
clearing before them, though occasionally sur
rounded by a little farm reclaimed from the ROCKY
,orsst are the homes OF these people, seldom moro
than log cabins OF the most primitive type
There Is yet another reason that makes peops
unwilling TO 20 up into this region 1t Is SAID 'nss
.ho mountains are still full Of venomous snakes
onnsrheads and Northumberland that only these
nerro-Indans Uhat being the strange stoc" ''o'"
which the jackson Whites sprane) nave '"e
rouer To walk unharmed among them Tnis may
he an idle story but at all events 1t is one 'hat
po,ent enough to keep woud-be visitors away
ORIGIN OF THE TRIBE.
.yon, ,nese mountaineers came TO get the name OF
.r,oLs,r Wbtee' Is a matter that Is lost TO his
/ ,o-v hut one fact stands out clearly and IS AZ
,os,ad 10 both In Bergen and Rockand COUNTIES
that they are the descendants OF negroes ana i"o'
! ians who took up their abode in the mountains u,
ing the Revolution. Ever since then Jersey mas ie'
the depredations OF the jackson Whites, as the
county records testify. II any further PROOF o.
naaad as 10 these peoples ancestors II can be fouh1
in the physical characteristics OF the present gen.
Grafton
The Indian blood is shown in the straight haii
that many OF them have. the long. nneIy Iorineo
noses the prominent cheek bones In other members
OF the tribe negro characteristics are upperfnos'-
kinkv curling hair fiat nose and broad, pou,ins
Inns An even strange admixture OF pooa -
there Fifty years ago. but more especiany "''',
this generation poor and "shiftess "hite men oi
the surrounding region began 10 go up IN the re-
css.es Of the Ramspo and mate with these negro
Indians leading thereafter lives Of marvellous sIotn
amid surroundings OF dirt. The caildren tnat nave
sprung from such unions are odd combinations OK
| three races and the most of them .ack inteia-
gence
| opa of
| ~ they had come from fine European or American
stock the color of others again ranges through va
| rious gradations OF chocolate. a few being even
| coal black.
| one other name for this peculiar people has come
| down through the years besides that OF jackson
| Whites" The farmers and townspeople roundaoou'
! frequently speak Of them as "creoies
| HOMES OF THE MOUNTAlNEERs.
| They are wretchedy poor-poor almost beyond a.
! hti, q
! est possible sort Thatched with straw for the
| most part they have peaked roof. ana In THIS
| roof is a sort of garrett reached by hole IN tne
J flooring on a rough ladder. The rest OF the nome ~
| a slng.e room. unmarked by any attempt al par
! tltion In which men, women and children-and the
families are Invariably large-sleep. eat and i've IN
! a close contact that is worse than life in the
| packed tenements OF New-York's East Side. Ths
| rite o. marriage. the nearest valley people say u
| unknown among these jackson Whites.
| In these log cabins furniture is seldom to Do
seen. Beds even rarity TO be met with
| in hardly one hut out OF twenty. Tossed IN
| one corner OF the room is great heap or hIthy
/ rags. and In these the family literally burrow ~
| night the rags serving for bed and covering aiiKe'
Not a sign OF comfort, or even OF sufficient tooo'
| IS to be seen in the most OF the cabins. Yet tns
| Jackson Whites seldom so hungry. When they
! do honest work. which generally consists 10
cleaning off lumber for one OF the big tract pro-
professionally all Of these people are squa,.eC
a IN ion 81 shs the
! roosts OF the nearest farms are ony I, thIee ~ ~
ever. see and when nine and women were
subpoenaed as witnesses at sne eou,rnILuse aLs the
| Journey OF twenty miles on foot.
INSTANCES OF PROSPERITY.
Nevertheless a few comparatively prosperous
| and nearly all OF these have made their success
| by n systematic course OF stealing. principally 10
the horse line. There is one really good tract OF
! land up the mountain. standing In the nam.
| of one jackson White" actually bought ana pa0
| for He is an old who owns IL. one OF inc
dana serous and desperate on the country siue.
and in his rocky pastures is string OF eAeep, .
hardly to be beaten the road in th. part Sdrss o.
the State most practised ana successful n,sa nV,s
and In proof OF the fact that he is transmitting
his vices to the coming senerson Az nuns ne's SON on
a similar charge. and the mountains are beng
searched for him. =,
ssvages seems. after ALL TO be the one main char,
acteristlc OF this tribe that keeps on maipH,s; Hln,;
amenabIe to law Even the women steal-steai
readily without shame and they resist arress scs
lie OF thievery could have been devised Jersey
may Ss be in not ha 9
line there to tantalize his woudbe eap.T,; t,r
thieves are 50 cunning that. living on one siSs Ss
OF the boundary line. they Will steal only o" '"'
Serving subpoenas or warrants on the Jackson
Whites" let alone taking prisoner into aetna n Sun
/ tody is a difficult and dangerous task one coh. S
stable in Bergen County has nearly all @ OF md md
mountain work. Henry Goetschus Is his name sns
| he was born and raised almost under the Ramap~0
'ee: yet even he. often he has trave:ed otJ Ss
these cliffs has to take n guide upon az az
trips He IS subject constantly to weird and terrinS
threats But. though outlaws to all intents anS
| purposes these men and women OF the mouhtss,m-, s-
have an inner terror OF the law. and though tnsy @
evade the officers and and rage wneh s.r eo,r
I fronted by them. they seldom venture TO at.aSs a.n
| them. man without the badge OF authority ssJ1
turing TO interfere with them however. wou'a "''.
to hold his life cheap. .,....o,